Design of Schedule for Grandmasters Presentations
We know that the main reason many of you are attending the Symposium is to take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet the lineage holders—the Grandmasters—of each of the five major family styles of traditional Tai Chi Chuan. With that in mind, we’ve designed a schedule to feature all of them on a daily basis. And we’ve arranged their workshop time so that you can rotate through all of the instructional units and all five styles.
Doing It All
All five Grandmasters are scheduled to make a presentation each day. Each morning, one Grandmaster gives a keynote address, describing the special characteristics and qualities of that family’s tradition, telling its history, explaining principles of Tai Chi Chuan as represented in his style, and demonstrating movements and methods. In two concurrent morning active instructional workshops, two more Grandmasters teach their Tai Chi Chuan form, and in the afternoon’s two concurrent active instructional workshops, the other two Grandmasters teach theirs. In the five days of the Symposium, each of the five styles Grandmasters gives one Keynote Address and teaches his form twice. Thus, you have the opportunity to learn all five forms as well as hear all the Grandmasters’ Keynote Addresses. If you attend for less than the full five days, even for one day, you’ll still have a chance to get a taste of all the styles.
Content
The Grandmasters have chosen to teach a 16-move routine, derived from their traditional family style, designed in the past few years at the request of China’s university system to accommodate a 16-week college semester. For the Symposium’s curriculum, each Grandmaster divides the routine into two sections, designated Part One (Moves 1-8) and Part Two (Moves 9-16). Although it seems like a large task for participants to learn a complete routine in only two sessions, the Grandmasters are exceptionally skilled teachers. Grounded in tradition and years of experience, they establish basic skills, show the standard movements, explain principles, give move-by-move instruction, and provide as much correction and refinement as possible in a short time. With this introduction and your own practice (get a group together at lunch or after dinner), plus the purchase of a DVD for take-home practice, you’ll be immersed in the flavor of each traditional style.
Rotation of Workshops
Each Grandmaster teaches his 16-move routine (Part One and Part Two) twice during the week. Your Group is rotated so that you are scheduled to participate in both parts of each style during the five-day period. In the spirit of “one family”, the Grandmasters respectfully request that participants will not repeat any of their workshops, but instead will take advantage of this unique schedule and will sample all five family styles. We, too, believe that participants will want to visit each Grandmaster and learn both Part One and Part Two of each family’s 16-move form. We appreciate your honoring their request to adhere to your schedule.
Managed Entry
Due to the unusually large response to the Symposium and high interest in the Grandmasters, we are taking the step of “managing” entry into all the Grandmasters’ instructional workshops. The advantage of managed entry is that the number of participants in any single workshop is held to a suitable number, in order to assure you of plenty of space to move and easy sight lines to the Grandmaster.
Passkey
Using the method of “assigning” you to either Group A or Group B, all participants are guaranteed access to the Grandmasters of their choice. If you came with a group of friends, we’ll keep your group together. Managed entry means a better experience for participants and for Grandmasters.
Daily Pass
After you’ve registered, we will contact you so that you can select the workshops you prefer for the dates you are attending. Managed entry means a better experience for participants and for Grandmasters.
Locations
We have two spacious venues for the Grandmasters’ Workshops. Both have adequate areas for movement, a raised stage for the instructor, a good sound system, strong lighting, and are conveniently located on or near Vanderbilt’s campus; one has carpet and the other a wooden floor. Transportation is provided to each location, though they are within a ten- to twenty-minute walk. Each group will have one location in the morning and the other in the afternoon, so that everyone experiences both venues.
Schedule of Grandmaster Daily Keynote Address and Instructional Workshops |
|
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Group |
Location |
Daily
Keynote
Address |
Grandmaster
Wu Wen-han
Wu/Hao
Family Style |
Grandmaster
Chen Zheng-lei
Chen
Family Style |
Grandmaster
Ma Hai-long
Wu
Family Style |
Grandmaster
Sun Yong-tian
Sun
Family Style |
Grandmaster
Yang Zhen-duo
Yang
Family Style |
A
and
B |
Blair
Ingram
Hall
Auditorium |
Morning
Workshops
A-1 |
Ma Hai-long
Wu
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Ma Hai-long
Wu
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
Yang Zhen-duo
Yang
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Yang Zhen-duo
Yang
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
Wu Wen-han
Wu/Hao
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
A-1 |
Gym |
Morning
Workshops
B-1 |
Sun Yong-tian
Sun
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Wu Wen-han
Wu/Hao
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Wu Wen-han
Wu/Hao
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
Ma Hai-long
Wu
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Sun Yong-tian
Sun
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
B-1 |
SLC
Ballroom* |
Afternoon
Workshops
A-2 |
Chen Zheng-lei
Chen
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Sun Yong-tian
Sun
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Sun Yong-tian
Sun
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
Wu Wen-han
Wu/Hao
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Chen Zheng-lei
Chen
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
A-2 |
SLC
Ballroom* |
Afternoon
Workshops
B-2 |
Yang Zhen-duo
Yang
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Yang Zhen-duo
Yang
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
Chen Zheng-lei
Chen
Family Style
Part 1 (1-8) |
Chen Zheng-lei
Chen
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
Ma Hai-long
Wu
Family Style
Part 2 (9-16) |
B-2 |
Gym |
*SLC Ballroom = Vanderbilts Student Life Center Ballroom
Please take a few minutes to analyze the schedule and assure yourself that we've arranged the workshops and groups so that you won't miss anything!
