Robert Tangora began studying the internal arts and meditation when he was 18. He studied and taught T’ai Chi Ch’uan in New York at Shr Jung, the school that was founded by Professor Cheng Man Ching in the 1980's. Robert 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 6 months with Chi Kung master Jiao Guo Ryu. His studies focus principally 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.

In Malaysia, Robert became the formal disciple of Master Tok Seng Gim, a Yang style master who not only carried the highest reputation as a fighter, but whose understanding of the form was comprehensive. Master Tok Seng Gim opened the door for Robert’s advanced studies of Tai Chi Ch’uan which continue today. Under the direction of Master Tok Seng Gim, Robert became the Singapore Push Hands Champion and furthered his study of meditation.

After returning to the United States, Robert continued to teach and study Yang Style T’ai Chi Chi Ch’uan and Spinal Chi Kung, while pursuing the study of Wu Style T’ai Chi Ch’uan with Master B.K. Frantizis. In 1999 he was certified as a instructor in the Wu Style Short Form. Robert continues to study Wu Style T’ai Chi and Taoist Meditation under Dr. Frantzis.

Robert has also studied privately with linegage masters of  Wu Style Tai Chi Chuan; the late Master Wang Hao Da of Shanghai, China Master Wen Mei Yu. Master Wang was a closed door student of Grand Master Ma Yueh Liang, whose lineage descends directly from the founder of Wu Style Tai Chi; Wu Chian Chuan. Master Wen is the god-daughter and indoor student of Master Ma

TESTIMONIALS

Dear friends,

Below you will find sketches of our own remarkable experience as students of Robert Tangora, a Santa Fe Treasure as Tai Chi, Chi Kung, and Taoist meditation teacher.

We're sharing these sketches with you now because many of you have been curious about our Tai Chi practice and interested in exploring it for yourselves. 

Robert, I'm delighted with the Yang DVD's.  So far I've been able to upgrade each posture I've worked with. I'm going to buy the rest of your DVD's (Cloud Hands, Bend Bow, Spinal Chi Kung, Push Hands,)    Gary Kaufman, Milwaukee, WI

ANNA SOFAER AND MIKE PERTSCHUK

We lived and studied Tai Chi for 25 years in Washington DC and New York with Tai Chi teachers who are widely considered masters in the practice and teaching. When we moved here several years ago, we feared we would never find a teacher in so small a town as Santa Fe to match their level of expertise. Instead, we found a teacher deeply schooled by several noted masters in the Far East, a gifted teacher, both through his pedagogical and physical gifts, a grounded Taoist philosopher, and a warm friend.

CAROL ROSE BROWN

Robert Tangora teaches from the inside out, unlike every other Tai Chi teacher I studied with over the past 35 years. He has a vast knowledge of Tai Chi and Chi Kung and a tremendous understanding of the way the body moves. He observes his students and gently guides them to good movement. In my past three years of study with him I have become much stronger, more flexible and straighter. This would be a nice outcome in anyone but it is remarkable in me because I have sever scoliosis, which becomes worse with age, and I am almost 70 years old. Aside from the health benefits, his classes are fun.

BILL GALLEN

I moved to Santa Fe from Milwaukee, WI ten years ago. As a student in the Midwest I was lucky enough to be under the supervision of Benjamin Pan Jeng Lo (Ben Lo), a senior student of Professor Cheng Man Ch'ing, the grandfather of Y'ang style Tai Chi in America. Looking for a teacher in Santa Fe, I was delighted to find Robert Tangora. Having played push hands with "National Champions" and some of the most senior Tai Chi players in the country, I found in Robert an unprecedented talent. Robert is at once soft and light, fast, powerful and gentle. His teaching encompasses meditation and the martial aspects of the art. In fact, one requires the other, and Robert brings out this experience with simplicity and clarity. Robert interlaces the fundamentals of Chi Gung into the fluid changes that is the Tai Chi form practice. The teaching is an elegant, coherent matrix. For the beginner to the advanced student, Robert Tangora is a resource worth tapping. His, is a national stature, in a gentle, informative and unassuming guise. And on top of that, he's fun.

JANE SHOENFELD

I moved to Santa Fe 20 years ago from NYC. In New York I studied with Maggie Newman who was a senior student of Cheng Man Ch'ing. I looked for a Santa Fe teacher for several years and when I started studying with Robert, I kept studying with him and still am... over 15 years later. Roberts' knowledge and teaching skills were the best in Santa Fe and he is now one of the best teachers in this country. The group of people who are among his students include experienced fellow students who are very helpful to beginners. Each class is a great mix of both serious and playful learning.

CLINT SCOVEL

For more than 20 years I have suffered from lower back pain. I was not able to stand or sit without excrutiaiting pain and could not take an airplane trip, long car trip, or attend a concert. I could do physical work and excercise and did both regularly but it only helped a bit. Working at my desk was pure misery. 3 years ago I decided to have S1-L5-L4 back fusion surgery. Although the surgery helped a lot I was still unable to sit or stand for any length of time. Then I discovered the Wu Chi standing posture and after practicing for a month found substantial relief. This brought me naturally to Tai Chi Chuan. After 2 years of studying Tai Chi Chuan with Robert I can now sit and stand for substantial lengths of time with little or no discomfort. I can also move more naturally and comfortably in the rest of my activities which includes climbing into and out of canyons and casting a fly line at a wary trout. This last summer I made a 12 hour drive to Buffalo Wyoming in good comfort. That was followed by a month long fishing and camping trip in the Bighorns.

Tai Chi Chuan is extremely portable since it requires no gear and does not require a flat warm floor. Therefore I can and do practice outside, inside, in the heat, in the cold, in the canyon, in my room, in my office, at my campsite, in my motel room, at the beach at Puerto Vallarta and in a snow covered field in Nambe. Moreover, unlike some forms of exercise, Tai Chi Chuan is fun. I owe a large debt of gratitude to Robert, his senior students, my Tai Chi brothers and sisters, and those that developed and passed on the tradition of the most wonderful of arts - Tai Chi Chuan.