The US TCF Winter Training took place January 4–10 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Margaret Olmsted, Gerrie Sporken, and Greg Woodson were the Legacy Holders ensuring the quality of the teaching, with support from a host of other teachers. Kudos to Anna Teeples for finding Millenium Dance Studio, an affordable place with multiple rooms available to us. The studio walls were adorned with inspiring words: All is One, Unity in Diversity, Imagine. We felt at home, and all our needs were met. And many thanks to Kimiko and Richard Tucker for providing healthy snacks, tea, coffee, and other support work. We were well taken care of! At least two great restaurants (Thai and Uzbeki) were within walking distance, and hotels and Airbnbs were close enough to drive to at lunch. Carpools ensured transportation from the hotel, and Ubers were available as needed.
On the first day, the local Nashville students were invited to do rounds with us, and many came, filling the large studio. Most had never had the experience of doing tai chi with such a large group. On the third day, we celebrated the school’s 50th anniversary with a video of Patrick Watson, stories, and a question-and-answer time. We reflected a bit on what is needed to ensure 50 more years.
Classes taught were:
- The Meaning of the Form Experienceship taught by Margaret Olmsted and Gerrie Sporken
- How to Adjust Seminar taught by Margaret Olmsted
- Daily meditations led by Margaret Olmsted, Patrice Wooldridge, Mark Preston and Patrick Wooldridge
- PH 2 taught by Patrice Wooldridge and Angie Holland
- PH 4A seminar taught by Margaret Olmsted and Patrick Wooldridge with Marni Olmstead yin
- Two levels of PH 4 taught by Margaret Olmsted, Greg Woodson, Steve Shulman and Patrick Wooldridge
- PH7 taught by Gerrie Sporken
- Two levels of sword form taught by Edna Brandt, Steve Shulman, Gerrie Sporken and Greg Woodson plus fencing practice
- Winter Form Work organized by Patrice Wooldridge
- 8th level work with 18 participating
Our school is experiencing wonderful growth. It was great to offer apprenticeships to teachers from all the main centers of our school.
We were happy to welcome eleven people to the B1 apprenticeship taught by Kate Mansfield and Lee Felton:
- Chiquita Gonsalves and Karlton Kilby, St. Augustine FL
- Ron Sabetta, Gainesville FL
- Joon Rose, Portland OR
- Josephine Liu, Jersey City NJ
- Gordon Wagner and Brooke Fair, Chicago IL
- Nana Meyer and Devorah Sperberg, Northern California
- David Rosenfeld, Seattle WA
- Aaron English, Nashville TN
The B2 apprenticeship was taught by Anne Smyers and Susan Dunlap:
- Doug Hewell, Tacoma WA
- Alison Ho and Karla Nielson, New York
- Ling Liao, Jersey City NJ
- Kimiko Tucker, Nashville TN
The Fundamentals apprenticeship was taught by Mark Preston and Bob Etherington:
- Charlotte Z Booth, Charlottesville VA
- Laurie Carver, Chicago IL
- Linda Hutchins, Portland OR
- Mae Waldron, Seattle, WA
- Mark and Roberta Walcutt, Hyannis, MA, repeating
The Intermediate Form apprenticeship was taught by Steve Shulman and Michael Tillman:
- Anna Teeples, Nashville TN
- Fran Snyder, New York
- Linda Bisberg, Chicago IL
PH 2 apprenticeship was taught by George Kormendi and rotating teachers:
- Angie Holland, Portland OR
- Marnie Olmstead, Chicago IL repeating
Four inches of snow fell on the last day of the training and created a winter wonderland. We met it with mostly good cheer. After all the classes, we had the final treasure chest, which brought out lots of warm feelings and positive reports, with one teacher saying we had restored his faith in humanity. Wherever we go, we generate good qi and good feeling together. We really are One.
On the last night, the new B1 apprentices presented a very funny skit: demonstrating the “fourth third” of the form, with the apprentices doing the form on their knees – in tai chi shoes. The final party took place in a restaurant we could all walk to – OSH – with Uzbekistan regional cuisine. Very tasty! We gave the restaurant hosts a hearty cheer. After dinner we enjoyed songs and poems from those attending
A link for feedback was sent out, and so far, the feedback has been very positive.
Thank you again to all who participated, and kudos to the local team, Tai Chi Nash, for their superb preparatory work. We all went home with a big dose of Nashville qi!
I hope to see everyone at one of our Summer Retreats later this year: Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts, in June, Whidbey Island in Washington State in July, and Cheltenham, England in August.
Margaret Olmsted
2025 Tai Chi Foundation
Group photo by Patrice Wooldridge
I loved I wish I could be there
I’m looking forward to the next gathering
Thanks so much for this account of the Nashville training. Congratulations to all for Persevering through the extra obstacles that have arisen this year.
While healing from my knee surgery at home, I have continued to “Play with Fire”, (Pattie Gorman’s term for Classical Calligraphy study). I just happened to find (and have to share) a particularly “HOT” Chinese Calligraphy Character.
I found it because our Fiftieth Anniversary Observance inspired curiosity about what the Calligraphy Character associated with I Ching Hexagram #50 might be.
Al Huang designated this Calligraphy Character “Ding” (A Sacred Cauldron)……interpreted to mean “ESTABLISHING THE NEW”. Significant Anniversaries in Ancient China were memorialized by casting a bronze “DING” to honor the past and ESTABLISH THE NEW. Our first Winter Training in Nashville expresses this perfectly.
/Users/genegiffen/Pictures/Photo Booth Library/Pictures/Photo on 1-20-25 at 3.09 PM.jpg