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HISTORY OF SEATTLE INTERNAL MARTIAL ARTS
Seattle Aikido History

Though extensive, this may not be a complete list since, in the early days of martial arts, a few taught privately. The early days are pretty accurate (1960-1979).
 If you have more information not listed below please send it to me since I can always correct and update the web version.
Andrew T. Dale

1965 John Leong  taught Hung Gar Kung Fu and Wu (Eng) Taiji Quan. In 1966 he established the Seattle Kung Fu Club in China town.
Fook Yueng, a martial artists and Chinese Opera performer had a small group of students in Seattle's China town teaching Red Boat Wing Chun/Mantis/Yang Taiji.  Mr. Yueng styles included: Wing Chun, Northern & Southern Mantis, Monkey, Taiji, Bagua, and he was accomplished in most weapons. His specialty was in weapons, applications, Wing Chun and Mantis. He suggested those students interested in delving deeper into Taiji find his friend, a Taiji-Bagua-Xing I master up in Vancouver B.C. Mr. Peter Tsai and Dave Harris went up to Vancouver and took some lessons from Raymond Chung who was accomplished in Taiji Yang Taiji, Bagua, & Xing Yi. He was a student of Grandmaster Yang Cheng Fu.
1969 Raymond Chung began teaching at the North Seattle School of Karate founded and run by Dave Harris. Raymond taught in Seattle until 1972 (3 years). Some time after Raymond Chung had been teaching in North Seattle, he also began teaching Tai Chi in Seattle China Town. The club was called the Seattle Tai Chi Association. Master Chung's core group consisted of: Dave Harris, Harvey Kurland, Brian Hata, Richard Skinner, Betty Kay, Blake Emery, and Yuen Lui. Richard Skinner continued to study with Master Chung many years after Chung stopped coming down to Seattle.
1971 Hsu Shan Tung (Sandy Hsu) began teaching Taiji at the Madrona Dance Studio. Sandy was a student of Professor Ping Siang Tao, one of Zhen Manqing's top apprentices in Taiwan. Also around this time Roger Tung, a wushu and Tae Kwon Do stylist was teaching Taiji in the University district on Boat Street. Roger was nephew to Grandmaster Tung Ying Chieh who taught him Taiji. Roger taught Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, and Taiji Quan. Roger's Taiji assistant and senior students at this time was Harrison Morretz & Blake Emery.
1972 Master Tchoung Ta Tchen began commuting to Seattle from Vancouver B.C. to teach Raymond Chung's former Taiji Club, (Seattle Taiji Association) in China Town. Tchoung inherited the continuing and advanced group of Raymond Chung. Three of these members were Dave Harris, Harvey Kurland, and Brian Hata.
Harrison Morrtez had established Taiji classes at this time as the Northwest School of Internal Arts.
1974 Internal Wushu Arts was established by Andrew Dale, student of Master Tchoung Ta Tchen to teach Yang Taiji, Bagua and Xing I as taught my Master Tchoung, in addition he taught Aikdo at the University of Washington, and Seattle Dojo.
1975 Professor Huang Wen-Chih moved to Seattle from Taiwan and started teaching assorted martial arts including Taiji.
 Master Tchoung's Taiji club moved to the Wallingford district. The Northwest T’ai Chi Chuan Association was formed by his advanced students as a branch of the Chinese Tai Chi Association of Canada. His advanced students at this time were: Dave Harris, Andrew Dale, Harvey Kurland, Don Scott, Kerry Brooks.
Jill Vulcano Reed moved to Seattle from Spokane and began teaching the Wu Taiji short form.   Jill is a student of Master John Leong Wu Taiji Quan, teaches in the Northwest Tai Chi and Qi Gong. 
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1976 T.Y. Pang, a student of Tung Ying Jie and Sun Xi Kung, moved to Orcas Island and began commuting to Seattle with his assistant Bob Fong. He taught classes in Yang Taiji, Bagua and Qi Gong
1980 The influx of instructors in the 1980's began to increase dramatically. Many instructors slipped into town quietly, some students of established teachers began to teach. It's impossible to keep track of the Taiji history after this point. Here are some known facts:
1981 Michael Gilman settled and began teaching Taiji in Port Townsend, Washington. Michael teaches the complete Yang family Taiji method that he learned from Master Choy Kam-Man. It's Master Choy's father, Master Choy Hak-Peng, who is credited with introducing Taiji Quan to the United States in the 1940's. In 1973 Michael was authorized by Master Choy to teach. In 1990 Michael build his own studio which teaches Taiji Quan, Qi gong and Aikido.
1982 The 5 Willow Taiji Association was founded and incorporated by the advanced students of Hsu Shan Tung, The purpose of this was to bring Ping Siang Tao, disciple of Zheng Manjing to Seattle as chief Instructor. Richard Aries appointed president for life. Many members of the 5 Willow Taiji Association have branched out and are teaching currently in Seattle. Among them: Mark Baclawski, Mary Newbill, Howard Nevitt, and Cosette LeCiel.,
Other instructors establishing themselves in the mid to late 1980’s in Seattle are:
Martin Mellish, Ron Jorgensen, Elf Evans and Chu Lan Chiong.
1988

Master Gao Fu of the Beijing Chen Research Institute paid a visit to Seattle and accidentally met Shoko Zama. She helped her connect to the local Taiji Instructors. Shortly after, she began teaching a large number of beginners as well as most of the established Taiji instructors. Among this group was: Harrison Morretz, Martin Mellish, Andrew Dale, Cosette LeCiel, Shoko Zama, Ellis Amdur.

1989 Dr. Wang Xue Chi arrived and established the Gi Gong Longevity Association.. Dr. Wang and his brother taught Qi gong and internal arts in the university district.
1990 Bagua and Wutang Taiji Master Zhang Jie came to visit Seattle at the invitation of the Taoist Studies Institute. Master Zhang began teaching and stayed in Seattle founding the Seven Stars Studio. Other Instructors moving and establishing clubs in Seattle in the 90’s are: Kim Ivy, Ken Wright, Hong Yi Jiao, Xie Bing Can, and Caylan Storm.
1992 Saul Krotki, an original student of Grandmaster Zhen Manjing moved to Seattle and began teaching Taiji. In 1993 established the Bear Palm T'ai Chi Association. Mr. Krotki began his studies in the early 1960's in Taipei, Taiwan.
1995 Kim Ivy establishes Embrace The Moon Taiji & Qi Gong studio in Ballard
Yijiao Hong moves from Zheijiang Province China to Seattle. Established Chinese Wushu Tai Chi Academy in the International District, becoming the 3rd Kung Fu-Wushu school in the International District. Here she meets Restita DeJesus.
2000 Xin Qi Shen Dojo moves to 8316 8th Ave NW, Greenwood, and becomes open to the public.
2004 Master Gao Fu retires from teaching and moves back to Beijing.  January 17, 2005, at age 89, she passed away while in the hospital for a respiratory problem
2006

Derryl Willis establishes the Seattle School of Chen Style Taiji.  Derryl Willis and Kim Ivy (Embrace The Moon) are disciples and representatives of Chen Taiji Master Chen Xiao Wang.
2006 Restita DeJesus adds a branch to her already established martial arts school, naming the branch "Seattle Wushu Center" and teaches Wushu, Sanda and Chen Taijiquan under the tutelage of Yijiao Hong, then later supplements Taiji studies with Grandmaster Chen Chenglei.
Mr. Jake Burroughs moved to Seattle and established the
Three Harmonies Martial Arts which teaches Sun Style Taiji and Xing Yi Quan.

 

My apologies to those who slipped pasted my records and information that are not listed.
All inaccuracies and misinformation above can be blamed on me. Andy


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