This summer DDA arranged their annual Taiji tour around the UK with Master Wang Ming Bo.
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?Master Wang, who’s a regular instructor at DDA’s Shanghai martial arts camp and weekly Taiji classes, accompanied by DDA president Rose Oliver, undertook a month-long tour teaching around the UK, holding workshops in Devon, London, Manchester, Derby and Dursley, Gloucestershire.
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During their tour, they travelled the length of England, as well as spending some time sightseeing around some of the UK’s most beautiful areas, including Wales, Devon and Cornwall, The Peak District, Derbyshire, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Evesham, Gloucestershire, The South Downs, Cambridgeshire and London.
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They were fortunate also to include a trip to Buckingham Palace on their itinerary, when Rose was awarded her MBE by Her majesty the Queen on 28th June.
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Arriving in the UK on 26th June, during a short summer heat wave in Britain, Rose and Master Wang soon overcame their jetlag with a trip to Buckingham Palace.
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Rose, along with her parents and Master Wang enjoyed a fantastic time at the awards ceremony and Rose was privileged to meet many other recipients of awards, including OBE recipient Ms. Annie Lennox and members of the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy for gallantry and bravery, as well as ordinary members of the public for devotion to their communities and charitable works.
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At the start of the tour, their first seminar was again in Devon in the beautiful fishing village of Brixham, with the workshop once again held in Lupton House.
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The weekend seminar on 2nd and 3rd July, was well attended, with around 20 people on both days, many of whom were old friends of DDA and Rose personally.
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Some like John Gordon, came to Rose and her late husband Rey Nelson’s first “Masters From China Seminars” with Master George Xu back in 1996, with others being regular attendees of DDA seminars since 2007, when DDA first held their workshops in the UK with Master Ren Gang and Master Wang Ming Bo.
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This year, the workshops centered around Master Dong Bin’s basic foundation exercises, Master Yue Huan Zhi’s Taiji foundation work, dantian and qi cultivation exercises, waist strengthening and developing exercises, energy and power discharge, plus push hands and fajing training, with some tuina techniques and massage therapy training too.
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In Devon, the participants, many of whom attended last year’s workshop with Master Shou Guan Shun, were familiar with waist and root training, but hadn’t previously worked on Master Dong’s exercises.
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Master Wang took them through several exercises from the basics set, working on those especially designed to activate the waist and spine and promote whole body integration and connection.
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They also worked on exercises particularly related to identifying and cultivating the dantian, the central energy channel that runs through the body and integrates it with the waist and spine, plus those designed to quieten the mind and spirit and recentre the energy.
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Master Wang also worked on testing postures and fajing training with the participants, as well as other two-person training, including single-hand push hand techniques and double-handed pushing hands.
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The workshop was informative, fun and very friendly, with a great atmosphere, with many who had originally only planned to come to the Saturday seminar, also returning on the Sunday to take part in the remainder of the workshop.
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Following the Devon workshop, Rose and Master Wang travelled back to London for an all-day seminar on Saturday 9th July.
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This year in London, the workshop was very well attended by around 18 participants, including old DDA friend and Shanghai Camp attendee Ms. Sheila Gent and was again organized in cooperation with Rose’s old DDA friend, Danny Fajardo.
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The focus was again on Master Dong Bin’s basic foundation exercises, plus waist development and energy cultivation exercises, two-person training and fajing training, including how to discharge power without using structural strength or tension through the contact points of the hands or pushing down with the feet.
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The atmosphere was once again very friendly and relaxed, with many old friends and participants from Rose and Rey’s old Eastern Tai Chi and Internal Arts Association seminars in London with Grandmaster Wang Hao Da in 1999 and 2000.
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They also held several private lessons on Sunday 10th July, with participants who came especially from abroad to train with them, including a gentleman from Sweden who was interested in learning techniques in tuina and Chinese massage therapy to help him treat patients in his clinic and another from Germany, who was interested in studying Grandmaster Wang Hao Da’s Wu Style form with Master Wang Ming Bo.
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After a brief rest, the tour continued in Manchester, with a short afternoon seminar organized with old DDA friend and frequent camp attendee, David Thorpe and many of his students and colleagues, Colin Jefferson, Kip Akram among others.
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The informal and fun workshop centered around push hands techniques and Master Dong’s basics for the waist and internal power development.
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The seminar was followed by a very fun and delicious Chinese meal at a local restaurant in Stockton, with Dave and his wife and friends. Thanks to them and everyone in Hyde for their support, kindness and hospitality once again.
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After Manchester, they travelled to Derby, where Chis Lewis, a participant at last year’s Manchester seminar, arranged an afternoon workshop for a group of around 12 participants.
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Again focusing on basic training exercises and dantian cultivation, with a mix of two-person training, chin na joint locking and waist testing.
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The group were enthusiastic and friendly, with several old friends like Tony Gleadell, who participated in DDA’s 2009 Shanghai Camp, also performing his Cheng Man Ching Taiji form in the masters exhibition!
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Master Wang also demonstrated Yang, Chen and Wu Taiji forms, explaining how the chin na techniques from those forms translated into actual applicatory techniques.
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The workshop finally came to an end with the participants working on tuina techniques and bone realignment for the spine to help loosen, relax and realign it after the stresses and strains of work and everyday living!
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Chris invited Master Wang and Rose for another very delicious Chinese dinner at a fabulous restaurant in Derby, which capped the day off beautifully, thanks to Chris for all his efforts in organizing everything and his marvelous hospitality!
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Their final seminar was an evening workshop in Dursley, Gloucestershire, again co-organized with Mark Collins and his Cotswold Taiji Club. With around 28 participants, it was the largest group, with people coming from Devon and Cambridge, as well the local area, to take part.
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The workshop focused again on foundation exercises, starting with a review of Master Shou Guan Shun’s Tendon Stretching and Joint Opening exercises, for those who also attended last year’s seminar. Following, they also worked on two-person training, waist strengthening, force dissipation and fajing training.
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The evening seminar was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by everyone, thanks again to Mark for all his hard work in arranging everything and to Sally Webb, one of Rey and Rose’s old students for her hospitality and efforts in promoting the workshop.
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In addition to the scheduled itinerary, during the visit, Rose and Master Wang were invited by Rose’s mother to provide a Chinese cultural activity for her Club for the Elderly.
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The club has around 50 or so members, all in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s and they have weekly luncheon get togethers and activities, as well as regular outside trips to the seaside and other places of interest.
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Rose and Master Wang introduced them to the background of Taiji Quan, plus taught them some simple qigong and health massage techniques, which they could practice seated or standing, to improve circulation, promote overall good health and prevent general poor health conditions and ailments.
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After which, they demonstrated some calligraphy and explained some of the basics and principles and explained why calligraphy’s principles equate to many of the guiding principles within Taiji.
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Several of the members also tried their hand at writing some calligraphy under Master Wang’s expert guidance too and were treated to some tuina massage for various health conditions and joint problems by Master Wang, much to several members’ enjoyment!
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Outside of the seminars, Rose and Master Wang also had time for some wonderful sightseeing and enjoyed some amazing trips around the British coastline, Shakespeare County, Dartmoor National Park, The South Downs and Peak District, staying at some wonderful accommodation on their travels, including the Northwick Hotel by the river in beautiful Evesham, the 17th Century stately home of Langrish House in the South Downs, plus the picturesque village of Chepstow in Wales across the river from the border of England.
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Whilst they were touring, Rose also visited St. Ives in Cornwall, to say a sad farewell to her late husband Rey; returning his ashes to the place where they enjoyed their honeymoon many years ago. It was a special time and one filled with sadness, but also a way for Rose to say thank you to Rey for all his help, encouragement and support over the years they were together and for first introducing Rose to Taiji, Chinese culture and philosophy; and for giving her the opportunity to continue in this field in China and the chance to meet and make so many new friends in Shanghai.
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In all, this year’s seminar tour was a great success and DDA, and Rose in particular, would like to extend her gratitude to everyone who helped and participated in this year’s workshops; many thanks to all of DDA’s co-organizers for their endeavours and loyal support, we appreciate it very much.
We look forward to seeing everyone again next year!
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See below the handout information from the seminar tour:
Master Yue Huan Zhi’s Foundation Work & Theories for Taiji Quan