Sifu Robert Tangora
Robert Tangora began studying the internal arts and meditation when he was 18. During the early 1980s, he taught T’ai Chi Ch’uan in New York at Shr Jung, the school founded by Professor Cheng Man Ching, and studied extensively with three of Professor Cheng’s senior students, Lew Kleinsmith, Maggie Newman, and Stanley Israel.
In 1988, Robert travelled to China where he had the good fortune of studying Chi Kung privately for six months with Chi Kung master Jiao Guo Ryu. He focused on three areas – meditation and breathing practices for gathering and circulating chi, Spinal Chi Kung posture set used for the treatment of spinal injuries and for opening and balancing the major energy channels, and the diagnosis of spinal and structural alignment and the use of corrective standing postures to facilitate healing. At that time, Robert learned the 108 posture Yang Long Form from Fu Zhong Wen, the nephew of Yang Cheng Fu.
After studying Buddahist meditation in Tibet for six months, Robert travelled to Maylasia where he became a formal disciple of the late Master Tok Seng Gim who was 65 years old. Master Tok carried the highest reputation as a fighter, which he began when he was 7 years old, and had a comprehensive understanding of the internal foundations of Yang style Tai Chi Ch’uan. Master Tok opened the door to Robert’s advanced study of Tai Chi Ch’uan and meditation. Under Master Tok Robert became the Singapore Push Hands Champion, which more resembled free fighting than western push hands tournaments.
Upon returning to the United States, Robert continued to teach Yang style Tai Chi Ch’uan, Spinal Chi Kung and Taoist Mediation, and began his study of Wu Style Tai Chi Ch’uan with Master B.K. Frantzis. In 1999 Robert was certified as a senior level instructor in the Wu Short Form developed by B.K. Frantzis. Robert also studied Wu style Tai Chi Ch’uan privately with two disciples of the Wu family lineage, Master Wang Hao Da and Master Wen Mei Yu. Master Wang studied privately with Ma Yueh Liang, the son in law of Wu Chian Chuan and the recognized lineage holder of the family, for 15 years. Master Wen was the premiere forms champion of her generation in China and the god-daughter of Master Ma and Wu Ying Hua, the daughter of Wu Chian Chuan.
Robert continues to teach Wu style Tai Chi Ch’uan, Spinal Chi Kung, Push Hands and Sword publically, and privately to experienced practitioners. He teaches Yang style Tai Chi Ch’uan privately to practitioners with substantial experience only. Robert also studied Filipino weapons with the late Sonny Umpad.
