International Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association

Nancy Lucero

I was born/raised in Gardena, California and have one daughter and granddaughter. My background is in Human Resources, Marketing/Sales and Administration.

I started my tai chi journey in 1996 and learned Yang Style Simplified 24 and 32 Sword, 85 Long Form, 2 person Opposites and Push Hands under the teachings of Master Shuo Y. Chen. After his passing in 2000, I began studying with Master Yang Jun and now add the Traditional 103 & 13 Hand, 67 Sword, and 13 Saber Forms to my resume.

I teach tai chi at senior centers and at Shoreline Community College with my husband, Mike. I am currently the Office Manager of the Redmond Center and Master Yang's Assistant in the International Association.

Lance Lu

My Chinese name is Lu Tao Nan, and I was born in Hong Kong. My family moved to Seattle when I was five. I started training external boxing at age fourteen (Hung Kuen, and later Sil Lum P'ai).

In 1992, I started looking for a teacher to teach me internal martial arts. In 1999, when I attended Master Yang's grand opening demonstration, I knew I had finally found my teacher. Master Yang is my first and only teacher in tai chi.

In addition to tai chi, I also enjoy Cuban music and dance, gardening, travel, cooking and eating good food.

Mike Lucero

Mike graduated from California Institute of Technology in 1981. He had a few jobs programming computers, had his own programming business, then joined Microsoft in 1988 and left Microsoft in 1997.

He started learning tai chi in 1996 at a class taught at Microsoft by Master Shuo Y Chen, learning the 24, 32 sword, and 103 forms and starting push hands.

In 2000, he and his wife, Nancy, started to teach tai chi at Microsoft, and near the end of 2000 joined the YCF Center, where he also learned the 67 sword form and 13 saber forms.

Edward Moore

After trying out several different martial arts for a few years, I wanted to find a traditional system that I could continue to discover over a lifetime of practice. I started studying Taijiquan in 1997 with a teacher in Ohio named Professor Bi.

After returning to Seattle in 1999 I searched each school to find a traditional system with a strong lineage and finally discovered Master Yang's school in the spring of 2000.

After studying with Master Yang for five years, I am still always surprised by his remarkable skill level.

Serena Newhall

Serena has been studying Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan since 1993. She began in Dave Barretts Reed College P.E. class. He suggested she look for Master Yang Jun when she moved to Seattle, but Master Yang had only just moved there too so she could not find him.

Fortuitously, she saw a flier in the park for Master Yangs new school, which just happened to be in the building where she had just been hired for a new job! She has been studying with Master Yang Jun ever since. She practices the 103 form, the 49 form, sword, saber, and push hands.

Hon-Wah Chan

Hon-Wah started learning Tai Chi Chuan from Master Shuo Y. Chen in 1993 at the Microsoft Redmond campus. He learned the 24 simplified Yang style tai chi chuan, 32 Yang style sword form, and 85 Yang style long form.

After Master Chen passed away, Hon-Wah joined the school in 2001. He had completed the 103 long form, the saber form, and the sword form.

Hon-Wah took the ranking test in 2006 and received the forth level rank.

Peter Lamanna

I started to study Tai Chi back in August of 2000 in Redmond, Washington, when I took a 24 Hand Form class from Nancy and Mike Lucero. I was initially motivated to take Tai Chi because of health reasons. I had recently been diagnosed with Type II diabetes and my physician had directed me to design a one hour a day exercise program that I could continue throughout the remainder of my life. My investigation led me to Tai Chi.

After studying with the Luceros and learning also the 32 Sword and 103 Hand forms I began to study Push Hands in November 2001 under Master Yang Jun. Since then I have learned the Yang hand, sword and saber forms.

Tai Chi is now an integral part of my life and greatly improved both my physical and mental health.

Sam Kwok

I first learned the Yang Simplified 24 in 2000 and later a form so-called the "Old Yang" Style from two Tai Chi clubs at Boeing. I served on the Executive Board of both clubs. lead practice sessions and occasionally taught classes there.

After reading the article "A Talk on Practice" by Yang Chengfu: "...a group takes their mistakes and transmits them to generations, necessarily fooling both themselves and others...", I realized I have to search for a professional Tai Chi instructor. I found Master Yang Jun!

Besides practicing Tai Chi Chuan, I enjoy travelling, hiking and outdoor photography.

Mui Gek Chan

I grew up in Singapore and came to the United States to further my education. I graduated from Boston University with dual degrees in MBA and Master of Science.

Ever since I was a child, I was intrigued by taijiquans graceful, but powerful moves. In 1996, I started learning Yang style taijiquan, push hands, sword, saber, and Wu style taijiquan with Master Xie Bing Can. I also assisted in teaching and translating. In 2002, I took the opportunity to continue studying taijiquan with Master Yang Jun.

I live in Bellevue with my husband, two children and hamster. My other interests include gardening, piano, and painting.