Great River was founded in 1984 by a circle of friends practicing taijiquan (tai chi chuan) together who wanted to expand their practice. Initially, this group sponsored a “Visiting Masters Series” & a study/practice group. Over the years, many notable masters, including, Wang Yen-nian, T.T. Liang, William C .C. Chen & George Hu, amongst others lead trainings at the Center’s Washington, DC Branch. In time, the group focused its practice & organizing skills on bring together & training in all aspects of the Yang Family’s Taijiquan (tai chi chuan) & the sister practice of traditional daoist (taoist) neigong. Over the last two decades, the Center has grown from a local group into an international school with branched in many countries. Today, Center director Scott M. Rodell & senior students, hold regular weekly classes in Washington & lead seminars in Europe and America. Senior GRTC student Bede Bidlack founded a sister school – Still Mountain Tai Chi – which now has branches in two American cities.
Scott M. Rodell – Director
Scott M. Rodell is the Director of the Great River Taoist Center, which he founded in 1984. Great River is headquartered in Washington, D.C. and has branches in Baltimore and across Russia, Estonia and Finland.
He began teaching in the Soviet Union at the request of the Soviet Wushu Federation in 1991, and in 1992 the Moscow school officially opened as a branch of Great River, with satellite groups later forming in other cities. While in Russia and Estonia, Scott has made TV programs about Yang family taijiquan (tai chi chuan) and has been featured in various national publications.
He was also one of the first ten Americans to enter the door of the Jin Shan Pai, a traditional school of Daoist Neigong. Rodell, initiated into the Jin Shan Pai by Wang Yen-nian, is a sixth generation teacher in this tradition. Through the Center, local students in the Jin Shan Pai are working to create a Retreat Center for the development of Taoist practice.
Scott M. Rodell executing Snake Creeps Down
Some highlights of Rodell’s career include:
- Began studying martial arts at nine years of age. Rodell practiced Karate, Judo, Tournament & Instinct Archery, Wrestling, Olympic Fencing & Marksmanship before devoting his training full time to taijiquan (tai chi chuan).
- Has over 20 years taijiquan (tai chi chuan) training in two branches of Yang Taijiquan.
- Studied with several senior students of Zheng Manqing, including noted masters William C.C. Chen & T.T. Liang. He studied push hands & free fighting with Chen & push hands & sword with Liang. Rodell is also a disciple student of Master Wang Yen-nian of Shanxi province with whom he studied all aspect of Yang family Michuan (Secret Teaching) Taijiquan.
- During the late ’80s was Push Hands Champion at several Nationally Sanctioned tournaments & placed Second in Push Hands at the International Championship held in the Republic of China in 1991.
- Director & Founder of Great River Taoist Center, founded 1984. GRTC is headquatered in Washington, D.C., and has branches in the US & across Estonia & Western Russia.
- Has been teaching regular seminars from beginners taijiquan (tai chi chuan) to advanced Chinese Swordsmanship in Europe since ‘91. Rodell began teaching in Europe at the request of the Soviet Wushu Federation.
- Awarded ‘Honored Judge’ rank by the Russia Wushu Federation (their highest rank), ‘01.
- Author of “Taiji Notebook for Martial Artists and “Chinese Swordsmanship, The Yang Family Taiji Jian Tradition”.
- Proprietor of Seven Stars Trading Co. specializing in Imperial Chinese Arms & Armor.
- Rodell has a diverse teaching experience. In addition to his regular weekly classes in Washington, DC he has taught taijiquan (tai chi chuan) to Vietnamese refugee children, at the the Alexandria Jail, at health clubs and a seniors group at the Library Of Congress.
- Moderator, Chinese Swords & Swordsmanship Forum, Sword Forum International
GRTC Senior Students
Senior students play an important role at Great River. Many beginners classes and special training seminars are lead by senior students. This enables us to offer small class sizes and more class types. Student instructors at the Center have a minimum of 3 years training with an average of well over 5 years taijiquan (tai chi chuan) experience.