AN INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA TAYLOR

Senior Instructor Training Officer

    Barbara has always been fascinated with China and dabbled in Tai Chi, in 1984 at the local W.E.A. After 2 years her thirst for knowledge was beyond the scope of the W.E.A.

    In 1986 Barbara travelled to China to find that it was just as she had imagined on the surface; but discovered much more because China had not been opened long to tourism at this stage.

    When she returned, her search for more Tai Chi was discovered in the Australian Academy of Tai Chi with Grandmaster Khor (then Senior Master Khor). She joined the local classes and has been practicing Tai Chi ever since with the Academy. Her interests took her back twice more to China and those trips were just as fascinating as the first.

    After requesting to be considered for Traineeship, she assisted in classes in Broadmeadow with Wendy Lachlan, Geoff Abbott and Ken Pearsall. Training completed, she instructed students at Whitebridge High School in Tai Chi; children with A.D.D. syndrome at Wallsend Infants School; patients with back problems in Royal Newcastle Hospital; intellectually disabled adults at Alice Ferguson Centre; young prisoners on probation; University students’ special days and preschool littlies (4-5 year olds).

    Jessie Haines teamed with Barbara to take an Ethnic class at Cardiff. In 1994, Term 1, Charlestown day class was opened and an ongoing Broadmeadow day class was transferred from Geoff Abbott in Term 3 the same year. Both these classes are still successfully growing after more than 10 years.

    Additionally, Barbara has been demonstrating, speaking and conducting special classes in conjunction with Mater Hospital and Mayne Health - Christo Road Private Hospital and a private church group in Boolaroo.

    Barbara is presently assisting with Sydney Instructor Training as well as our own Newcastle branch of A.A.T.C. She is qualified to teach all disciplines from Shibashi through to Tai Chi, all weapons, including Classical Yin Yang Sword, Phoenix Dragon Fan, Immortal Silver Flute, Shoulder Pole and Wushu.