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Meet the instructors of Pen and Sword Tai Chi serving South Florida
Sifu Arthur Rosenfeld
Pen and Sword
Tai Chi Sifu [teacher] Arthur Rosenfeld has been practicing martial
arts for nearly 30 years. He is an authority on the spiritual
dimensions of Eastern thinking for a Western world, and is a contributor
to national magazines including Vogue, Vanity Fair,
and Parade. He has also been seen on Fox News and other
networks and heard on numerous national radio programs.
Along with the Dalai Lama, Rosenfeld was a finalist for the
prestigious Books For A Better Life award for his bestseller
The Truth About Chronic Pain (Basic Books, New York,
May 2003) and has been cited in national media including Newsweek,
Ebony and Parade. He is the author of the martial
arts thrillers The Cutting Season, The Crocodile And
The Crane, and Quiet Teacher (YMAA Books, Boston,
2009). He has also penned several optioned motion picture screenplays,
the critically acclaimed novel of magical realism A Cure
For Gravity, and the hard-boiled mystery Diamond Eye,
the first and only novel to be promoted by the federal government
and sold on a government web site
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A Yale
graduate, Rosenfeld combines the scientific background and communication
skills gained through post-graduate studies at Cornell and the University
of California with real-world savvy gleaned from creative, high-level
corporate positions. His seminar audiences include prison inmates, healthcare
professionals, and captains of industry.
Jennifer Beimel
Tai Chi instructor in Boca Raton, Florida
I'm originally from Pittsburgh, PA and have been living (and practicing
TaiChi) in South Florida for 10 years. I am married with two young children
and have a typically busy life! I started out just "looking for something
to do" and ended up completely hooked! I found that for some reason
the practice came naturally to me, especially since I have never been
very "athletic" and have no other martial arts background. I like that
I can do the practice as strenuous or as lightly as I wish, and that
I will be able do this for the rest of my life without worry of aging
or injury. There are so many different benefits of the practice, everyone
seems to take something away from it, and sometimes different things
at different times. If you ask what people get out of the practice,
it could be personal (mental) growth, physical work, meditation, connections
with others and the world around us, and on and on. I encourage new
students to give it a real try because sometimes the results come slower
(or differently) than expected, but they do eventually appear! Plus
the classes are always a lot of fun!
Chris Dankowski
Tai Chi instructor in Atlanta, Georgia
[biography coming soon]
Tom Bailey
Tai Chi instructor in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
I am a nationally certified personal trainer, a licensed massage therapist,
a State of Florida licensed Acupuncture Physician, and a 25 year martial
artist. I trained in Tae Kwan Do under Terry Cunningham at the University
of Tenessee from 1983-1986. From 1987-1997 I studied Tang Soo Do under
Master Art Pryor in Plantation, Florida, achieving the rank of 3rd degree
black belt. In the mid-1990s I studied Yang tai chi with Andy Chung
and Debbie Mallow, and then slightly later I studied the Yang style
tai chi short form with Professor Hsinpo Chen at the Atlantic Institute
of Oriental Medicine. I met Arthur Rosenfeld around 1997 and he encouraged
me to take up Chen style tai chi. I found it to be the most profound
martial art, exercise system, and life philosophy I have ever experienced,
and enjoy training and teaching the system. I am interested in the martial
aspects, the profound health aspects and the deep, life-changing potential
of the underlying Daoist philosophy. I am committed to preserving and
growing this original, authentic Chinese martial art. I am grateful
to Sifu [teacher] Rosenfeld for his instruction, his close friendship
and his counsel over many years. I am fortunate to have traveled to
China with him and his teacher in 2006. It was an unforgettable experience.
Since 2005 I have taught Chen tai chi at a local South Florida hospital.
Ed Lewczyk
Tai Chi instructor in Boca Raton, Florida
I am 36 years old, married with a son who was born in August of 2007.
I currently work as a Systems Engineer in the networking industry. I
was born in Florida and have lived here most of my life. I went to Penn
State and received a degree in Ceramic Engineering (glasses, high temp
superconductors, and yes... bricks). I raced bicycles both on the road
and at the track for more than 12 years at a very high level.
When I met Sifu [teacher] Rosenfeld, my first thought was the Buddhist
proverb “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”. I was
always interested in Tai Chi from childhood, but during a 12 year competitive
cycling career and an average of 700 miles a week there was no time
to pursue that path. The competitive fire I had for cycling now expresses
itself in the competitive 2 person push hands and weapons sparring workouts.
I have been studying with Sifu privately for 5 years and enjoy my continued
progression with every passing day.
My motivation began in Tai Chi with a deep interest in the health benefits.
I was interested in correcting a number of issues that I had with weight,
chronic stomach ailments, and joint pain. In practicing Tai Chi with
our meditation system, I find that very little of my former ailing self
still exists. My current motivation centers around the focus on deep
relaxation during the practice and the sensing of myself and my surroundings.
Our weapons forms help to extend my sphere of consciousness beyond my
internal work and into my surroundings. This greatly helps during our
push hands and combat work.
I also have a particular passion for the medical and combat aspects
of Chen style tai chi. It is also said that if one is to be a good fighter,
they must also know how to heal. I would like to continue this path
as far as I can take it. I will continue to work with group classes,
and I plan on teaching again privately. I would like to focus with my
students on passing on the deep wealth of knowledge our tradition brings
us to future generations. I enjoy using this path in my job, and around
my friends. There is nothing like flowing with the Dao!
Grant Clyman
Tai Chi instructor in South Florida
My youthful interest
in a path that encompassed mental and physical discipline, philosophy,
and self-discovery ultimately lead me to Chen Tai Chi. Having studied
tai chi, yoga, several martial arts and philosophies, and becoming a
nationally certified personal trainer in my search, I found a home in
the traditional Chen Tai Chi taught by Sifu ( teacher) Arthur Rosenfeld
at the Pen and Sword school. Through Sifu Rosenfeld's tutelage, I've
gained not only greater skill in the art of tai chi, but a deeper understanding
of the universal truths inherent in the philosophy and practice that
make it an all encompassing way of life. I believe that health and well-being
begins with the connection of mind to body and self to the world around
you. The practice of tai chi is a process of continually deepening those
connections, the result of which is a profound transformation that begins
within you and radiates into the rest of your life, as you continue
to grow in the art of harmonizing opposing forces. The beauty in the
practice is that it meets each individual where he or she is, because
it's a practice that begins with awareness of yourself internally and
progresses naturally as you progress. My passion for teaching this art
arises from the benefits I have experienced from my practice. Chen Tai
Chi has made me stronger, given me greater balance and agility, helped
me remain calm in stressful situations, and improved my relationships.
Another benefit that changed my life was improved respiration, since
I was born an asthmatic. I feel like keeping Chen Tai Chi to myself
would be like discovering the Fountain of Youth and keeping it secret.
It's too good and too special for that. I've been practicing Chen Tai
Chi for over nine years, and I know that I'll continue to discover greater
depths in the practice for every year to come for the rest of my life.
David Hollinshead
Tai Chi instructor in Weaverville, North Carolina
[biography coming soon]
Mary Jane Ward
Tai Chi instructor in Durango, Colorado
My interest in Taijiquan really grew out of my interest is Daoism. When
I was in eighth grade I studied world religions in school and wrote
a ten page paper on Daoism. I have been hooked on the concepts ever
since. For many years I studied the philosophy. My physical outlet for
20 years was yoga but I was never satisfied. I started looking for a
taijiquan teacher and went through several before I found my first teacher,
Yu Wen Hong. Even before I found a teacher, I knew that Taiji was something
that would always be part of my life. She was recently from China and
was amazed that I had read the Tao Te Ching. Her English was
basic so I spent hours helping her to translate her ideas into English.
When she stopped teaching, I started looking for another “real deal”
teacher and found Arthur. At the time, he was teaching Yang style and
I studied that with him until he made the change to Chen Style. Once
I started practicing Chen style, I knew that I could never go back.
For several years with Arthur, I studied open hand, jian and dao forms
and then I moved to Colorado. I started Dancing Heron Taiji to expose
folks to Chen style taiji.
contact our Instructors via email at info@playtaichi.com
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