The children’s training bears much similarity to adult training. The main difference is the amount of time spent on each part of the lesson. While adults can discipline themselves to many repetitions of an exercise, children can only concentrate on one thing for about ten minutes. A typical seventy five minute weekly lesson might include basic jian and miaodao cuts, two sections of jian form, a few movements of the miaodao form,  partner drills, free sparring, concentration games, some push hands and some history. While there are many changes of exercise, the program typically only concentrates on one or two principles per lesson. For example, if the day’s goal is to put fajing in every strike, that is emphasized throughout each section.

Much of the partner work is done with padded swords for safety, though many of the children use more realistic wooden swords for other aspects of the practice.  The wooden swords are never treated as playthings. By teaching the children to act as though the edge is sharp, they are more mindful and develop more genuine swordsmanship.  When the student is deemed disciplined enough, they are introduced to steel swords. They learn how to pass and receive a sword, how to remove and replace a scabbard, how to cut correctly and how to take care of the steel.

In January 2009, the Australian program reached another milestone, hosting the first Traditional Chinese Sword League Youth Tournament.  Sixteen children dressed in fencing masks, cricket gloves and gambesons, sparring with padded swords and doing their best to win the Under 18s or Under 13’s trophies. Even with forty four pool matches before the eliminations, there was time for a sword form competition at the end of the afternoon.

Today the children’s program continues strong with after school training sessions, private lessons, and supplemental  Saturday seminars throughout the year.  GRTC Australia continues to work hard to keep Chinese swordsmanship alive and well in the land down under.

Over the last 25 years, Great River has gone through many changes. The DC school has moved, but always stayed in the DuPont Circle area. GRTC has opened branches in Russia, Estonia, and Australia. Over the years, students have organized multiple international taiji festivals. Students have entered and won many tournaments throughout the world.

This October the Great River community will celebrate it past in the best way it can – a celebration through practice. The DC school will hold multiple seminars for students of all levels. From a push-hands party to a more rigorous set of seminars, GRTC students will pay their respects to the Art through mindful practice while having a good time.

The 25th anniversary is not just about looking back and celebrating what GRTC has accomplished, the anniversary also serves to help ensure that GRTC will continue on for another 25 years. Economically, the last few years have been hard on the school and the most recent global recession has had a major impact on class enrollment. Though the school is in good financial shape, we want to make sure that GRTC can thrive. To help foster the kind of growth that we all want for the school, we are asking for donations. Great River has put together a website where you can donate to the school.

Here’s an overview of the events we have planned for October:
October 10th – Push-hands party at the DC school. All levels and abilities welcome. If you’ve never pushed hands, this is a great opportunity to come join your classmates, learn and laugh harder than you ever have before

October 10th (TBD) – A dinner celebrating the school’s 25 years.

October 16-18th – a weekend long seminar held at Farfelu Vineyard in Flint Hill, VA. Limited space is available and the recommended donatition is $200. Those students stay for the whole weekend will work on swordplay and more advanced training.

October 17th – a daylong seminar for all levels at Farfelu Vineyard, only an hour and half away from DC. A daylong training event is a great way to push your skills to the next level. There will be multiple mini-seminars throughout the day taught by your classmates. Dinner is included and the recommended donation is $100.

Follow this link to donate or register for the weekend event.

More details will follow…

…On Taiji Quan:

• Scott M. Rodell, Taiji Notebook for Martial ArtistsScott M. Rodell, Chinese Swordsmanship: The Yang Family Taiji Jian Tradition, Seven Stars Books & Video 2003
• Barbara Davis and Chen Weiming, The Taijiquan Classics: An Annotated TranslationYang Chenfu, Translated by Louis Swaim, The Essence and Applications of Taijiquan
• Benjamin P. J. Lo and Martin Inn, tr., Cheng Tzu’s Thirteen Treatises on T’ai Chi Ch’uan, North Atlantic Book, Berkeley,1985.
• T. T. Liang, T’ai Chi Ch’uan For Health and Self-Defense, Philosophy and Practice, Vintage Books, New York, 1977. An excellent plain language versions of the classics along with Master Liang’s commentary and important ideas in Taiji Quan.
• Benjamin P. J. Lo and Robert W. Smith, tr.,T’ai Chi Ch’uan Ta Wen, Questions and Answers on T’ai Chi Ch’uan, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, 1985.
• Wolfe Lowenthal, There Are No Secrets, Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing and his T’ai Chi Chuan, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, 1991. A wonderful introspective view on personal development in Taiji Quan and Cheng Man-ching.
• Wolfe Lowenthal, Gateway to the Miraculous: Further Explorations in the Tao of Cheng Man-Ch’ing
• Wei-Ming Chen, Barbara Davis, tr., Taiji Sword, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, 2000.
• Stuart A. Olson, tr., The Wind Sweeps Away the Plum Blossoms, Principles and Techniques of the Yang Style T’ai Chi Spear and Staff, Bubbling Well Press, Winnipeg, 1985
• Wang Yen-Nien, Yangjia Michuan Taiji Quan, The Yang Family Hidden Tradition of Taiji Quan, 2 vols. (form and appilcations), private edition, Taipei, Taiwan, 1993 & 1997
• Douglas Wile, tr., T’ai-Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmissions, Sweet Ch’i Press, Brooklyn, 1983. The only English translation of important Yang Family treatises.

…On the Martial Path:

• Bira Almeida, Capoeira, A Brazilian Art Form, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, 1986.
• Rick Fields, The Code of the Warrior, In Myth, And Everyday Life, HarperCollins Publishers, 1991.
• John Stevens, The Sword of No Sword, Shambhala, Boulder, 1984. Depicts the life of a warrior completely dedicated to enlightenment.
• Richard S. Heckler, In Search of the Warrior Spirit, North Atlantic Books, Berkeley, 1990. Probing and questioning debate on the role of the warrior in modern society and the military.
• Mark V. Wiley, Filipino Martial Culture, Charles E. Tuttle Publishing, Sinapore, 1997. An excellent study of the Filipino tradition that sets a standard for other arts.
• J. Christoph Amberger, The Secret History of the Sword, Adventures in Ancient Martial Arts, Multi-Media Books, Inc, 1999. Writen by a true swordsman for the swordsman. A book for men finding themselves living in the wrong time. If you are serious about your study of martial art, read this book. -SMR