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gabraelstclair@gmail.com

…is an instructor with the Magic Tortoise School.

“I started study with Magic Tortoise in 1998. My first form was the Chen style with Dr. Jay. I studied the San Shou 88 with Dr. Jay and Kathleen, and Taiji staff with Kathleen and Dan Pasek. I studied several weapons forms and a couple of years of push hands with LaoMa. In 2002, I started focusing on the WuHao 108 and the Old Yang Taijijian (sword) with Dr. Jay. I also study Push Hands with Violet Anderson and LaoMa of the Black Bamboo Pavilion School (2016-).

“The first tournament I attended was the 1999 U.S.C.K.F. championships in Towson MD. From 1999 to 2002 I attended several CACMA (Carolinas Association of Chinese Martial Arts) tournaments and several of Rick Panico's Fall Classics in Mooresville NC, earning over a dozen medals in form and weapons. I attended the 2000 and 2001 “A Taste of China” events in Winchester VA.

“In 2013 I attended CACMA again and won gold for Chen, silver for WuHao, gold in straight sword, and bronze in women’s push-hands. I served as a judge at Rick Panico's tournament in the fall of 2013.

“I began studying with Masters Rose Oliver and Wang Ming Bo when they were hosted by Magic Tortoise and at Jerry Diamond's school in Maryland. I attended the 10-day Double Dragon Alliance 2014 Martial Arts Training Camp in Shanghai PRC, where I was honored to learn the “12 Animal Xing Yi 3 Harmonies Broadsword” with Master Yan Cheng-De. In August 2016 I attended the 10-day Double Dragon Alliance Taiji Camp in Sweden.

“I've been co-teaching/teaching the Durham Center for Senior Life WuHao Beginners Class since 2006. I also teach privately. I hold a purple sash in the Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School. My goal in Taiji is to encourage others, make friends, and to keep beginner mind!”