2007
> 15 December Tai Ji Circle Xmas Party
Students and friends came together for a tai Ji practice lead by Shifu Liu at our Christmas party at St Paul’s. It was a fun time thanks to everyone’s help with the preparations, Shifu gave a dynamic demonstration of Cannon Fist, the Fan and Chen Double Sabre Forms.
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> 20 October Chen Tai Ji Workshop
During this autumn’s workshops as well as teaching the Chen forms, Shifu Liu has been giving students greater understanding of the movement principles of Chen tai ji quan through teaching the martial applications
> 9 October Visit to the American School in London
Having a taste of Chinese culture: Shifu Liu and Chris with students of the Amercian School after their tai ji class and demonstration. Everyone was very welcoming and fun was had by all as the students learned some tai ji movements and tried some martial applications
> 29 September Bagua Zhang workshop
This popular workshop won new fans for Bagua Zhang and we are continuing with follow up workshops at St Paul’s in Camden Square, the next is on 1 December
> 12 September Enterprise, Inclusion & Diversity Conference ‘07
Tai Ji Circle were showcased at the SIED Conference held at The Mermaid Conference Centre, Blackfriars, London. (www.enterprise-07.org)
Chris Jones with Shifu Liu and James Chin from the Islington Chinese Association
It was a great opportunity to learn more about business opportunites, network with other delegates and perform on the marvelous stage of the Mermaid Theatre. The event was a huge succes as delegates queued to have a 5 minute Tui Na massage from Shifu Liu in the refreshment breaks. They were also fascinated by the displays of Chen tai ji with Shifu Liu and the Tai Ji Circle students, who simultaneously performed a mixture of simple to advanced and weapon forms, and the powerful Hard Qi Gong (steel jacket) demonstrations which many of the amazed audience had never witnessed before.
Under the spotlight, the Tai Ji Performance begins in a crowded auditorium with Shifu Liu and students on stage, below, by contrast, demonstrating inner Hard Qi Gong energy
Many thanks to Islington Council the lead SIED partner for this community event, James Chin from the Islington Chinese Association, James West from Prevista who organised everything and kept calm amidst the melée, and mostly of course Shifu Liu and our talented students whose support made the event so successful.
> 3 June – Tai Ji & Wushu Masters at the O2 Centre in Finchley
Grandmaster Zhenglei performing Cannon Fist form thrilling the audience at the O2 performance, Shifu Liu demonstrated fajing explosive power using a spear end to break a concrete block, and a dazzling display of Chen Tai Ji Sword was amongst the other masters and students performing. Our students dressed in black and white gave a charmingly choreographed display of forms created for the occasion by Shifu Liu.
> 24 May – Master Wu Bin visits the Tai Ji Circle
After meeting Master Wu Bin hosting the SENI 07 Competition, The London Wushu Open, Shifu Liu and some students from the Tai Ji Circle were honoured to welcome him on a visit to us at St Paul’s Church Hall in Camden. He answered students’ questions, demonstrated his gong fu skills as well as his marvellous calligraphy.
Master Wu Bin is a legendary master in the Chinese martial arts world, president of many Wushu associations, famous coach to the Beijing team who won 50 gold medals over 10 years in succession, and created dozens of gong fu movie stars including Jet Li, famous for ‘Shaolin Temple’ and ‘Hero’ amongst many other films. All the students were thrilled to be presented with a signed photo of Master Wu Bin with his famous student, actor Jet Li. It was a great priviledge for us all to meet him.
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> 19 May More MEDAL NEWS at SENI, The London Wushu Open
Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei with his wife Ms Lu Lili, Master Zhang Dongwu and Shifu Liu,
surrounded by Tai Ji Circle competitors and friends
SENI 2007 at the Excel Centre in London’s Docklands was the setting for the first London Wushu Open Championships, organised by Ms Li Liu. Amid the hubub of noise, music, high testosterone, leggy models, Royal Commandos and cage fighting, students from martial arts schools from all over the UK and Europe, including 11 Tai Ji Circle students, flocked into the Excel Centre for this Wushu tournament.
There were 10 judges of the highest calibre, hosted by Master Wu Bin (Jet Li’s famous teacher), with Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei, Li Tersaeus Min Hua (an International Judge), Master Zhang Dong Wu (a Chinese National Judge), and other renowned Chinese teachers living in the UK, including Shifu Quan Jun Liu from the Tai Ji Circle.
The Competition was divided into 2 sections, The Competition and Traditional Forms, our students competing in Hand and Weapon categories. The standard was dazzlingly high with several tied winners who had to repeat their forms and have their aggregate marks added before the overall winners could be chosen. Three of our students were chosen for medals winning a Gold and Bronze medal for the 56 Part Chen Competition Form, Bronze for the Chen Sword Form and in the ‘Competition’ category a Silver medal for 42 Sword Form.
Thanks for the support of all who came along and helped us on the stand and gave much needed moral support to our competitiors
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• 19-20 May SENI Expo 2007 at the EXCEL Centre in Docklands and there will be no classes or workshops during that time.
• 19 May SENI Wushu and Tai Ji Competition, top judges from China, includingGrandmaster Chen Zhenglei and Shifu Liu will be there. The London Wushu Open starts at 12:15 pm and is in Hall N3.
Come and see us on Stand C970 and support the students in the Competition and doing the Demonstrations on the Classical Stage opposite our stand on Saturday and Sunday.
Seni 07 was at Excel London Docklands
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• 10 April TAI JI CIRCLE students meet Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang in London
Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang with Shifu Liu and students after his Easter workshop on the Xinjia (new frame) Form
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• 1 April TAI JI CIRCLE students win 2 GOLD AND 1 BRONZE medal in the 19th British Tai Chi Championships &13th Festival of Chinese Martial Arts
(Blackbird Leys Leisure Centre, Pegasus Road, Oxford)
Shifu Liu, top left, with the Chinese delegation from the Zhengzhou Sports Bureau and Wushu Association, flanked by Tai Ji Circle students.
> Six students led by Shifu Liu, entered the 19th British Tai Chi Championships at the Blackbird Leisure Centre in Oxford, on 1 April. This was the second competition that our students have entered and they competed in several catagories, the Open Mens Tai Chi Hand Forms, Tai Chi Sword Forms and in the Beginners and Intermediate Hand Forms .
It was an exciting day with dazzling Wushu demonstrations from the TCUGB’s (Tai Chi Union of Great Britain) visiting Chinese delegation from Zhengzhou, and lots of competitors demonstrating every style of tai chi, including the Chen Style. Congratulations to our students who overcame their nerves to compete and performed well despite heavy competition, 2 students won gold and 1 a bronze medal.
The students have been receiving early morning coaching from Shifu Liu and working very hard to achieve these great results.
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• 17 February Chinese New Year Demonstrations at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) and Islington Chinese Association (see below)
