Eric Ziegler: biography about tai-chi-chuan

Born in 1955, I discovered tai-chi-chuan in Chicago at the age of 30, while working as a physicist.
My first tai-chi classes with Hau Kum Kneipp at the Dance Center of Columbia College focused on Cheng Man-Ching’s Yang form, among other practices.
A few years later, I went on my own for a ten-week trip to southern China, which gave me an insight into Chinese culture.
Back in France in 1988, I joined a Tai Chi class in Lyon taught by Jean-Claude Sapin, a French philosopher who had studied in Taiwan,
then found a class in the Grenoble region (south-east France) practicing the Yang form of the Tung family.
In 1990, Hau Kum came to Grenoble to teach a Shaolin fan form. At the same time, I had the opportunity to take part in Tung Kai Ying’s workshops in Paris.
Returning to the USA (Berkeley, CA) in 1997 for a sabbatical year, I studied the sword form with Marybeth Rice, a former student of Wu Tai-Yeh.
Back in Grenoble, I took a regular tai-chi course with Daniel Carriau, a long-time student of Tung Kai Ying.
In 2000, I met Alex Dong for the first time in Athens. I immediately felt inspired by Alex’s personality and teaching skills, and knew that he would help me evolve in the direction I wanted.
Shortly afterwards, I decided to follow only his teaching, taking part in various workshops organized in Greece, the UK, Italy and the USA.
In 2008, Alex Dong encouraged me to start teaching. So, I started a beginner’s course in my village, then another one in Grenoble for people in their 80’s and 90’s. I then started giving a few classes at the research institute I was working for.
In 2016, I was offered the title of senior instructor of the Dong Ying Jie Taiji Legacy.
In 2021, retirement gave me the opportunity to devote more time to a variety of mindful activities, including tai-chi-chuan.
Teaching is an exciting experience and a real opportunity to improve my own practice.
It is also particularly rewarding when students share their experience and the effect of tai-chi in their daily lives.