Great River was founded in 1984 by a circle of serious Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) practitioners. For nearly 3 decades the Center has been focused on presenting the complete art, in all its aspects from the meditative to the martial. As such, Great River offers classes in the complete system from proper body [...]]]>

Great River was founded in 1984 by a circle of serious Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) practitioners. For nearly 3 decades the Center has been focused on presenting the complete art, in all its aspects from the meditative to the martial. As such, Great River offers classes in the complete system from proper body mechanics and qi (chi) development learned thru form work, interactive training in push hands, real self defense thru full contact sanshou, and strength training via traditional weapons training as well as historical swordplay.

Center Director, Scott M. Rodell, studied with notable masters, Wang Yen-nian, T.T. Liang, and William C .C. Chen. Over the last 28 years, the Center has grown from a local group into an international school with branches and affiliated school across the US and Canada, Northern & Eastern Europe and Australia. Today, Center director Scott M. Rodell & senior students, hold regular weekly classes in Washington & lead over 25 seminars a year in Europe, Australia and America.

Classical TaijiQuan (T’ai Chi Ch’uan)

Taiji Quan (Tai Chi Chuan) is an classical Chinese internal martial art that, when practiced regularly and correctly, reduces stress and helps to improve physical fitness, concentration, and overall health for all ages. Center Director Scott M. Rodell has 20 years of Taiji experience under masters Wang Yen-nien, T.T. Liang, and William C.C. Chen.

Chinese Historical Swordsmanship

Center director, Scott M. Rodell, is an internationally recognized expert of Chinese Historical swordsmanship & the author of “Chinese Swordsmanship, The Yang Family Taiji Jian Tradition.” While many contemporary schools of Chinese martial arts practice various sword forms, few practice swordsmanship. At GRTC we strive to achieve the complete sword art, moving beyond simple form practice to free swordplay in a manner that is both effective, adheres to the principles of taijiquan & is historically accurate.

Neigong

Traditional Taoist NeiGong (internal work) Meditation in the Jin Shan Pai (Gold Mountain Tradition) for students who have demonstrated sufficient skill and disciple.

More Information:

• Taiji Quan (Tai Chi Chuan)
• Center Director Scott M. Rodell

Scott M. Rodell (703)846-8222 (202)785-1767 evenings Mailing Address: 1325 18th Street N.W. Suite 210 Washington, DC 20036

www.grtc.ee Anne Likold (English, Russian, Estonian spoken) 372/5342-6046

Roland Tepp (English and Estonian spoken) Phone: +372 556 12458

Hal Kane (415) 731-3684 halkane@earthlink.net

Albert Efimov [...]]]> Washington DC

Scott M. Rodell
(703)846-8222
(202)785-1767 evenings
Mailing Address:
1325 18th Street N.W.
Suite 210
Washington, DC 20036

Estonia

www.grtc.ee
Anne Likold
(English, Russian, Estonian spoken)
372/5342-6046

Roland Tepp
(English and Estonian spoken)
Phone: +372 556 12458

San Francisco CA

Hal Kane
(415) 731-3684
halkane@earthlink.net

Moscow Russia

Albert Efimov
(English, Russian spoken)
7/901/909-126
bilbo@ropnet.ru

Saint Petersburg Russia

Vladimir Kozlovets
(Russian Only Spoken)
+7(81261) 20466
+7(81261) 23843

Australia – Blue Mountain Brach

www.grtc.org.au - Linda Heenan
(02)47826593

Tashi James
(02)47829512
both in Katoomba

Other Schools and Teachers of YangJia MiChuan Taijiquan

George Hu
Houston, TX
(713)777-4546

Elemental Tai Chi
Dale Napier
Houston, TX
713-252-3826
elementaltaichihouston@hotmail.com

Bede Bidlack
Still Mountain

Bozeman Chinese Martial Arts Club
Mike Wiseman
Bozeman, MT 59771
(406) 586-7213
mwiseman@wisearchitect.com

Jim Carlson

Robert Politzer
New York Michuan Taijiquan Association
25 Indian Road, Suite 6F
New York, NY 10034
212-567-3694

Yen-nien Daoguan, Madison
Madison, WI
608-251-4726

Full Circle Synergy
Portland, ME
Ian Gamble
207/780-9581

John Cole
535 Whitecliff Dr.
Vallejo, CA 94589
(707) 552-4738

Don Coleman
801 Emerson St.
Madison, WI 53715
(608) 251-4726

Mark A. Linett
Hsingyi Road, Lane 186,#62,7thfl
Peitou, Taipei Taiwan
Tel: 886-2-2873-3929
Email: wenmark47@hotmail.com

Jeff Pentz
11888 93rd Ave.
N Seminole, FL 33772
(813) 399-1596

Other Taiji Schools

William C.C. Chen
New York City
212/675-2816
www.williamccchen.com

For Information on Northern Wu Style TaijiQuan
David Dolbear
Morrisville, NY
315/662-7727
davetjq@aol.com
www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Stands/4161/

Peter Clifford
The Tai Chi Centre
70 Abingdon Road
London W8 6AP
England, UK
Tel: 020 7937 9362
Fax: 020 7937 9367
peter.wayfarers@ibm.net
Regular classes every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday

According to legend, the originator of Taiji Quan was a thirteenth century Taoist monk named Chang San-feng. Chang invented a soft-style martial art that developed internal energy to catalyze natural body movements, and is credited with authorship of the oldest of the Taiji Chuan classics.

The style of Taiji Quan practiced at [...]]]>

Yang Lu-Ch'an

According to legend, the originator of Taiji Quan was a thirteenth century Taoist monk named Chang San-feng. Chang invented a soft-style martial art that developed internal energy to catalyze natural body movements, and is credited with authorship of the oldest of the Taiji Chuan classics.

The style of Taiji Quan practiced at Great River descends from Yang Lu-ch’an, a nineteenth century martial artist of legendary skill. In his time, Yang became the foremost martial artist in Beijing (earning the sobriquet “Yang the Invincible”), and was retained by the ruling Manchu princes as their martial arts teacher.

For political reasons, Yang kept his original Taiji Quan form secret. However, he created a public form that has become the most widely-practiced Taiji Quan form in the world. This public form was popularized in the United States by Cheng Man-ch’ing, a fourth generation master who condensed (from 108 to 64 movements) the form he learned from Yang Lu-Ch’an’s grandson, Yang Ch’eng-fu. One of Cheng Man-ch’ing’s senior students was Robert Smith, from whom Great River Director Scott Rodell learned Cheng’s form. Rodell also studied with two of Cheng’s other senior students, learning sword and push hands from Master T.T. Liang, and san shou and push hands from Master William C.C. Chen.

Yang’s original, secret form is known as Yang Jia Michuan Taiji Quan (Yang Family Hidden Taiji Quan). It was passed on to only one person for the first four generations. Scott Rodell learned the Michuan form and Taoist Nei Gong meditation as a disciple student of Master Wang Yen-nien, the current head of the World Yang Jia Michuan Association.

Scott M. Rodell has, for the past fifteen years, taught the Cheng Man-ch’ing, Michuan, sword, and spear forms. He also teaches san shou, push hands, a women’s self-defense class, and Nei Gong meditation. His main goals include keeping Taiji Quan’s martial tradition alive, and disseminating the many other benefits of Taiji Quan, such as improving overall health and physical fitness, and promoting relaxation, flexibility, and concentration.