Institute of Tai Chi Arts (ITCA) was established by the late Master, Tom Tang in 1992. It is a…read morefederal-registered non-profit organization whose mission is to promote Tai Chi Chuan and help members improve their health and learn an ancient martial art in its pure form. The Hwa-Fu chapter of ITCA includes Cheng Man Ching's 37 form, Yang's long form, sword, push hand, san shou, and joint exercise. Members meet at Wootton High School on Sundays, 1:30 to 3:30 pm, from September through Memorial Day. There is also a summer camp. Hwa-Fu's membership fee is very inexpensive, $45 for one semester (September to January). All of the instructors and support staff are volunteers, receiving no compensation. The instructors are dedicated to passing on the knowledge of the late Master Tang. Membership is open to the public and all are welcome. Experience in Tai Chi Chuan is not required. Tai Chi is an excellent form of exercise for everyone, particularly seniors. For those interested in studying an ancient martial art, Tai Chi offers significant benefits and applications. It can also complement other martial arts studies.

Joanne Chang is a tremendously patient teacher of Tai Chi. She teaches at two locations: In…read moreKensington and Rockville. Beginners are welcome, there is a wide variety of students and I find everyone to be very friendly and supportive of each other. Yes Tai Chi has a foundation in self-defense but it is also tremendously relaxing and energizing. If you are looking for a new way to improve your health and well-being I urge you to give this a try. There's no better teacher. Joanne's teachers are a direct lineage from Cheng Man-ching who created this "short form" style of Tai Chi. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

I've been taking Tai Chi classes on and off for a number of years. These classes are the right size…read morefor me to learn and improve. Combined with a fun and supportive teaching style that focuses on fundamentals as well as advanced application means a great experience for beginners and those like me wanting form correction. I'm more relaxed and energized after each class so I always look forward to the next class. My work schedule means I have to miss some classes and they are incredibly flexible about making up classes. There is an optional Saturday session which is like a free extra class. Convenient to Rockville (Wed) and Kensington (Thu & Sat.)

Cain is the teacher who inspires his students with the love of his subject. I take classes with him…read moreat the Rockville (MD) Senior Center. The benefits of practicing Tai Chi are many. It's good for balance, better sleep, your brain, general health and especially for senior citizens. It requires some dedication and time to begin to experience benefits.

Excellent teacher. Cain has a wonderful calm presence and patience. Clearly his years of experience…read moremake all the difference. I would recommend him to anyone who wants to learn REAL taichi.

The focus is on personal development. Leg strength and balance are important but the mental aspect…read moreof study is emphasized. Meditation and breathing, recognizing your body's signals, learning to relax the body and mind, are part of the curriculum. There is no competition with others, just improvement of yourself which I find very important.

From the owner: Tai Chi classes since 1975.read more

This place is absolutely amazing, and I can't recommend it enough…read more I began taking private lessons at Taichi Kung-Fu Academy to augment my other martial arts studies, and I ended up absolutely loving this place. Sunny and Justin are extremely knowledgeable and talented, and they are able to teach a wide variety of styles and techniques - lessons never get boring. Along those lines, a lot of the forms and skills here are extremely tough, but both Sunny and Justin can break things down and make them digestible and understandable. The facilities here are really nice, too. The main room is massive, and they also have an extremely well-stocked gym. Everything feels clean and professional. I'd strongly recommend checking this place out.

Very good, supportive coaches who balance fun and rigor well. Many friends to be made of all agesread more

My wife & I were gifted a Groupon for classes in 2020 and we've been going ever since. Informal &…read morefriendly, which is perfect for us. The teacher & student teachers are patient & accommodating and we enjoy ourselves & are glad to have widened our circle of friends. Still going strong...

Excellent Instruction Very thorough and patient instructor…read more I highly recommend Full Circle and Sifu Mike

I was a student (and part-time instructor for Saturday lei tai and "Little Panda" kung fu) for…read moreseveral years under the tutelage of Master Joe Dunphy and his shifus and was so pleased to learn that the shifus who teach here have since continued his legacy with the Iron Fist Chinese Martial Arts & Fitness school, named in honor of "Iron Fist" Dunphy. I have many fond memories of Master Dunphy and the US Martial Arts family, and my time spent studying at this school. The shifus who run this school are extraordinarily knowledgeable about martial arts and their instruction is of the highest caliber. They are examples of excellence and do much credit to the memory and legacy of Master Dunphy, the school itself, and the study of the internal and external systems of tien shan pai. (For clarification, my initial review of the school contained a reference to USCKF, the United States Chinese Kuoshu Federation, which is now known as USKSF, the United States Kuo Shu Federation.)

I have trained in several styles of martial arts and two different styles of Kung-Fu. The training…read moreI had received while attending class here was by far the best. The head instructor took special attention to individuals and trained them in a way that fostered positive growth. There was always a focus on effective self-defense and very little of the "dance" moves that make other martial arts training less effective. The style taught here is Thai-Shan-Pai and from my experience, it is highly effective for anyone to use against an aggressor. I couldn't recommend this school enough and we still be going here if I lived in MD. If your looking for solid training, regardless of age, sex, or size this is the place.