Videos
When I was starting, the use of recorded footage of others doing the form was hardly even possible, and not regarded highly (because tape is a poor proxy for teachers). Today, nearly everything is out there and accessible instantly, and my understanding of the diversity of learners and learning styles has broadened considerably. If you find film helpful, perhaps these will bring down some barriers to learning. Many also hold great historical value.
Beware: vortex ahead!
Enjoy!
• Here, Professor Cheng practices in Riverside Park in NYC; he completes the first third of the form in about 2 minutes.
• This is much older footage of the Professor; first third is still about 2 minutes.
• Take a class with Professor Cheng! Here’s Professor takes one of his NYC classes through the very beginning of the form.
Professor did not speak much english, and his teaching involves many wonderful gestures. You will first hear the voice of the late Tam Gibbs, and the Ed Young, and it’s Ed you see assisting and adjusting students. Take note, please, of the intro to this clip: it offers the contact information if you are interested in purchasing The Master Tapes, a four DVD set that this clip is taken from, and which is produced by the Cheng family. It’s currently listed as unavailable through Amazon.
• Here is Yuan Wei Ming in Italy a few years back, demonstrating Professor’s form as taught to him in Taiwan by the late Liu Hsi-heng.
• This is a short clip from a video produced for Discovery a few years back, called Martial Arts, The Real Story. Here, Mr. Smith talks about Professor and shares some of his footage of Professor in Taiwan.
• Professor Cheng’s teacher was Yang Cheng Fu. Here is a sequence of photos of grandfather Yang in the sequence of the original long Yang family form. Several of the beginning postures may look familiar to you.
If you are looking to buy Ben Lo’s recorded presentation of form instruction, or others, Here is a link to the Soft Answer T’ai Chi Ch’uan Instructional Video page, which is quite comprehensive:
Mona and Mohsin both found and enjoy this instructional video, from a cousin in the Cheng Man Ch'ing lineage, Mike Pekor from T'ai Chi Kung Fu of Long Island Thanks!
Other useful and fun things:
• Yamuna’s Walking Test Very helpful for the feet, the legs and the whole body!
• Voice of America visited our classes at The Center a few months back, and I was surprised and delighted when friends pointed this out to me: a video about their visit! (in Chinese) "Portrait of a T'ai Chi Teacher"