Sifu Nick D’Antoni "Push"
Nick began his martial arts training in 1966, studying Shodokan Karate and Judo for three years under Sensei Cliff Tickel, in Anaheim, California. Over the years he continued to actively explore other physical and mental disciplines, including yoga, zen, and other meditation practices, before discovering a “perfect fit” in the practice of t’ai chi ch’uan (taijiquan), which he has practiced and studied intensively since 1993. In 1999 Nick retired as Managing Director of the Fine and Performing Arts Division at Santa Ana College and moved to Walla Walla, WA. He is in his eleventh year as a board member, and is a past president of the international Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association. He is a founding board member and a current national advisor of the US I-Chuan Association, and is a member of both the U.S. Chinese Kuoshu Federation and the U.S. Wushu Union. At the invitation of Grandmaster Henry Look, in 1999, he began judging at Internal Martial Arts competitions with the U C Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Championships sanctioned by the US Chinese Kuoshu Federation. He is certified by the U.S.C.K.F., U.S.W.U., and Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association and has judged for the Internal Martial Arts divisions (t’ai chi forms, weapons, push-hands, etc.) at many international, national, and regional competitions. In addition to receiving express permission to teach from his lineage holder, Master Y.C. Chiang, and his other teachers, Nick was among the first taijiquan instructors ever certified by the international Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association, and was granted a Lifetime Certification.
Sifu Lynn Sharp "Strike Palm, Ask Buddha"
Lynn has been practicing t’ai chi since 1987. While living in Colorado, she began her studies with Bataan Faigao, a direct student of the famous Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing, initially learning the form developed by Master Cheng. Shortly after moving to California, in 1988, she began studying at the Kuang Ping School of T’ai Chi, in Orange County. Apart from her t’ai chi experience, Lynn has been teaching at the college level since 1993. She is a tenured Associate Professor of European History at Whitman College, in Walla Walla, WA. Lynn is a charter member of, and is certified by, the Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association. She is also a member of the U.S. Chinese Kuoshu Federation and U.S. Wushu Union. In addition to the express permission to teach of her lineage holder, Master Y.C. Chiang, and her other teachers, Lynn was in the first group of taijiquan instructors certified by the international Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association, and maintains an active Teacher’s Certification from that association.
Common Training and Experience
Since 1994 Lynn and Nick have primarily trained and studied together. They studied the empty hands Guang Ping Yang style t’ai chi set, Chi Kung (Qigong), traditional Yang Sabre (dao), push hands (tui shou), and san shou (a two person empty hands set) at the Kuang Ping School of T’ai Chi in Orange County, CA under the tutelage of Laoshr JoAnna Gee Schoon and Shih-fu Valarie Prince-Gabel. Since 1995 they have also studied and refined the Guang Ping set and studied t’ai chi philosophy under Master Y. C. Chiang and his most senior student and taiji lineage heir, Fu-Tung Cheng, of the Chung Hua Wen Wu School of Martial Arts in El Cerrito, CA. In addition to his expertise in both Northern and Southern style Shao-Lin Kung-fu and other martial arts, Master Chiang is recognized (along with Grandmaster Henry Look) as one of the pre-eminent living practitioners and teachers of Guang Ping Yang style t’ai chi.
In 1997 Nick and Lynn traveled to France to complete a ten-day intensive training session for taiji teachers with Fu-Tung Cheng focusing on both the Guang Ping empty hands and straight sword sets. With Master Anthony N.J. Ho, in Newport Beach, CA, they studied traditional Yang straight sword (jian) and shao-lin staff. They are currently studying Yiquan (I-Chuan) and Xingyiquan (Hsing-I Ch’uan) under the direction of Grandmaster Henry Look, and have completed multiple intensive workshops on the Cheng Man-ch’ing empty hands and sword forms, t’ai chi applications, push hands, and fighting techniques with Grandmaster William C. C. Chen.
Nick and Lynn have also attended many workshops and master classes on a variety of related topics from prominent martial artists and internal arts teachers. Significant highlights would include: Grandmaster Henry Look (USCKF Hall of Fame, Inside Kung-Fu Hall of Fame, one of America’s Top 30 Martial Artists, and 2004 IKF “Man of the Year”); Grandmaster William C. C. Chen (Senior student of Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing); Don Ethan Miller (multiple national push hands championships); Prof. Daniel Lee (senior student and sparring partner of Bruce Lee); Master Yang Fu-kui (Heart Mind Martial Arts, NYC); Master David Chin (senior student of Grandmaster Kuo Lien-Ying); Sifu Rick Barrett (national push hands champion); Sifu Stephen Watson (director, Silent Dragon School of Kung Fu & Tai Chi and a national push hands champion); Dr. Jay Dunbar (Director: Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School, senior student of Grandmaster Jou Tsung-Hwa); Master Hui Liu (Master Teacher of Dayan Qigong at the Wen Wu School); Master Randy Elia (director, Peter Kwok’s Kung-Fu School and the Bergen Academy of Healing Arts, NJ); among others.
T’ai Chi Teaching Experience:
Lynn and Nick began teaching t’ai chi in 1995, first assisting at the Kuang Ping school under the supervision of Laoshr JoAnna Gee Schoon and Sifu Valarie Prince. In 1997 they began sharing responsibility for the school’s classes offered through the Community Services division of Irvine Valley College in Irvine, CA. Nick also worked extensively with classes at the Tustin Senior Center in Tustin, CA. Nick and Lynn have the express permission of both Master Y.C. Chiang and his tajii heir, Fu-Tung Cheng, to continue teaching Guang Ping Yang style taijiquan as it is taught at the Chung Hua Wen Wu School. They are also both certified Teachers and Judges for Internal Martial Arts. In 2000, with Master Chiang's permission, they formed the Walla Walla Wen Wu School of T’ai Chi and began teaching in Walla Walla, WA.
