Tess Schwartz
tess@genesistaiji.com
Tess is very passionate about the martial arts and has a well rounded background.
Tess started her martial arts training in 1995. Her first Sabumnim (teacher), Grandmaster Chul Woo Lee, an 8th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, has been an inspiration and played a major role in the martial artist she is today. She was an Assistant Instructor for children and adult classes and assisted as a Testing Judge during Belt Testings. She presently holds her 2nd degree blackbelt in Tae Kwon Do.
She started training with her second teacher Sifu (teacher) Richard Gamboa, a disciple of Sifu Roger Haygood of the Southern Praying Mantis Kungfu family. She trained with Sifu Rick for almost 4 years reaching a level of Green Sash. She has become proficient in performing the Lion Dance as well.
In 2004, Tess joined the Taiji Kungfu Academy and began her training with Sifu Kam Lee (a disciple of Grandmaster Zhu TianCai). She is currently studying both Chenjiagou Taijiquan and Five Ancestors Fist Kungfu. She holds her black belt in Kungfu and is a Level 3 practioner in Chen Style Taijiquan. She is also a Level 1 Instructor in Chen Style Taijiquan.
Awards and Achievements:
Numerous gold medals in Tae Kwon Do forms, Breaking and Sparring. She qualified to represent her division at the State Level. Recipient of the Blackbelt of the Year Award.
She has received numerous gold medals in Taijiquan and Kungfu (Empty hand and weapons).
August 2007, she was a competitor in Jiaozuo, China performing Chen Taijiquan Empty Hand and Weapons forms.
Attended seminars with Grandmaster Zhu Tiancai-Chenjiagou Taiji
Education:
Tess has a B.S. degree in Pre-Med and Psychology.
She also had a Nursing degree and has been a registered Nurse for more than 18 years.
Novice level American Sign Language
Gary Fields
gary@genesistaiji.com
Gary too is very passionate about martial arts.
When confronted with health issues in 1995 he searched for some alternative ways to alleviate stress and improve health, both on the physical and spiritual level. He found a school for Taichi and took classes for a few years and although it seemed to be a worthy endeavor it did not work out. In 2001 he began to train under Shifu Kam Lee at the Taiji Kung Fu Academy. He has remained there since and has studied Chen Style Taijiquan under Shifu Kam Lee. Shifu Kam Lee is a 20th generation disciple of Grandmaster Zhu Tiancai, one of the four Arhats of Chenjiagou Taijiquan. Gary has become a Level 3 practioner and Level 1 instructor. His training is ongoing and hopes to attain further certifications for instruction and increase his own knowledge. Because of the excellent training he has received he believes that in addition to learning Taijiquan he has also transformed his life in many positive ways.
In August 2007 Gary was a competitor in Jiaozou, China performing Chen Taijiquan Empty Hand form (part of Lao Jia Yi Lu)
Gary has attended several seminars with Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang, Grandmaster Zhu Tiancai and I-Liq Chaun Master Sam Chin.
Gary has a B.S. degree in Biology and has been a certified Clinical Laboratory Scientist for 19 years.
