Memorial Day 2009

Once a year on Memorial Day weekend Toni DeMoulin and Ken Anderson, come together in Santa Barbara to teach Push Hands. They have been teaching Push Hands together since 1989. Toni has been teaching since 1972.
Students from different schools and styles come to this workshop to get help in raising the level of their push hands. Teachers from many schools and styles come to this workshop to learn how to teach push hands. This year Toni and Ken will show the relationships of taiji principles practiced in the forms to principles that are practiced in push hands, taiji principles tested by and used in push hands. Your "good" stance is tested in fixed step push hands. Your stance in the forms will become stronger and more comfortable. We will also be working with moving step push hands. Partner work is essential if you want to raise the level of your taiji. Raise the level of your push hands and you automatically raise the level of your taiji. Ken's and my teacher, Master Alex Dong, said that a student cannot get past the intermediate level in taiji with out studying push hands. This event will include techniques, drills, one and two handed circles, applications in push hands, and a special section on Shinui with guest instructor Naomi.

If you have never done push hands, we want you to come. If you have reached a plateau in your push hands at your school, we want you to come. If you just want to do push hands with lots of other nice taiji players for 12.5 hours, we want you to come. We have a limited number of scholarships if the tuition is a difficulty. Contact Toni if finances are an issue.

Two and a half days of hands on training. Toni and Ken work well together co-teaching to help students in all levels of ability. The last 30 minutes of each morning and afternoon sessions are spent doing push hands, changing partners every 2-3 minutes. Senior students and teachers from a number of different schools participate in this workshop to give a richer experience to all participants.

9:30 AM to 12 noon, Lunch Break, and 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM,
Morning session only on Monday. Evenings are open. Saturday and Sunday evenings we usually get together (especially the out of town people), have dinner and then visit and push.

Location of this Santa Barbara workshop will be given to participants by e-mail. The workshop is most likely to be held outside with shade, unless it rains, which it never does this late in the season.

The low tuition fee of $125 ($25 per session) for all three days training makes it possible for students from any school or style to participate. Register and send check to Toni DeMoulin by May 9th.

Join us at a local Chinese restaurant for lunch reach day or have lunch on your own at any of many restaurants. Lunch is usually about $10. Or bring a picnic.
If you are coming from out of town, please see information on Accommodations in or near Santa Barbara.

For more info or to register:     Toni DeMoulin
                                                    taichitoni@cox.net
                                                    805-963-3743
send checks to Toni DeMoulin
                           240 Mesa Lane
                           Santa Barbara, CA 93109

P.S.- I can give teachers, who bring at least one paying student, a professional courtesy discount of $15 per class or the entire workshop for only $90.