There haven't been a lot of people given any kind of teaching accreditation by me in the 33+ years that I have been teaching classes in Yang-style taijiquan and the 24+ years that I have been teaching baguazhang. That's in large part because I had promised myself that my school wouldn't turn into a certificate mill for either egotistical or financial reasons when I first started teaching in 1985.
However, I would also be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that a determined few asked to be tested and accredited and, having done so, went on to teach their own classes in various locations in Ottawa-Carleton and elsewhere. Some also used what they had learned from me as stepping stones to studying with other teachers and I acknowledge their determination to keep learning with other mentors.
Like some teachers, I have striven to keep learning over the decades; consequently, the students that I have certified fall into categories defined somewhat by the material I was practicing and teaching at the time. The time periods overlap somewhat as I wouldn't abandon good material without easing into the newer forms and methods. Unless otherwise specified, these current and former students were trained in and certified as instructors of Yang-style Taijiquan as defined by me and the main influences in my development. N.B. If you are reading this and new to the study of taijiquan... there are a lot of versions of it available and, in most cases, each instructor insists that his or her approach is the only really correct one! Such is life and human nature...
The Allan Weiss Years [1985-1992]
The Erle Montaigue Years [1991-2007]
The Mike Babin "On His Own" Years [2007-Present]
Some of those listed above stopped coming to my classes shortly after being certified; some taught briefly on their own but stopped doing so for one reason or another; others moved to a different city, a different style or teacher while others started training in a completely different martial art. Some I have stayed in touch with; others have never spoken to me since leaving my classes. In addition, a number of others [Louise Gallant, Josephine Anderson, Sylina Levy, Stephen Ouellet and Patrick Desrochers], at various times in this period, received letters from me giving them permission to each aspects of either Yang-style taijiquan or baguazhang. Josephine, in particular, went on to study intensively with Erle Montaigue and has been for many years the senior representative in Canada for his World Taiji Boxing Association [WTBA]
However, I would also be remiss if I didn't acknowledge that a determined few asked to be tested and accredited and, having done so, went on to teach their own classes in various locations in Ottawa-Carleton and elsewhere. Some also used what they had learned from me as stepping stones to studying with other teachers and I acknowledge their determination to keep learning with other mentors.
Like some teachers, I have striven to keep learning over the decades; consequently, the students that I have certified fall into categories defined somewhat by the material I was practicing and teaching at the time. The time periods overlap somewhat as I wouldn't abandon good material without easing into the newer forms and methods. Unless otherwise specified, these current and former students were trained in and certified as instructors of Yang-style Taijiquan as defined by me and the main influences in my development. N.B. If you are reading this and new to the study of taijiquan... there are a lot of versions of it available and, in most cases, each instructor insists that his or her approach is the only really correct one! Such is life and human nature...
The Allan Weiss Years [1985-1992]
- Lance Carr was tested and accredited on March 20, 1990
- André Couture was tested and accredited on January 17, 1991
The Erle Montaigue Years [1991-2007]
- James Chan was tested and accredited in our basic forms and martial training methods on August 10, 1993
- Sean Kelly was tested and accredited in our basic forms and martial training methods on August 10, 1993
- Edward Zolpis was tested and accredited in our basic forms and martial training methods on April 11, 1995
- Marc Séguin was tested and accredited in our basic forms and martial training methods on April 11, 1995 and again, at his own request, on February 08, 2003. Marc has taught his own classes for many years now, studied with other teachers and continued to deepen his understanding of taijiquan.
- John Kirkham was tested and accredited in our basic forms and martial training methods on June 20, 1998
- Roger McDonnell was tested and accredited in our basic forms and martial training methods on June 20, 1998
- Paul Paquette was tested and accredited in our basic forms and martial training methods on June 23, 1998. Paul [assisted by his partner Ann who also studied with me for a time] taught his own classes for many years both on his own and at my own Studio before it closed.
- Daniel Langevin was tested and accredited in our basic forms and martial training methods on October 23, 1999
- Carolyn Hill was tested and accredited to teach my Standing Qigong Curriculum, June 24, 2001
The Mike Babin "On His Own" Years [2007-Present]
- Cal Climie [shown above with me] has taught small group and private classes on his own in Yang and Sun-style and has 20+ years experience with me. I certified him to teach on July 28, 2015.
- Lloyd Keane has taught small group and private classes on his own in both the baguazhang and the Yang-style Taijiquan that I teach. He has 10+ years experience with me and is an apprentice instructor in the baguazhang that I practise.
Some of those listed above stopped coming to my classes shortly after being certified; some taught briefly on their own but stopped doing so for one reason or another; others moved to a different city, a different style or teacher while others started training in a completely different martial art. Some I have stayed in touch with; others have never spoken to me since leaving my classes. In addition, a number of others [Louise Gallant, Josephine Anderson, Sylina Levy, Stephen Ouellet and Patrick Desrochers], at various times in this period, received letters from me giving them permission to each aspects of either Yang-style taijiquan or baguazhang. Josephine, in particular, went on to study intensively with Erle Montaigue and has been for many years the senior representative in Canada for his World Taiji Boxing Association [WTBA]
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