SIFU ( MASTER ) DING,BA(Hons), DMS

6th Generation Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan
Founder & Chief Instructor of John Ding International Academy of Tai Chi Chuan

In January 1998, Master Ding became the Sixth Generation of the Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan after being formally accepted as the First Disciple of Master Ip Tai Tak who was the First Disciple of the late Grandmaster Yang Sau Chung, Fourth generation Head of the Yang family and the world's foremost authority on his family's Tai Chi Chuan. Master Ding is also the only Tai Chi Chuan Master in world to have studied under all three direct disciples of the late Grandmaster Yang Sau Chung before being a disciple of Master Ip Tai Tak.

John Ding is an internationally recognised Tai Chi Chuan Master, who has vast (over 30 years Martial Arts experience ) experience and understanding of both internal and external martial arts. He trained at a young age under various Shaolin Kung Fu Masters, reaching a high level in the external martial arts, before committing himself fully only to the study of Tai Chi Chuan.

Given his has extensive theoretical and practical knowledge of Traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan and is one of the few teachers in the West able to demonstrate the higher aspects of the art and internal energy (Chi).

To enable Tai Chi and other Alternative Therapies practitioners gain better insight and understanding in these areas, Master Ding publishes and edits an international and the United Kingdom leading quarterly Tai Chi magazine called Tai Chi and Alternative Health since 1994.

Apart from his Martial Arts background, he has had over 25 years working experience in the caring profession - both Health and Social Services. He was an experienced Senior Manager with one of the London Borough Authority Social Services Department, managing over 600 staff before leaving his post in June 1996 so that he could concentrate his time on a full-time basis, in promoting and teaching internationally, the art of Tai Chi Chuan. Given his vast experience and expertise, Master Ding and his instructors has also run different courses for various organisations such as Health and Social Services, Voluntary Organisations and also large corporate organisation such as Transnational Associates Ltd, London Electricity and many others. Some of these areas include:
· Stress Management - How to recognise and manage stress effectively
· Alternative Therapies like Relaxation Techniques, Reflexology, Shiatsu or Aromatherapy,
· Managing physical violent and verbal abusive customers behaviour.
· Breakaway Techniques to deal with attacks in work setting - ideal for any staff dealing with the general public,
· Control & Restraint Course for staff working in both Health, Social or Voluntary settings and many others.