I teach it every week in a local park.
Great venue -- under a roof shelter on a large cement slab.
The dojo.
In the class I teach health-wand first -- then tackle the form.
Seems to work as they keep coming back.
With luck, I hope to get a 'club' going -- inasmuch as offering a convergence session once a week for anyone interested to do the form with friends.
I have in mind the Tokyo Biangan club ..which is ironic given that the Japanese have a very different jo -- and Jojitsu -- tradition.
After spending so much time trawling the online video universe I found a 'style' I could relate to most ...and it was sourced from Los Angeles!
LosAngelesTaiChi
In my sessions -- so far -- I do a Health Wand mix (video pending) then the form with the short stick which includes my Philipino Kali influences. So there are some one-hand moves.
Next I hope to offer folk the compass angle cuts based on a clocak face moves.
I like the LA TaiChi form because it really works the stick to great effect. For a time I was much influenced by this style -- the 81 Form Biangan -- but thought it would take me forever to dissect and learn. I also considered there were a few extraneous moves whereas the LA TaiChi form was very direct and more functional...and shorter.
Also, the online teaching was awesome and generous.
In my travels I also found this Biangan club in Hong Kong -- similar to that in Tokyo.
Needless to say, I've been dependent on Google Translate.
By now, I have a vague idea of the different biangan styles that can occur...and have learnt to respect those folk in their 90s who are so good with the whip rod.
I'm a tad confused as to the geographical factors re north west vs southern China, and the Taoist influence vs a form that has so many Uyghur exponents. The Uyghur 'style' seems very explosive...with lots of body 'whip'.
There is a stationary logic in some Biangan styles and the foot work is so often a secondary question. That sabotages its flow in terms of being a TaiChi hybrid -- as a taichi gun.
So I have the challenge of deciding how I'd learn it and then,maybe, how I'd then teach it.
But I'm happy. Moving along nicely at a steady pace with 6 students currently. After spending so much time trawling the online video universe I found a 'style' I could relate to most ...and it was sourced from Los Angeles! LosAngelesTaiChi In my sessions -- so far -- I do a Health Wand mix (video pending) then the form with the short stick which includes my Philipino Kali influences. So there are some one-hand moves. Next I hope to offer folk the compass angle cuts based on a clocak face moves. I like the LA TaiChi form because it really works the stick to great effect. For a time I was much influenced by this style -- the 81 Form Biangan -- but thought it would take me forever to dissect and learn. I also considered there were a few extraneous moves whereas the LA TaiChi form was very direct and more functional...and shorter. Also, the online teaching was awesome and generous. In my travels I also found this Biangan club in Hong Kong -- similar to that in Tokyo. Needless to say, I've been dependent on Google Translate. By now, I have a vague idea of the different biangan styles that can occur...and have learnt to respect those folk in their 90s who are so good with the whip rod. I'm a tad confused as to the geographical factors re north west vs southern China, and the Taoist influence vs a form that has so many Uyghur exponents. The Uyghur 'style' seems very explosive...with lots of body 'whip'. There is a stationary logic in some Biangan styles and the foot work is so often a secondary question. That sabotages its flow in terms of being a TaiChi hybrid -- as a taichi gun. So I have the challenge of deciding how I'd learn it and then,maybe, how I'd then teach it. But I'm happy. Moving along nicely at a steady pace with 6 students currently. Not that I'm into sensei mode -- or would want to be -- but in the absence of any lineage here, I get to teach or learn whatever I like without fear of any kung fu policing.
