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First International Push Hands Meeting, Hanover Report
Author: Dan Docherty
I've just returned from a nine day stint at a pushing hands "happening" in Hanover. The structure was to have teachers from different styles and countries come together at Nils Klug's place at the Faust Culture Centre. Additionally Nils and friends put on a fun martial arts based show at the local theatre at the beginning of the happening and had demos and what can best be described as "performances" on the last night.
On a personal level I renewed some auld, and some almost never brought to mind, acquaintances as well as making some new friends. As may have far reaching consequences for me, for my students and perhaps others, let me tell you a little about them.
First up is a man whom I knew by face, but could not place. Then, when Almut told me his name, I remembered a trip with some French instructors to Hebei province to attend an international Tai Chi Festival and a tall languid German dude whom I found impossible to talk to. But in Faust, we started talking and it went on for hours every day. He was a Berlin cabby for many years, before going to a remote place in the boondocks of China and living with and learning for years with the Yang family. He is one of the only Europeans I've met who can help to reveal the inside story on how things are and might have been as regards the origins of Tai Chi Chuan.
We compared long forms, move by move looking at variations and inner form techniques, unfortunately he had to leave all too soon. However, I've given him a list of questions and topics to ponder and want to try to go beyond a simple interview and kick off a research project which I have asked Helmut Oberlack, webmaster of the Tai Chi Chuan and Qi Gong Federation for Europe, to post on the web (www.tcfe.org) for others to contribute to with their thoughts and comments in a proper academic and intellectual way, rather than the crude often ill-informed slanging matches which take the place of debate elsewhere.
Next up is Zhai Hua whose family are from Liaoning in the far north and who is virtually unknown in Western Europe. Though of robust build, she is fast and skilful as well as powerful. She is one of the few Chinese instructors I've met who really understands the concept of zhao shu. Though a modest and most humorous person, she is a lady of strongly held views, not unlike a few others of my acquaintance.
She told me how, being of landlord class, her family suffered during China's years of madness under the Mao dynasty. When they were right, they were wrong; when they were first, they were last when they were the best, they were the worst. The same stuff just keeps happening. As the late, great Phil Ochs sang of the Mexican peons, "Welcome to California, where the friendly farmers will take care of you." Karel and Eva Koskuba who were also instructing, told me of a friend of theirs who went to live and train with one of the famous families and only learned the first movement - but I guess he was good at it and sometimes it only takes one movement.
I talked also to Epi, Pierre and Luis (who does a terrific flamenco) about the international Tai Chi competition they'd been to in Taiwan and the organised cheating which still goes on; where points are not points if you are a foreigner and nothing is something if you are Taiwanese.
During the week teachers from a variety of styles and countries presented pushing hands workshops including our very own Secretary, Mr. Ronnie Robinson. In addition there were long sessions of free pushing hands each day. The food was acceptable and, this being Germany, the beer was a lot better than that.
Nils himself handled the whole affair extremely well, more or less leaving things to run themselves. There was a plentiful supply of tea available for participants at all times in most congenial surroundings. All in all, a very interesting, at times unusual event which I thoroughly recommend. Apart from the Koskubas, Ronnie and yours truly there were three other British participants, it would be good to see a few more next year. I believe Nils is intending to use a similar format with a few surprises for 2002. More details can be found on www.push-hands.com ...
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