New York City Yang Family Hidden Tradition

1996 Wang Yen-nien Lecture Part 2

Posted on August 26, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

In 1996 Master Wang Yen-nien and Julia Fairchild visited New York City for an extensive workshop that covered The First Duan, Meditation, and The 15 Basic Tuishou exercises.
On Friday evening, the day before the start of the workshops, Master Wang addressed a large gathering in the Little Theater at the West Side YMCA. Below is part two of the 90 minute lecture. Part one of the lecture (8 minutes) is here.

Wang Yen-nien Lecture – New York City, June 21, 1996
Translation: Julia Fairchild, Moderator: Robert Politzer
Video Production and Editing by Thomas W. Campbell

Part Two: Twenty Seven Minutes

Posted in Film and Video | Tagged 1996 tuishou workshop, Little Theater, Master Wang Yen-nien, New York City Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan | Leave a comment

Saturday Mornings in the Park

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

The New York City Yangjia Michuan Taiji group has often had classes in Central Park, sometimes on weekends, sometimes during the evenings. And sometimes as workshops. We’ve begun to take the Saturday Morning Taiji Class outdoors, with a convenient row of benches for leg massages and a wonderfully open yet tree covered spot for basic exercises and form work. The class is learning the 13 postures of the YMT school and is settling into their comfortable corner of the park…

Posted in Photographs | Tagged Master Wang Yen-nien, Taiji in Central Park, Thirteen Postures, Yang Family Hidden Tradition | Comments Off

1996 Wang Yen-nien NYC Workshop

Posted on July 26, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

Here are a few images from the 1996 workshop that we did with Master Wang, representing his first visit to New York City. He presented a Lecture on Yangjia Michuan
in the “Little theater” at the West Side YMCA. Then, if memory serves, we did a three day
first duan workshop (including video footage that has yet to be edited) and then on to Mercy College for a Tuishou and Meditation workshop.
The images below are of NYCYMT school founder Robert Politzer and student Jim Best.
Photos by Holly Leavy.

Posted in Photographs | Tagged 1996 tuishou workshop, Jim Best, New York City Taiji, Robert Politzer, Tuishou, Wang Yen-nien, Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan | Leave a comment

Three Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan Amigos

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

Arnold C. Baker II, Robert Politzer, Thomas W. Campbell during a Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan gathering in Central Park, New York City, 2006.
Photo by Holly Leavy.

Posted in Photographs | Tagged Central Park, New York City Taiji, New York City Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan | Leave a comment

May 13, 2015 NYC YMT get-together

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

Some of the class recently met at Legend 72 on the upper west side for a festive meal and good conversation. Good times were had…

Posted in Photographs | Tagged New York Taiji, NYCYMT, Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan | Leave a comment

2002 Madison, Wisconsin Workshops – More Images

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

Here are some more images from the 2002 Madison, Wisconsin Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan workshops, attended by Wang Yen-nien. Many students and teachers from the New York group attended.

All photos shot and provided by Illana Sheinman

Posted in Photographs | Tagged Madison Wisconsin, New York City Taiji, Wang Yen-nien, Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan | Leave a comment

Yangjia Michuan Taiji and Music

Posted on April 26, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

If you have studied with Robert Politzer, our teacher and Fifth Generation Yangjia Michuan practitioner, you have heard him discuss the relationship of Taiji and Music, sometimes comparing the classical form that we study with the structure and dynamics of great classical music. Or by dropping a Grateful Dead reference. Turns out we have a number of musical members, including a founding member of the New York Yangjia Michuan School Jim Best. The band he is in, Superfecta, played a set of high energy original songs (and one by New York Master Lou Reed) on Saturday Evening, April 25 at the Mercury Lounge in NYC. And yes, that is our NYC school logo Jim is flashing 🙂

Robert Politzer is part of a cool organization called The Village Green that is all about sustainability and Green Business. They had a big event coming up on April 30, 2015 that included a set by the Village Green Band, in which Robert and his band mates do songs by the Grateful Dead and others.

It was a special evening event of fun, entertainment, camaraderie and networking!

Posted in Articles, Photographs | Tagged Grateful Dead, Green Business, Jim Best, Live Music, New York City Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan, Robert Politzer, Superfecta, Village Green, Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan | Leave a comment

2006 April World Taiji Day

Posted on March 25, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

It was blustery and windy late April day of Taiji. Many of the ‘regulars” of that summer showed up to participate in the gathering of approximately 20 schools. Some of those pictured are Robert Simon, Robert Politzer, Jennifer Kim, George Vlachos, and the “Russian Mafia”. As always, the demos were interesting and well done and offered lots of opportunity for learning. Photos by Holly Leavy

Posted in Photographs | Tagged George Vlachos, Jennifer Kim, Robert Politzer, Robert Simon, Thomas W. Campbell, world taiji day NYC, Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan | Leave a comment

1998 – The Basement Years

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

Here are some images from one of the many YMT classes that were taught in the distinctly tiled basement of the West Side YMCA around 1998. Among others in the photos are Gretchen MacLane, Robert Politzer, Larry Ford, Arnold C. Baker II, Thomas W. Campbell, Paul O’Brian, Michael Stone, Marthe Keller and Illana Schienman.
Robert is demonstrating applications from the first section of the long form and Larry and Thomas are practicing Da-Lu, which is Tuishou Exercise 14 (of 15).

Photos provided by Arnold C. Baker II

Rbt & Mike 1 small

Posted in Photographs | Tagged taiji, West Side YMCA, Yangjia Michuan Taijiquan | Leave a comment

2001 – Baker Camp Yangjia Michuan Taiji Workshops

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Thomas W. Campbell

The New York Yangjia Michuan School has held a series of workshops, beginning in the mid-1990’s, in various locations. In the late summer of 2001 the group held a workshop at Baker Camp, North of New York City, that was heavily attended. It included work with the taiji staff and push hands exercises. Some of the folks in the photographs are Mike Basdavanos, Robert Politzer, John Rapoport, Arnold C. Baker II, Thomas W. Campbell, Chris Nelson, Charles Adamec, George Vlachos, and Marthe Keller.

Photographs by Holly Leavy.