Iching-hexagram-13 7/15/09 4:20 PM TongRen A publication of the Canadian Taijiquan Federation Une publication de la Fédération Canadienne de Taijiquan August 2011 Août Volume 18 . Issue 3 Numéro file:///Users/rhubarb/Desktop/Iching-hexagram-13.webarchive Page 1 of 1 TongRen August/Août 2011 Volume 18 . Issue 3 Numéro Published by the Canadian Taijiquan Federation, P.O. Box 32055, London, Ontario, Canada N5V 5K4 www.canadiantaijiquanfederation.com Editor: Michelle McMillan, KI DESIGN, Guelph, Ontario <[email protected]> Copy Editors: Charles Dunphy, Oakville, Ontario & Bob Chessell, Barrie, Ontario TongRen provides a forum for the discussion, TongRen fournit un forum pour discuter, exprimer et expression, and experience of Taijiquan and related vivre le Taijiquan et ses domaines connextes. Articles, subjects. Articles, reports on events, biographies, reportages, activitiés, biographies, lettres, critiques de letters, book reviews, poems, illustrations, scholarly livres, poèmes, illustrations, textes savants et réflexions research, and philosophical musings are welcomed. philosophiques sont les bienvenus. Veuillez soumettre Please email submissions for consideration for tout matériel à fin de publication à la rédactrice de publication in TongRen to the editor, Michelle T o n g R e n , M i c h e l l e M c M i l l a n McMillan <[email protected]> <[email protected]> TongRen is published quarterly: February, May, TongRen est publié quatre fois par année, en février, August, November. Submissions must be received by mai, août et novembre. Toute sumission doit être reçue the first day of the preceding month to be included. avant le premier du mois qui précède la date de The Editor reserves the right to determine content of publication. La rédactrice réserve le droit de décider each issue. Priority is given to content submitted by du contenu de chaque numéro. On accorde priorité au CTF members. contenu soumis par les membres de la FCT. Next issue will be published in November 2011 Le prochain numéro sera publié en novembere 2011 Submission deadline: 1 October 2011 Datelimite des soumissions: 1 octobre 2011 Advertising Rates / Tarifs publicitaires Size One Time Insertion Four Issues (one year) Dimension Une seule parution Quatre numéros (une année) Business Card / Carte d’affaires $25$ $50$ Quarter Page / Quart de page $45$ $90$ Half Page / Demi-page $75$ $150$ Full Page / Pleine page $125$ $250$ 2 August 2011 Volume 18 . Issue 3 TongRen Août 2011 Volume 18 . 3 Numéro CONTENTS TABLE DES MATIÈRES Article Authour / Auteur Page CTF Instructor Certification 4 The Practice and Essence of Taijiquan with Katarina Halm Katarina Halm 6 The Dancing Word: Taijiquan as Pre-Expressive Training for Actors Daniel Mroz 8 CTF Annual General Meeting 20 Workshops with Jill Heath & Adriaan Blaauw advertisement 21 Amygdala Steve Higgins 22 Experimenting With Forms: Dragon In The Shen Lineage Of Old Yang Tanya Korovkin 24 Journey of a Taijiboxer from Kitchener to Kingston Dennis Pounall 34 Upcoming Workshops & Events 38 Canadian Taijiquan Federation 41 Archival Cover photo: (l-r) Michelle McMillan, Dr. Shen Zaiwen, unknown, Billye Milliken, Wolf Boggs, unknown; Midland, Michigan, USA, July 1994 Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by contributing authors and advertisers do not necessarily reflect the policies or beliefs of the Canadian Taijiquan Federation; its executive, Board of Directors, Editor, or members collectively or individually. All material in this publication is provided as information only and should not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No physical activity or medical action should be initiated based on the contents of this publication. Always consult appropriate health care professionals. The Editor reserves the right to edit or decline submissions. All rights reserved by the Canadian Taijiquan Federation under the authority of its executive. Décharge: Les opinions exprimées dans TongRen par les auteurs et les annonceurs ne reflètent pas nécessairement la politique ou les positions de la Fédération Canadienne de Taijiquan, de son conseil d’administration, de ses dirigeants ou de ses membres, collectivement on individuellement. Tout matériel dans TongRen n’a qu’une valeur informative et ne constitue en rien des avis on des directives médicaux. Aucune activité physique ou action médicale ne devrait être enterprise en fonction du contenu de TongRen. Il est recommandé de toujours consulter un spécialiste de la santé avant de s’y engager. La rédaction se réserve le droit de revoir ou de refuser tout matériel soumis. Tous droits réservés par la Fédération Canadienne de Taijiquan en conformité avec le mandat de ses dirigeants. 3 Canadian Taijiquan Federation Instructor Certification Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) is a traditional art with many styles, variations, and lineages. Each school of Taijiquan has a different pedagogy and ranking system. For this reason, there has never been a standard means of testing students or teachers. This can make it difficult for students and potential students to determine or compare the teaching qualifications of various teachers. Within the broad Taijiquan community, however, instructors are able to make that determination for themselves by consensus. Experience and understanding of common principles, combined with an awareness of certain accepted standards within the Taijiquan community, enables expert teachers to recognize quality, even in styles other than their own. The same may be said of other arts, which annually recognize members of their various guilds in forums that transcend stylistic boundaries. (e.g. Skilled and experienced musicians do not need to be opera specialists in order to judge the general abilities of an opera singer. The less educated, however might not know the difference between Paul Potts, Luciano Pavarotti, and Komar/Melamid!) The purposes of certification by the CTF are: • To recognize the teaching expertise of those members who already are qualified and experienced instructors. • To encourage and recognize the development of curricula and educational structures, and to promote teaching excellence. • To provide members of the CTF with an opportunity for self- advancement and leadership training. • To apply for certification as a Taijiquan instructor, please send a letter outlining how you meet the certification criteria, along with two written references from recognized Taijiquan instructors, to: Canadian Taijiquan Federation P.O. Box 32055 London, Ontario Canada N5V 5K4 4 CTF Instructor Certification Levels Instructor certification applications are reviewed by a committee of CTF Board members, which makes recommendations to the CTF Board of Directors based on the following criteria: Associate Instructor Someone who: • is actively engaged in teaching, on either an occasional or regular basis, (a)...if teaching on a supervised basis, is recommended by their instructor, (b)...if otherwise, is recommended by two CTF-certified instructors from other clubs or organizations. • has attended a certain number of educational seminars. Senior Associate Instructor Someone who: • has 10 years of practical teaching experience on a supervised or non- supervised basis, • is actively engaged in teaching, • is recognized by peers as enjoying a high level of competence, • may be supervising other instructors, • may have his or her own club with a reasonable number of students. Senior Instructor Someone who: • has 15 years of unsupervised teaching experience, • is known for pedagogical competence and for sharing knowledge, • is acknowledged and recognized by others as having long served the Taiji community, • has a reasonable number of students 5 Introducing Katarina Halm Senior Instructor, Canadian Taijiquan Federation The Practice and Essence of Taijiquan with Katarina Halm My experience with martial arts began in San Francisco 1965-70 when I studied Aikido with Robert Nadeau to enhance my performance as a Ballet dancer and teacher. In 1970 I moved to Vancouver, BC to teach Ballet for Norbert Vesak at his West Vancouver School while he traveled to choreograph for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. In addition to teaching Ballet I studied Yang style Taijiquan in Vancouver with Raymond Chung, Sam Masich, and Shou Yu Liang. Since 1991 I have enjoyed teaching Taijiquan at various locations in Vancouver and Victoria, including Waterloo Park, Katarina dancing as Dunbar Community Center Park, Crofton “Sophia, the Goddess of Wisdom” Manor, Ten Thousand Villages, and Southlands Farm Markets. My weekly Taijiquan classes are adapted As the classes progress over several for those of all abilities and disabilities weeks, months, and years, I who wish to improve their stamina, include "prognosis": watching my balance and well being while enjoying students to determine what they like to time with others. The class meets for 45 do best, what they do well, building on minutes including warm up exercises, a their strengths until they feel confident basic form and invocations to the with a few movements. Each student elements - EARTH, SKY, FIRE, WATER, refines the weaker parts of his/her WIND and WOOD - to ground students practice through an organic process in the philosophy of TaiChi. which is “happy learning ". 6 Katarina Halm Close the Gate to Push at the Moon 關門推月 Katarina Halm Ever Flowing River 不斷流動的河流 It is a great pleasure to be a part of the Canadian Taijiquan Federation. I welcome your questions. Katarina Halm, M.A., Taijiquan, Focusing, Meridian Focusing, Feldenkrais® Bones for Life®, Sounder Sleep® Telephone: