Tai Chi Chuan can be a lifetime art! The Tai Chi Foundation (TCF) curriculum is a carefully-designed sequence that is designed to help all students develop their tai chi to a deep level of understanding.
TCF uses team-teaching throughout our classes. This has several advantages:
- It means that students have at least two teachers to watch/listen to during class.
- It means that our teachers work together to improve the learning experience.
- It helps to keep the focus of the class experience on the clarity of passing the art to the students.
Our curriculum focuses on the principles of tai chi from the very beginning. The sequence of courses, and the sequence of material within a course, are designed to make it possible for anyone studying with us to proceed at their own pace to whatever level of practice fits their needs and desires.
The Tai Chi Foundation is proud to provide accessible training going forward as we move into the digital world. Using an online platform enables people to practice the art of tai chi from anywhere in the world and grow with our community. Multiple programs have been developed for you to learn from:
- Tai Chi Basics: Learn about Room Set Up, Tai Chi Shoes, Shoulder Width, Relaxation & more in this free resource.
- The Eight Ways of Tai Chi Chuan™: Professor Cheng distilled the tai chi form into eight movements that are easy to learn and fun to practice, The Eight Ways. These eight exercises bring the essential health benefits of the full tai chi form into your everyday activities.
- Time In The Art: This new series covers a broad set of topics related to the art of tai chi. These programs are taught by experienced teachers and are suitable for all levels of Tai Chi students. We now offer programs about:
- 8-Qualities of Excellent Tai Chi
- Chinese for Tai Chi Players
- Meditations & Qi Massages
- Healthy Bodies
You can always learn more about these programs and our organization by visiting our website at taichifoundation.org.
Meet Your Tai Chi Foundation
Online Teachers
Hi, I'm Margaret
Margaret Olmsted has been teaching with the Tai Chi Foundation (TCF) since 1976. Recognized as a Legacy Holder, which is the top tier of teaching, she works to ensure the quality of education. Margaret (also known as MO) supports the TCF on various committees. She lives and teaches in Los Angeles.
Hi, I'm Edna
Edna Brandt has been practicing and teaching tai chi for over 40 years, and still loves it. Her favorite Tai Chi practice that she enjoys is the sword form. She loves to research the meaning of the images of animals and nature in the Tai Chi forms.
Though mostly retired these days, Edna practices and teaches acupuncture. Living in North Carolina, she enjoys Chinese brush painting, especially bamboo and plum blossom.
Hi, I'm Jonathan
Jonathan Stow began teaching in 1993 and has had the distinct pleasure of having taught students worldwide. Jonathan loves exploring and sharing the intricacies and possibilities of the sword form. Jonathan has spent years studying the T’ai Chi Classics and seeking ways to make them accessible for all.
Jonathan lives and works in New York City. He hopes to share his passion for tai chi and the calm abiding it can offer to all interested people.
Hi, I'm Margaret
Margaret Matsumoto or "Matsu" has dedicated her adult life to teaching Tai Chi Chuan and related arts. Her teaching career has spanned 49 years and has included thousands of students. While active in many roles for our organization, she still loves to teach and mentor others. In her own practice, she enjoys the feeling of fluidity and inner calm that come from doing tai chi.
Matsu lives in Stockton, NJ. She likes listening to jazz and sings in a choral group. She also belongs to an environmental activist group.
Hi, I'm Greg
Greg Woodson has been a senior faculty member for the T’ai Chi Foundation/School of T’ai Chi Chuan since the late 1980’s offering seminars, training workshops and group trainings with other participating teachers throughout the tai chi community in the US, Europe and Latin America. Greg began his study of the martial arts in 1969 and has been an active tai chi teacher under the auspices of Patrick Watson’s School of T’ai Chi Chuan since 1976. Greg has a deep and abiding love for tai chi and is always seeking opportunities to share its value with all people, novices and enthusiasts alike.
Hi, I'm Sherry
Sherry Kent is a Legacy Holder & Senior Teacher of the T'ai Chi Foundation. She started studying tai chi with Patrick Watson in 1975 in Boston and New York City. She is actively teaching tai chi, Push Hands, and the Sword Form, in Amsterdam, as well as assimilating the depths of Roots & Branches. Sherry is passionate about everyone developing quality of life as well as the capacity to witness and help others, with love, compassion and laughter.
The Eight Ways of Tai Chi Chuan™
Start The Eight Ways of Tai Chi Chuan™ by learning the first movement in the series, called Sculling.
You may go at your own pace through the series and each of the class modules.
Progress through the each class modules in sequential order as they have a logical progression.
