I have been studying with Lao Ma for 5 years. I had 15 years of hard style martial arts training prior. Lao Ma is a wealth of knowledge and experience. His other teachers are also long term students. This is not about learning choreography, but understanding the fundamentals. I love my classes and training.

I have a long term training relationship with two coaches/teachers in two other arts besides Violet Andersons Taiji weapons class. All these teachers have earned my unqualified respect over many years. The common factors between them: They stand for their arts, hence rigor and integrity. In particular, and true of Violet especially, they can discern the fine points of body movements, and really express to you the essence of what you have to do. They stand for their students, hence courtesy and spirit. Another feature common among these teachers, especially Violet: Life obligations may intermittently arise as obstacles to attendance/practice. It is after all a great luxury/gift to study movement and aesthetics of movement. But they are always there, ready for you when you return.

I studied Tai chi and Qi gong for a number of years in the Bay Area. I moved to North Carolina 6 months ago and began studying with the Durham branch of Black Bamboo Pavilion. I really like what I’m learning and the emphasis put on fundamentals. I am LearningLiu He Ba Fa, water boxing, an internal martial art thatis rarely taught in the USA. I had been looking to learn this for many years and couldn’t find a teacher. When I moved to Durham, I found it right here where I live.