Chinese Tai Chi Chuan Association/ Northwest T'ai-chi Ch'uan Association

T'ai Chi Ch'uan Teachers, Certified Instructors and Class Leaders of the Chinese Tai Chi Chuan Association and Northwest T'ai Chi Ch'uan Association in the United States and Canada are listed on this page. Healers are listed at the bottom. Scroll down.

"For lack of wood a fire goes out, and without a querulous man contention is stilled. Charcoal for embers and wood for a fire, And a contentious man for kindling strife." Proverbs 26:20-21

"Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words.
Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviors.
Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits.
Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values.
Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny."
- Gandhi

A Listing of the

CTCCA/NWTCCA Chief Instructors

This list was originally published in the October/November 1996 issue of Wushu Kungfu Magazine. See the article: Center Yourself.  After the List you can find an expanded bio for selected teachers.  Anyone who teaches the Tchoung-Yang system can have their name and bio added to this listing. No warrants by NWTCCA are made for accuracy of these bios.

United States of America, Chief Instructors,  

These are all the Direct Students of Tchoung Ta-tchen who received certificates after testing. In Alphabetical Order. Those marked with * are currently teaching the Tchoung symmetrical T'ai-chi ch'uan and ch'i kung Forms.

Andrew Dale* Seattle, WA
Carey Brooks
Dave Harris  Seattle, WA
Harvey Kurland* Riverside, CA
Don Scott

List of Canadian Instructors, (CTCCA):
No warrants as to certification will be made here for Canadian students of Tchoung Ta-tchen: 

John Camp  White Rock, B.C

Patrick Carter

Tony Chen

Peter Dickson  Terrace B.C.
Eric Eastman  Nelson, B.C.
Eddie Fung, Halifax

Tim Glasheen Vancouver B.C.
Michael Juzenas

Kim Ray,

Phyllis Tchoung

Gordon Toy,

Tran Wu

Biographies of Tchoung Style Teachers:

Northwest T'ai-chi Ch'uan Association

Information on the Southern California Teachers

Levels are given for NWTCCA certified students who passed the specific practical and written tests for their level. See the Certification section for more information.  Any level below level 7 is considered an Assistant Instructor - Class Leader.  Master or Sifu level is Level 9 under this system. Some people will pass themselves off as Sifu when in fact they are assistant instructors. Only those listed on this section are certified to teach by the NWTCCA at the level shown.

HARVEY KURLAND, MSc, MFS, CSCS, Certified T'ai-chi ch'uan Chief Instructor and Exercise Physiologist. Teaches Correct T'ai-chi ch'uan Correctly. Harvey Kurland has studied T'ai-chi ch'uan and other related arts for over 35 years. He is a Certified T'ai-chi ch'uan Chief Instructor who teaches the complete system of long form, pushing hands, San Shou, sword and walking stick, ch'i kung, as well as the circular Bagua training. He teaches the system taught to him by Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-tchen. Harvey's goal is to improve the health of his students and they have all greatly benefited by showing significantly improved balance, stress reduction and lowered blood pressure.

Harvey has been recognized as an expert in the exercise and T'ai-chi ch'uan world. He received a "Certificate of Appreciation" from the Los Angeles City Council. He also received a "Certificate of Acknowledgement" from the Los Angeles Police Department for his work with the Police Training Academy, the Police Medical Advisory Panel and the LAPD Martial Art Advisory Panel. He helped to improve pass rates and reduce injury rates of LAPD Academy recruits. Harvey has been an exercise consultant for many professional sports teams in Los Angeles including the LA Lakers, Kings and Dodgers and has also worked with Sho Kosugi's International Karate Team. He has also been an Advisor to the U.S.A. Wushu-Kungfu Federation. Harvey was a columnist for Inside Kung-fu Magazine and Inside Karate Magazine for several years and was editor of the Community Colleges of Spokane Wellness Newsletter and authored a chapter in the book Martial Art Teachers on Teaching. Harvey has published over 200 articles on health, fitness training and T'ai-chi ch'uan.

Harvey is a widely acknowledged exercise and heath expert who has been quoted many times in media such as Shape Magazine, the Washington Post, the Cornell University Medical College Food & Fitness Advisor, and the Cable Health Network. Harvey has taught workshops on T'ai-chi ch'uan for the Southern Region Veteran Administration Hospitals Falls Clinic Medical Center Staff and he has represented the American Heart Association and the Chinese Heart Council in presenting T'ai-chi ch'uan to the public. Harvey Kurland is unique because he is both an expert in Western Exercise Science as well as the Eastern methods of exercise, combining the best of both worlds. He has advanced degrees in both Exercise Physiology and Health Education and has taught T'ai-chi ch'uan to both the general public and medical experts. Harvey's area of research interest in T'ai-chi ch'uan is its role in the prevention of falls, reducing stress and in the reduction of the risk of heart disease.

Harvey Kurland has been additionally certified by the American College of Sports Medicine, the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, the International Sports Sciences Association and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education. Harvey has earned teaching credentials in Health Education, Biology and Exercise Physiology.

Like his qualifications in Western science, Harvey's qualifications in T'ai-chi ch'uan are impeccable and have been attained only by a handful of others. He is certified as a Chief Instructor (Sifu) by the Chinese T'ai-Chi Ch'uan Association. He is a Fifth Generation Guang Ping Yang Stylist, a Sixth Generation Old Version of Yang Style Instructor and a Sixth Generation practitioner of Standard Yang Style.

Harvey's teacher, T'ai-chi ch'uan Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-tchen who was a peer and practice partner of famed T'ai-chi ch'uan Grandmasters such as Cheng Man-ch'ing, Kuo Lien Ying, Wang Shu-chin, and others said that, "Harvey's T'ai-chi ch'uan is very correct."

Harvey began studying T'ai-chi ch'uan and other arts in the mid 1960's. In order to widen his view of T'ai-chi ch'uan Kurland studied with many outstanding grandmasters including Tchoung Ta-tchen, Kuo Lien Ying, Liang Tsung Tsai, Raymond Chung and others. He has also worked with Bob Engel, a highly experienced practitioner of the Cheng Man-ch'ing style of the T'ai-chi ch'uan who was a martial arts student of famed Olympian Judoka Bill Paul and is a well-respected Los Angeles area educator.

Harvey has studied several versions of T'ai-chi ch'uan in addition to related martial arts and yoga. He studied the "Dual Version of Old Yang Style" T'ai-chi ch'uan, Kuang P'ing (Guang Ping) style T'ai-chi ch'uan, three versions of "Traditional" Yang style T'ai-chi ch'uan, Wu style T'ai-chi ch'uan, Ch'en style T'ai-chi ch'uan, as well as several versions of ch'i kung and health promotion exercises. He combines this knowledge with his expertise in exercise science to bring to every student a profound and rewarding learning experience.

Harvey started doing research into the health benefits of T'ai-chi ch'uan and prevention of Heart Disease in 1972 and also has researched injury prevention in martial arts training. He later performed several studies into the aerobic benefits of T'ai-chi ch'uan when he was Director of Exercises Physiology of the National Athletic Health Institute in Inglewood, California. Harvey's research on Injury Prevention and the Aerobic Benefits of T'ai-chi ch'uan was presented to Southwestern Branch of the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meetings and published in professional journals.

A well-known exercise expert Dr. Fred Hatfield, president of the International Sports Sciences Association, said, "Harvey is the best in the business."

Harvey has taught Exercise Science and Health Education at several universities and colleges. He has been teaching for the University of California at Riverside since 1989 and Loma Linda University since 1990. Harvey also teaches for Riverside Community College and has directed seven T'ai-chi ch'uan Tournaments at UC Riverside.

Students who studied for many years with other teachers and are now studying with Harvey say that they are finally learning the T'ai-chi ch'uan in a correct and professional manner. They are at last understanding the correct biomechanics of their T'ai-chi ch'uan movements and learning the methods to use in their individual practice so that they can genuinely understand the T'ai-chi ch'uan. They all remark how lucky they are to have found such a expert and knowledgeable teacher as Harvey Kurland.

 See Family Tree.

RON SAHLI, BA. Financial Analyst and Level Two (assistant) Instructor. Ron has been a student of Scott Mullen's from 1995 to 2002. He has progressed through section one, two, three, four, five, and six of the form as well as Qi Gong, push hands and was the first certified instructor trained by Scott. Ron teaches through Corona Parks and Recreation (Saturday mornings).

Suzy Langhorne RN,   Level 2 Assistant Instructor

Lawrence Barkley,      Level 2 Assistant Instructor

Donald Quering,          Level 2 Assistant Instructor

James I Scheuer,         Level 4 Assistant Instructor, black belt in Hsing-i ch'uan and Shotokan karate

Cheng Man-Ching Yang Style NWTCCA Associates:

Bob Engel, (Practices Da Jian Yi Quan) Cheng Man-ch'ing style T'ai-chi ch'uan instructor, was a martial arts student of the late famed Olympian Judoka Bill Paul, is a highly experienced practicioner of the Cheng Man-ch'ing style of the T'ai-chi ch'uan and a well-respected Los Angeles area educator. Bob studied T'ai-chi ch'uan in Taiwan with Liu Si Heng, a senior student of Cheng Man-ching. He is currently working with Harvey Kurland on presenting T'ai-chi ch'uan in a clear demystified manner to America. His website is:

http://www.framelessmemories.com/Bob/Bob.html

Information on the Washington Teachers

Andrew Dale, Seattle, Certified Chief Instructor. Master Dale is Director of Xin Qi Shen Dojo in Seattle, WA. IWA and was a member of the NWTCCA and CTCCA in Seattle. Master Dale is one of the five American students of Tchoung Ta-tchen that were directly taught and certified by Tchoung to teach his taiji system. Dale also studied with Master Gao Fu in the Chen style. Gao is a well known student of the famous Beijing Chen taiji stylist Feng Zhiqiang. He is the second adopted son of Master Fook Yueng who teaches T'ien Shan Ch'i Kung and Yuen Ch'uan. Dale also teaches bagua zhang, xing-yi, qi gong and aikido. Dale is an exceptional athlete and well respected instructor in the Seattle area. He has the reputation with other schools in Seattle of being one of the only teachers who is teaching "martial" taijiquan, because he teaches applications, san shou and rou shou which is part of the standard NWTCCA curriculum. For more on him, his students who teach and his classes go to his website at ATDALE. E-mail here.

Dave Harris MFA, Seattle, Educator,  Certified Chief Instructor and he is an original member of the NWTCCA. Master Harris teaches a combined application method in Seattle. He has had many excellent instructors in T'ai-chi ch'uan, pa kua, aikijutsu, and wing chun. He is the First adopted son of Master Fook Yueng. Master Harris is one of the most outstanding teachers of martial arts and "Soft Art" applications in Seattle. He was certified to teach t'ai-chi ch'uan system of Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-Tchen.

Jeff Herda, Spokane, is a Level Four Certified Instructor for the NWTCCA. is a Level Four Certified Instructor for the NWTCCA. He teaches for the Institute for Extended Learning in Spokane Washington. He studied t'ai-chi ch'uan with Harvey Kurland starting in 1985, and later studied with Kurland's assistant instructors Barbara Prete and Cheryl Kangas in Spokane. He also studied Wu style with Zhang Guolin in China and the 24 Wushu form with Mr. Cai Bao Yin. Jeff teaches the Tchoung form and the official representative of the NWTCCA in Spokane, Washington. Jeff competed in the 1995, 1996 and 1997 Southern California T'ai Chi Ch'uan Championships. Jeff Herda has won 2nd place for Yang Style Instructor's Form and 3rd place Instructor's Pushing Hands in the 1996 UCR-NWTCCA Championships. Jeff Herda won 1st place Yang Style Instructor's Form in the 1997 California Championships at UCR. Schedule under Spokane, WA classes. Spokane Website is http://www.northwesttaichichuan.org/

Kevin Harms, LMT, Spokane,is a Level Four Certified Instructor for the NWTCCA and Healer. Kevin is a LMT and High Touch acupressure Practitioner. He is a t-ai-chi and ch'i kung class leader in Spokane, Washington. He started learning t'ai chi ch'uan with Harvey Kurland in 1985 and has been co-teaching with Jeff Herda. Kevin competed in the 1997 Championships and defeated several instructors including a well known Chen style master from China in pushing hands open competition. He teaches ch'i kung (qi gong) and "High Touch" (Jin Shin) acupressure. http://www.northwesttaichichuan.org/

Bernie Elmendorf, Spokane, Level Three Certified Instructor of T'ai-Chi and Ch'i kung. Bernie studied t'ai chi ch'uan for 16 years and began studies with Harvey Kurland starting in 1985. He has taught classes since 1999 through the Institute for Extended Learning. http://www.northwesttaichichuan.org/

Daniel Brasher - Certified Level Three Instructor, - Certified Level Three Instructor, - Certified Level Three Instructor, T'ai-Chi & Ch'i Kung. A level three instructor for the NWTCCA. Daniel has studied with Harvey Kurland and Jeff Herda since 1993. He has taught classes since 2000 through the Institute for Extended Learning. Daniel also studied Tae Kwon Do from Mr. Bill House in Wyoming beginning in 1980. Daniel competed in the 1997 Southern California T'ai Chi Ch'uan Championships and won 2nd place for Yang Style Form. http://www.northwesttaichichuan.org/

OREGON TEACHER

Gene Burnett.  Ashland, Oregon. 

Certified under Andrew Dale of the Xin Qi Shen Dojo in Seattle Washinton to teach the Double Yang Style T'ai-Chi system of Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-Tchen. He has been teaching since 1985 and has studied other movement arts including Bagua,Hsing-I, Contact Improvisation, Aikido, Yoga, and Chen style T'ai-Chi. He combines traditional Chinese principles of health, balance and self-defense with a Western, psychological, bioenergetic approach in an ongoing exploration of the body/mind connection. For more information call (541)488-1926.

Information on Some of the CTCCA Canadian Teachers

John Camp, Sifu, White Rock, B.C., Started his studies in 1975 with Kempo karate and Tae Kwon Do.  Began Internal arts with Master Wayne Pallant in 1980 (an instructor under Tchoung Ta-tchen) then with Grandmaster Tchoung in 1985 and Master Liang Shouyu in 1986. Explored Chen,Yang,BaGua and Hsing yi with Xu Gong-Wei and Master Victor Fu from 1990 and is currently studying principles and applications with DougLee. He competed sucessfully in a number of tournaments and was named second overall in internal styles. He taught at the request of Sifu Tchoung and Master Pallant and continues to teach Sifu Tchoung�s system along with other methods.

Peter Dickson, Sifu, Certified Chief Instructor, Kitimat, B.C., became a student of Sifu Tchoung Ta Tchen (link 2) in the summer of 1984. In 1987 Sifu Dickson was Certified by Sifu Tchoung to teach the Yang Double Style. Sifu Dickson is instructor of both Kitimat and Terrace Tai Chi clubs.

Eric Eastman, Nelson, B.C., teaches t'ai-chi ch'uan and Kung Fu for Kids in Nelson. He is a member of the NWTCCA and CTCCA. He has also studied pa-kua chang. Sifu Eastman has been studying Tai Chi since 1969 and began teaching in 1974. In 1980 he founded the Kootenay Tai Chi Center in Nelson BC and he also organizes various Martial Arts events, notably the Tai Chi Chuan Summer retreat. Furthermore, he also runs special events such as Tai Chi and Ski the French Alps, and Tai Chi and Surf Costa Rica. www.retreatsonline.net/kootenaytaichi phone (and FAX) number to 250 352 2468.

Barry Freeman Creston, B.C., Assistant Instructor. His main teacher is Peter Dickson. He also studied with Tchoung Ta-tchen, Tchoung Fast form with Harvey Kurland, San Shou with Eric Eastman, Pushing Hands with Sam Masich and Chen Zhao Kui form with Eric Tuttle.  Barry teaches in Creston, BC.

Tim Glasheen, Vancouver, B.C., is a past president of CTCCA and Chief Instructor of the Vancouver Club. Tim studied Aikido in Montreal with several teachers from 1971-1977 and in 1977 began learning Tai Chi Chuan with Ms. Florence Wong. He moved to Vancouver in 1978 and has been a member of Sifu T.T. Tchoung's Chinese Tai Chi Chuan Association since then. Sifu Glasheen first started teaching in 1984 with Sifu Tchoung's approval. He has been the Chief Instructor of the Vancouver Club on an unpaid volunteer basis since January, 1997 when Sifu Tchoung retired and Tim was asked to be Chief Instructor. He works as a professional engineer, and has a variety of hobbies and interests in addition to Tai Chi Chuan. He teaches at the Tsung Tsin Association Building 542 Keefer Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Tran Wu, Acupuncturist, Ontario, has studied Tai Chi for over 30 years and was a student of Sifu Tchoung Ta-tchen. He is also trained in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. He authored a few books in Chinese medicine and wrote the foreword to Grandmaster Tchoung's book. He teaches the Tchoung method in Ontario.

Why are South African students and Taiwan students are not listed.  Why? Because we lost contact with them and don't know where or who they are.  Official Instructors from Taiwan, Holland, Africa, Japan, Australia, China and Germany are not listed but will be posted in the future as we find them. For clarity, All official CTCCA instructors and senior students are pictured in Grandmaster Tchoung's book that was released in 1995.

At the next tier, there are two tiers of instructors. Those who studied directly with Tchoung Ta-tchen and those  who studied with Grandmaster Tchoung's students.  Some of the second tier are listed above. Some students of Tchoung's students have received certificates from Tchoung Ta-tchen and some of those are also listed but others are listed on that instructors website. For example Andy Dale has his Certified students that Dale taught but some of whom have certificates from Grandmaster Tchoung. Those are listed on his site www.wuji.com. Kurland's certified students are listed under NWTCCA Instructors in the NWTCCA section.

In the United States, Andy Dale and Harvey Kurland are the only Chief Instructors directly trained by Grandmaster Tchoung who are currently teaching his system but there are others that can. Andy and Harvey were both asked to teach and given teaching certificates by Grandmaster Tchoung after his testing process.  Class Information

Acupuncturists & Healers Associated With the NWTCCA

Myra Allen, Rev., IEH, Educator (See above) ** National Institute of Etheric Healing, Corona. Integrated Etheric Healing, Crystal Etheric Healing, Artist, Clairvoyant.

Mick Branch, Rev., BA, EH (See Above) **National Institute of Etheric Healing, Corona, **Etheric Healing

Pamela Crawford, L.Ac. Student of Grandmaster Tchoung Ta-tchen in the 1970's, member of NWTCCA and consultant to Harvey Kurland . Pamela has been a holistic medical specialist for 20 years includes herbs, hypnotherapy, and the multiple skills of Oriental Medicine: Acupuncture, Tui-na (massage), Jin Shin Jyutsu ("acupuncture without needles"), moxabustion (heat therapy with herbs), Qi Kung exercises, Dietary and lifestyle advice, and other modalities. Call (510) 655-4781. Her practice is in Oakland, CA.

Kevin Harms, LMT, Spokane (see above) High Touch, massage, acupressure, energy healing

Dr. Na'Imah Powell, M.D., Etheric Healing Instructor for Myra Allen and Mick Branch. National Institute of Etheric Healing

Didrik Sopler, Ph.D., L.Ac. Woodland Hills, CA. Acupuncturist, Manual Therapy Instructor and Editor of Scientific Physical Therapy. Expert in needle-less acupuncture. Consultant to Kurland. (818) 222 1818 www.tissuerecovery.com

Daniel Venditti, HHP, CMT, OBT (above) Tui-na, acupressure in Redlands, CA.

Ruth Villalobos, R.N., Healing Touch IIB, Riverside, (see above) Healing Hands, energy healing and meditation. (see above)

Tran Wu (See above) Acupuncturist, Ontario, Canada

**Etheric Healing is a non-invasive alternative healing method that is complimentary to conventional medical practices. The practicioner works b passing his/her hands throught the ehteirc body, which is two to twelve inches above the physical body. In this process the chakras are opened, cleansed and balanced. The practitioner is reminding the body of its true essence. National Institute of Etheric Healing, P.O. Box 1778 Corona, CA 92878-1778 NIEH is a Division of Sacred Healing Enterprises. The Clinic is in Corona and Run by Dr. Na'Imah Powell, MD, Family Practice Physician and Etheric Master.

 What is a Master, Sifu, Shrfu, Laoshr?

Copyright Harvey Kurland 2004

There are a number of titles used for t'ai-chi ch'uan instructors.  Coach, Laoshr, Sifu and Shrfu are commonly used.  All are different names given for teachers. Sifu is one, Laoshr is another. Different dialects pronounce Sifu differently.  There are various dialects of Chinese such as Mandarin, Cantonese and Hakka. Even the Mandarin has slightly different pronunciations in different areas and generations.  This is the same as New Yorkers, Bostonians, and Californians all having different accents.  The term Sifu (Cantonese) or (Mandarin) shihfu, also sehfu, is also spelled shrfu with the Beijing hard "R" added for that dialect's pronunciation. This sounds different in various locations.

There are two basic ways to spell Sifu in Chinese, different characters are used. Depending on the Chinese character used it can mean a father-teacher or professional teacher. Sifu can mean master instructor, master of apprentices, teacher of teachers, paid teacher, and in all cases it does not imply any mystical or magical ability. Basically it means a competent teacher who has reached the end of his curriculum. Some Chinese further define them as Old Masters and Young Masters.  Grandmaster is basically the head of his own system. In some cases student teachers are called Sifu when they should be called "Older Brothers" or "Older sisters" a term for senior students.