Nick began his martial arts training in 1966, studying Shotokan Karate and Judo for three years under Sensei Cliff Tickel, in Anaheim, California. Over the years he continued to actively explore other physical and mental disciplines, including yoga, zen, and other meditation practices, before discovering a "perfect fit" in the practice of t’ai chi ch’uan (taijiquan), which he has practiced and studied intensively since 1993. In 1999 Nick retired as Managing Director of the Fine and Performing Arts Division at Santa Ana College and moved to Walla Walla, WA. He is in his tenth year as a board member, and is a past president of the international Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association. He is a founding board member and a current national advisor of the US I-Chuan Association, and is a member of both the U.S. Chinese Kuoshu Federation and the U.S. Wushu Union. At the invitation of Grandmaster Henry Look, in 1999, he began judging at Internal Martial Arts competitions with the U C Berkeley Chinese Martial Arts Championships sanctioned by the US Chinese Kuoshu Federation. He is certified by the U.S.C.K.F., U.S.W.U., and Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association and has judged for the Internal Martial Arts divisions (t’ai chi forms, weapons, push-hands, etc.) at a number of national and regional competitions. In addition to receiving the express permission to teach of his lineage holder, Master Y.C. Chiang, and his other teachers, Nick was among the first t’ai chi instructors ever certified by Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association, and was granted a Lifetime Certification.

Lynn Sharp

Lynn has been practicing t’ai chi since 1987. While living in Colorado, she began her studies with Bataan Faigao, a direct student of the famous Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing, initially learning the form developed by Master Cheng. Shortly after moving to California, in 1988, she began studying at the Kuang Ping School of T’ai Chi, in Orange County. Apart from her t’ai chi experience, Lynn has been teaching at the college level since 1993. She is a tenured Associate Professor of European History at Whitman College, in Walla Walla, WA. Lynn is a charter member of, and is certified by, the Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association. She is also a member of the U.S. Chinese Kuoshu Federation and U.S. Wushu Union. In addition to the express permission to teach of her lineage holder, Master Y.C. Chiang, and her other teachers, Lynn was in the first group of t’ai chi teachers ever certified by the Guang Ping Yang T’ai Chi Association. She maintains an active Teacher’s Certification from the association.

Since 1994 Lynn and Nick have primarily trained and studied together. They studied the empty hands Guang Ping Yang style t’ai chi set, Chi Kung (Qigong), traditional Yang Sabre (dao), push hands (tui shou), and san shou (a two person empty hands set) at the Kuang Ping School of T’ai Chi in Orange County, CA under the tutelage of Laoshr JoAnna Gee Schoon and Shih-fu Valarie Prince. Since 1995 they have also studied and refined the Guang Ping set and studied t’ai chi philosophy under Master Y. C.