Jorge is an excellent instructor and has a very welcoming and helpful group of dedicated students…read more His classes are good for beginning to very experienced practitioners. The tone of the class is serious and respectful. I highly recommend for anyone interested in learning or practicing Tai Chi.

Wonderful human and instructor. Highly knowledgeable and goes the extra mile. He teaches beginners…read moreand advanced students.

As a child, my father was always very interested in Tai Chi so I've been familiar with the practice…read moresince grade school. In fact, my father would sometimes walk with us in the mall and stop mid-pace just to bust out a tai chi stance and movement just to embarrass us in the middle of the mall. Regardless of those family antics, I was able to develop as respect for the practice despite it not being an active part of my life. Fast forward to last month. I help to lead diversity and culture initiatives for our employee resource group at work and was brainstorming some fun and interesting ways that we could celebrate Asian Pacific American heritage. I thought tai chi on the rooftop would be interesting, fun and a great way to introduce the exercise to a young audience. I reached out to the email on the website and had the pleasure of connecting with Peter Schwartz. Although, the school does not consistently offer private classes, he was willing to work with me and was within my budget to lead a 1 hour class of tai chi at our office. Although the turn out was less than what I hoped, Peter was warm, knowledgeable, patient and literally went with the flow. Also, prior to arriving he was communicative and arrived on time, despite rush hour and a storm. Overall, I had such a great experience and would definitely encourage anyone to consider tai chi as an exercise that is accessible and inclusive to so many!

I'm a little old lady with an artificial hip and arthritis who moseys rather than walks and really,…read morereally, really hates to swim. T'ai Chi has turned out to be the perfect exercise. This School has proved to be just right. Free Introductory Class. Clear, precise, professional instructions. Bright, clean, friendly atmosphere. Reasonable prices.

Took classes there many years ago. Sifu Ramos is phenomenal. Sifu Ramos taught me various art formsread more

Paul Ramos is an amazing instructor who addresses the talents and needs of each individual student…read more I attended several tai chi classes and learned much about the patience and skill that Paul has for the Pushing Hands form of tai chi. His guidance was encouraging but neither demanding nor unreasonable. During class, he would always warm up with everyone and then guide students individually to improve their skills based on his or her own pace and success thus far. I was always impressed at the calming strength of these classes in providing a balanced workout- though in a non traditional sense. If I had more time in my schedule, I would be back! If you want to learn this traditional art, coming to Wu Shen Tao with Paul Ramos would be wise!

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.)

Since living abroad in China, I always harbored the secret dream of waking up early one morning to…read moredo Taiji in the park with a bunch of randos. I would know all of the moves, be in sync with my fellow Taiji-ers and feel at one with the Universe. It took me quite a long time to start making this dream a reality. I additionally had entered a period of my life where yoga was no longer an option to help me find "balance" in this crazy world. Thankfully, I had a DC friend who practiced Taiji and encouraged me to join a beginner's class at his school, Great River Taoist Center. I have now been a student at Great River for 7 months and have since realized there is a lot more to Taiji than learning some pretty "moves" to do in the park. Don't expect to pick this up overnight - this practice takes time, patience and determination (i.e. it takes an entire year just to learn the sequence). Taiji is not only a martial art, it is also a way of life - one that requires full awareness of your body, mind and the present moment. Great River is not for the faint of heart, but it has woken me up to the fact that I need to work on my breathing, my body alignment, my mindfulness and my inability to "let go." Plus, if you want to learn from the best, Rodell lao shi is the best.

From the owner: Yang style taichi chuan (tai chi, taijiquan)- The complete martial system including forms, push…read morehands, free fighting (san shou), spear, and sword. From beginners to accomplished martial artists, Great River offers classes for all levels and experience.

Evolve All is awesome and I am pleased to leave a review of them…read more I recently checked out Evolve All since I was in town but wanted to train (muay thai/striking) in a friendly learning environment. I was in town for such a short time that it'd be better for me to drop-in classes rather than buying a monthly membership. Evolve All was just the place for that. The owner, Emerson, made me feel welcome when he responded to my inquiry saying that he'll find me someone who'll work with me. That special attention to individuals is definitely what separates a warm/welcoming gym from the rest of the pack. When I went to train, I saw how beautiful the space is. Green and white mats lined practically everywhere. Coach Elijah worked with me and another student and I can honestly say that if I were still in Arlington, VA (I returned to Philly), I would be a member of Evolve All because of my interactions with the staff/coaches, the facility, and the training + community there. Overall, Evolve All is a great family-oriented gym. I can't recommend it enough for anyone who is searching for their next spot to train and looking to level up while still feeling like part of a friendly/welcoming community.

This review is from the perspective of someone new to DC and new to martial arts. I tried two other…read moregyms before settling on EvolveAll. There was hardly a contest, in terms of the welcome my roomie and received, as well as the kindness of the staff and owner. I chose a BJJ membership where I have the opportunity to join about three classes per week (as a beginner, more as you grow), access to a weight-lifting space, and free reign to practice rolling when there is a free mat. I CANNOT speak enough about the amazing crew that runs EvolveAll. The owner and general manager take the time to truly make you feel welcomed and excited to be in their space. The instructors are of the highest level and ensure that you understand new moves and drills on an individual level. They make sure to invite experienced members to the beginner classes so that way new members can train with someone who's comfortable with the movements. I HIGHLY recommend EvolveAll for individuals of all ages, skill levels, and fitness. Every class starts with some conditioning, goes into a couple of moves, and ends with optional free rolling.

I found Kris Brinker's Just Breathe Tai Chi classes through an online search at the beginning of…read morethe pandemic. Her demo of the Cheng Man Ching form was easy to follow and beautifully choreographed. Kris was responsive and friendly when I contacted her, and I am now completing my third live online course with her, along with subscribing to her recorded "on demand" classes that are available. These classes have made a difference for me, and I will continue!

Kris' style of teaching is easy to follow and advancement is quite rapid with each class building…read moreon the prior lesson. The class is centred around the Cheng Man Ching 37, which turns out to have 60 plus movements--the 37 refers to the number of unique movements and some repeat throughout the form. Kris also has some great relationships with other instructors who occasionally make a guest appearance and provide demonstrations. Classes are held weekly, with 14-15 classes to a session, which is sufficient time to learn the basics of approximately one-third of the form (with some practice at home). Students are also given access to videos to help their practice between classes, which helps enormously! Personally, I have found Tai Chi both rewarding and challenging. It takes some physical and mental stamina to master the moves--which is a great distraction from the rigors of an otherwise busy life. The amount of effort expended is up to the individual, students range from 13 to 83 years of age all advancing at their own rate. Tai Chi has improved my own balance and core strength which has positively impacted other sports such as skiing and cycling. I like it, and would recommend that everyone tries it!

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

I highly recommend Wong People Kung fu association to learn Chinese culture in depth and it's free!…read moreYou get to learn tai chi, Kung fu, kick boxing, bag won and much much more! Including Lion Dancing for traditional cultural authentic experience and much more! Who can ask for all this when it's free in DC!

From the owner: The Lion Dance is an ancient ritual based on Taoist principles that are used to drive away evil…read morespirits or bad energy (chi). This is done by manipulating or directing the flow of one's internal energy (chi) forcing the undesired energy away. The skill of mastering control of one's internal energy (chi) requires years of arduous training and study. The techniques and knowledge are passed down or inherited through a family lineage. The Lion Dance costume worn while performing this ritual is specifically designed for the purpose of driving away evil. Every component of the costume has a purpose and significance. The musicians that play the music for the Lion ritual are also an integral component of this energy directing ritual. The ancient Chinese musical instruments are drum, gong, and cymbals. These instruments require years to master. Each musician not only generates their own energy flow but also have the ability to direct any spectators watching to do the same. A Lion ritual is successful when all three components, the Lion, musicians, and spectators are synchronized in directing the flow of their internal energy (chi) to drive away the bad energy. When this process is successfully completed, the final result is the achievement of good luck..

I'm so grateful that my wife and I learned TM with Dave and Kathy at the DC center! I had a number…read moreof hesitations and concerns about learning TM, but we eventually decided to proceed with the course despite those concerns. I'm incredibly glad that we did! Daily practice of TM has greatly improved my degree of focus and fulfillment during the work day. It's not a religion or a philosophy, but it has become as essential to my daily wellness as taking a shower. Attending a free, no-pressure intro talk was a great way for us to learn what it's all about, and to learn how it significantly differs from other forms of meditation. They do those intro talks weekly. The technique is very simple and it's effect is powerful. Even as I hope the foundation can find a model for the course to cost less and reach more people, with hindsight, I'd have paid more than I did to learn it. It's been that impactful for my family. The value is strong given the lifetime access to TM teachers internationally, group meditations, and interactions with other meditators. I'd also recommend reading the book "Strength In Stillness" before deciding either way. If you take the dive, commit to it and stick with it! It worked for us.

Had a great experience here with Dave and Kathy. Been to a lot of mindfulness and other meditation…read moregroups over the years. While they are all worthwhile, the TM course made an immediate impact in reducing stress and feeling more connected and centered.