Dancing Tao

Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain by Chungliang Al Huang from Amazon.com

Living Tao

Although I never worked with Al Huang, I was introduced to his perspective when studying tai chi with Masahiro Ouchi.  It was in an introductory workshop in Master Chia's Yang style short form.  This is the shortest form I've learned yet I find it quite profound.

Masahiro's approach in both the chi kung warmups and the study of the form emphasized a playful flow of movement in which the details were gradually sketched in.  The warmups were particularly unique and dance-like with imaginative imagery.  Masahiro said that this orientation was influenced by his work with Al Huang, so I later checked out Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain.

This book is based primarily on transcripts of workshops with Huang.  I had checked it out before but it was not until I had worked with Masahiro that it made sense to me.  I even recognized some of the images in the book from my work with Masahiro who is certified in Huang's Living Tao approach.

This playful open-ended perspective seemed to offer a bridge between Taoist practices and improvisational dance.  And I hope someday to take some workshops with Al Huang.  Although I was thinking a lot about Dancing Tao during my study of the Universal Tao practices, I did not attempt to begin developing my approach until I moved to Austin, Texas in the fall of 2001.

Next - Austin

Please feel free to contact Clyde Smith at:
dancingtao(at)yahoo.com

www.netweed.com/dancingtao/living