PH from Jan Silberstoff

[Andy_S]

Some good stuff from this senior Chen Taiji master from (I guess) a DVD.

Includes basics and shuai-style PH, but more interestingly also shows stuff rarely shown/practiced in village-style Chen Taiji, notably:
How to use the positions of PH to bridge and enter on an opponent
Some "applications" thereof



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJjiSgt3ylQ

[GrahamB]

I think the 80s wants its hair back.

[Bao]

Some good stuff from this senior Chen Taiji master

Not impressed. Stiff and stressed for a "master", IMO. Why do you think it's appropriate to call him master?

Just wondering...
...The question is really an allergic reaction against the word "master".

[Andy_S]

Bao:

I think he has been doing Chen Village Taiji longer than anyone else in the West (I think from he early 1980s), and from what I see of him, he has, indeed, mastered this art.

[Bao]

I am slightly confounded, But well,
you know the art.

[Ciccio]

Ciao,

This my opinion,

In The clip are show elementary techniques.

I think Ian can do better in push hands.

In any case, it is evident a rigidity in applications.

Ciao Ciccio

[Andy_S]

RE: Elementary technique:
Is there any other kind?

[nicklinjm]

Nice to see someone from the Chen Village lines demonstrating bridging/entering techniques, was afraid this had completely died out in the Village lines as they almost never show it.

Would caution against judging Jan Silberstorff from this one video, he is one of Chen Xiaowang's most senior disciples in Europe and has been practicing Chen for over 20 years, 4 of which were in China.

[roger hao]

I watched Joe Dirt last nite

[Sean]

Man, you guys are pretty critical.
Silverstorff has certainly put in the time and the hard work.
And from what I've heard from friends who have trained with him, he does indeed have some real skill.

[wayne hansen]

All their saying is it's not evident here

[Bao]

he is one of Chen Xiaowang's most senior disciples in Europe and has been practicing Chen for over 20 years, 4 of which were in China.

20 years is really not a long time for tai chi. And only four years with CXW? And still Jan can be his official disciple?
Thanks for the info. I am now even less impressed.

[Jarek]

I believe Jan is formally a disciple of Shen Xijing, though also a long time student of Chen Xiaowang.

[Andy_S]

Bao:

FFS.

Jan has been visiting the Village since the early 1980s, and I believe he has been an apprentice of CXW since the early 1990s. He has spent a LOT of time in the village - probably well over four years - and even maintains a house there.

The fact that you are "even less impressed" after hearing his lineage suggests to me you are more impressed with "lineage" than skill.

If you don't lke the skills coming out of Chen village, that is fine. There is other stuff out there. But few people (particularly, few foreign people) have put in more time learning those skills (for what they are worth - gold or muck) than Jan.

Out of curiosity (if you consider this a true mark of skill): How many years have you spent living in rural China, studying under a master?

JarekL

Who is Shen Xijiang? Never heard of him, and I have been doing this art since '95. You don't mean Chen Xiaoxing (Chen Xiaowang's younger brother) do you?

[taiwandeutscher]

No, Shen Xijing was a disciple of CXW and he brought Jan to Chen Taijiquan.

In the meantime, if I'm not mistaken, Shen has his own style, Taiji Dao or something, and tries to go a different route than the village.

Not sure about Jan, but I thinkg mid 80's would be earliest, as in 1982, when I was in the village, nobody had any students from outside, not to mention from abroad. In fact, CXW at that time himself was on the look-out to fill gaps in his training" (that I was told by elders)!