Teachers
Tony Ward is the principal teacher of the school tai chi works. Tony has 30 years of experience in various styles of Chinese and Japanese martial arts.
Tony Ward is an internationally recognized teacher with a unique experience of 30 years of study in the martial arts in China, Taiwan, Malaysia and Australia. His main influence and teacher was the late tai chi Master Huang Sheng Shyan.
In 1982 he began training with a Chinese student of Master Huang living in Sydney. In 1986 he traveled to Taiwan and met Master Huang for the first time, he then had regular intense training with him until his death in 1992. Tony is one, of only two westerners to have received intense personal training with Master Huang. After the Master's death he continued his study with his more senior students.
His studies have also included such arts as Karate, Which he began at the age of 14. Aikido, Hsing I, Ba gua, and many different forms of tai chi, Qigong and healing arts as well as many aspects of Traditional Chinese medicine.
For the past fifteen years, he has been directing and teaching full time at his school in Sydney, and also runs regular workshops and seminars throughout Australia for other teachers and their students. Since 1997, he has been traveling regularly to Europe and Japan, where he has established a following for his method.
The principles are the thread or link to all other areas. It comes down to the principles are tai chi, all of the different shapes and forms are just the outward differences. The principles remain the same; understand these and everything you do can become tai chi. In this way tai chi can begin to have profound effect on every aspect of life. The key here is to embody the principle rather than just understand with the intellect.
Tony Ward
Chin Kham Yoke, a Malaysian born Chinese, began studying tai chi in the yang tradition of Master Cheng Man Ching in the early seventies with teachers in Taiwan and later in Japan. In 1986 Yoke was recommended to Master Huang Sheng Shyan, a significant figure in the tai chi world. Master Huang would often express absolute joy and playfulness when demonstrating his extraordinary skills in the art. He embraced tai chi with his entire being.
For Yoke the immense stature, integrity and vision of Master Huang's tai chi was a powerful inspiration and provided a strong direction. From 1986-1992 until his death, she was admitted into Master Huang's school, participated in his workshops in Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore and trained intensively under him.
From 1976-1991, Yoke lived and taught tai chi in Kyoto, Tokyo and Hofu, Japan and at the same time embarking on research and professional studies in the ancient arts of Japanese dance and of Noh drama. Yoke highlighted the significance of the role of tai chi principles on movement arts and other related art forms. She sought to challenge, explore and create from classical roots of eastern movement philosophy in her own dance choreography.
In 1992 Yoke returned to Sydney, bringing with her a new climate of change in the Australian performing environment and, between 1992-1999 received funding by the Australian Performing Arts Council and various other major funding bodies, at home and abroad. This not only gave Yoke the support to bring tai chi philosophy and principles into eastern movement discipline in theatre and dance practices of her own performances and choreography. It also allowed her a platform to introduce it to performance and dance studies in institutions, at universities, in performance forums, festival workshops from within the country and on international performing tours.
The appeal of an art object, an extraordinary piece of music or a performer's virtuoso performance can exhibit tai chi principles in practice. The presence of stillness in movement, natural poise and balance, fluidity, aliveness and refinement of the skills is the magic of the appeal. To arouse, sincerely embody and develop these qualities in everyday living is the essence and spirit of the art of tai chi.
Chin Kham Yoke
From 1996 in Sydney, Yoke joined Tony Ward, principal of Tai Chi Works, and now teaches at Tai Chi Works. The school has expanded to include workshops in Europe and Japan.
Yoke also has site a the Natural Therapy Pages, describing her healing work in Bowen Therapy, Emmett Technique and Dorn Therapy in more detail.