Dr. Yancy Orchard – Saskatoon, SK, Canada
Dr. Orchard is the founder and owner of Orchard Kung Fu, teaching Martial Arts, Health & Vitality programs, and private lessons at the Orchard Kung Fu Xin Fu Gompa. He is also available for workshops around the world.
Dr. Yancy Orchard began training in martial arts in 1983. He first encountered Dr. Painter and his Jiulong Baguazhang in an article in Inside Kung Fu Magazine. Several years later, in 1994, Dr. Orchard moved to Dallas, TX to study chiropractic at the Parker College of Chiropractic. He then sought out Dr. Painter’s school, at the time called The Wholistic Fitness Center, and dove in, whole-heartedly, to the most comprehensive mind-body martial program he’d ever come across.
Dr. Orchard is one of the very rare individuals who has been certified as a full Shifu in all the arts encompassed by Daoqiquan. He is recognized as a highly skilled instructor of Jiulong Baguazhang, Ziran Xingyiquan, Liu Taijiquan, Tibetan Coiling Serpent Boxing, Tibetan Blue Heron Boxing, a variety of traditional weaponry, and several methods of qigong. Well-known for his uncompromising technical ability and clear and penetrating teaching style, Dr. Orchard helps each student toward what they need individually both martially and with regards to health and vitality.
Dr. Orchard’s role is that of one of the few living custodians of the Li family Daoqiquan arts. As such, staying true to the vast knowledge contained in the traditional methods is crucial; this requires constant investigation, testing and study of a vast corpus of traditional materials. At the same time, elucidating murky and obscure ancient knowledge with improved scientific understanding and modern metaphors helps students understand and manifest the material more effectively. Finally, the only way to pay back the priceless gift preserved in the arts of Daoqiquan is to work to create highly skilled, living practitioners of these arts. As such, Dr. Orchard teaches from his heart, holding nothing back. There are no secrets in his classroom. The knowledge takes root in every diligent student’s bones and is made manifest in the expression of his or her own heart throughout the student’s life.
Dr. Orchard continues his studies into the treasures of all of Daoqiquan’s arts. The education of a martial artist is ceaseless. In the Li family tradition, masters are those with nothing left to learn; this happens once they throw six feet of dirt on top of you. Until then, Dr. Orchard invites you to share his passion for learning and walk the circle with him for a time. It may be one of the most important choices you ever make.
Orchard Kung Fu : 404 Thirty-Third Street West, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7L 0V6
306-229-6274
Bronwen Nishikawa – Raleigh-Durham, NC
Bronwen has been training in Jiulong Baguazhang with Shifu John Painter since 2004, and currently teaches the Qigong/health practices, while assisting in the martial practices of the branch school in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina. Bronwen is currently certified as Xiangdao (guide) in the Jiulong Baguazhang system.
Nine Dragon Baguazhang of Raleigh-Durham
Bronwen@NineDragonRaleighDurham.com
Triangle Dance Studio (TDS Space), 2603 S. Miami Blvd., Durham, NC
Jim Burniche – Raleigh-Durham, NC
According to Jim’s wife, he was “one of those Tai Chi nuts” when they first met – an avid practitioner and student of Taijiquan and related qigong practices.
Around 2005, Jim had his first exposure to the Li Family arts, and was instantly attracted to the practical, no-nonsense methods and explanations for many things he had previously tried, but not fully understood. He decided to give Jiulong Baguazhang a chance, and promised himself to train in earnest for a year before deciding whether this was the art he was looking for all this time.
Almost 2 decades later, he is still diving into the depths of Jiulong Baguazhang, and co-teaches in the Raleigh-Durham branch school.
John Trumbell – Hamilton, ON, Canada
John’s fascination with martial arts goes all the way back to his childhood. He started his martial art training in Judo at the age of 12, and this kept him learning for many years. In 1992 he moved to Hamilton and continued his explorations by entering training in Wing Chun Kung Fu. It was there that he encountered the world of the ‘internal” styles of martial arts and a few years later started learning more about Xing Yi, I Chuan and Baguazhang. Yet there was always something missing.
After several years of training and researching the varying styles of internal arts, he found it was Baguazhang that most captivated his interest. In 2004 he happened upon a Nine Dragon Baguazhang workshop hosted by the Toronto school. They brought the head teacher of that system, Dr. John P. Painter to share some of his knowledge of the art. It was there, Mr. Trumbell found what he was missing. A complete internal martial that included real self-defense, philosophy, health and spiritual practice. In particular it was the use of the mind to activate one’s neural response system that captivated him.
Today John teaches classes in the Hamilton Ontario Nine Dragon Baguazhang School. He is a certified instructor and loves to share this life affirming art to all. In his quest to learn this art he has also received instruction in weapons training, Iron Palm and Qi Gong.
Brett Baerg – Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Xiangdao Baerg teaches Jiulong Baguazhang at his school Baerg Martial Arts in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
He began studying Jiulong Baguazhang in 2011 and earned his Xiangdao certification in January 2018. Xiangdao Baerg had studied Wing Chun for several years in his home town of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada before he found Orchard Kung Fu where he began his studies under Shifu Dr. Yancy Orchard. He spent two years attending Shifu Orchards classes before deciding to move to Australia where he continues to study through remote lessons and trips back to Saskatoon. He has also participated in several seminars ran by Shigong Dr. John P. Painter, head instructor of all Li family Daoqiquan, at Shifu Orchard’s Xin Fu Gompa in Saskatoon.
After years of study with Shifu Orchard, in January 2018 Xiangdao Baerg travelled to The Gompa in Arlington Texas to do his final Xiangdao certification with Shifu Castaldo who is one of several teachers at The Gompa, the home of Li Family Daoqiquan lead by Shigong Painter. This certification has been followed by a certification in Heaven Palm, and Xiangdao Baerg is currently working towards certification in Lake Palm.”
baergmartialrts@gmail.com
Steve Bialon – Spring Lake Park, MN
In 2009, Steve began studying under Shigong Dr. John Painter in the Li family style of Daoqiquan, of which the art of Jiulong Baguazhang is the primary facet. Under the auspices of Shigong Painter, Steve is teaching the beginning courses and is striving to carry the Daoqiquan art into another generation.
White Dragon Martial Arts
950 Cty Hwy 10, Suite 117
Spring Lake Park, MN 55432
612-730-4336
https://www.whitedragonmartialarts.us/
William Oparowski – Boston,MA
William Oparowski has been studying the Jiulong Baguazhang system since 2012, starting with Shizi Charlie Pasquariello out of Boston.
William’s first experience with baguazhang was in college as part of the school’s kung fu club’s curriculum. After William had his first class in Jiulong Baguazhang, he instantly realized that the material and approach of teaching was different from other arts, and was hooked to continue learning the art.
He has attended the Gathering of the Circle and Founder’s Day events, taking every opportunity possible to further his learning of the Jiulong Baguazhang system.
After Shizi Pasquariello departed for Florida to begin a new chapter, William took up the mantle of teaching and started his certification journey that he continues to this day.
bos.jbgz@gmail.com
Jim Crookson – Peekskill, NY
Jim Crookston started his martial journey at 17 with a brief stint in boxing before the gym closed down. At this moment, he was introduced to the art of Aikido which opened him up to a new martial world and readings that would later lead him to train in various Shaolin arts and some exposure to Hsing-I, Tai Chi, and Baguazhang. An instant attraction was formed with Baguazhang, but in his own admittance, had trouble applying it.
As fate would have it, he would meet Sifu Painter and Sifu Castaldo at a seminar in Manhattan where everything he had been training for the last decade was clarified in one afternoon. Impressed by the effort that went into the curriculum and training methods for Jiulong Baguazhang, over the next four years Jim would attend any of Dr. Painter’s seminars anywhere in the Northeast and in 2018 he made the commitment to training at the Gompa and sharing this rich art in his hometown of Peekskill, N.Y. so others may experience and appreciate it’s benefits.
Group Classes and privates for Hudson Valley Jiulong Baguazhang are held at the Be First Boxing Gym at 1698 Main St Peekskill, NY on the third floor.
For inquiries call Jim Crookston at 914-523-5447 or email at franklincrookston@yahoo.com or message at Hudson Valley Jiulong Baguazhang on Facebook.
Dr. Jan Carstoniu, MD, FRCP(C) – Toronto, ON, Canada
Dr. Carstoniu is a founding member of the Toronto Nine Dragon Baguazhang school and has been a student of Jiulong since 1997. His first exposure to Asian martial arts was in 1974 when he began studying Jiu-Jitsu followed by training in Yang style Taijiquan. Since before the opening of the Toronto school in 2006, Dr. Carstoniu has pursued the rigorous Nine Dragon instructor training program. Under the tutelage of the art’s head instructor, Dr. John P. Painter, he has been certified to teach all 8 Palms of Jiulong Baguazhang as well as weapons and health practices.
Before starting medical studies, Dr. Carstoniu had been a licensed psychologist in the province of Quebec. He became a certified anesthesiologist in 1992, but in 2000 he left the operating room to focus on chronic pain management, an area of medicine in which he had long been interested. He observed that many Jiulong training principles and methods could be explained and were supported by research into central nervous system processes involved in learning and the development of chronic pain. This led him to starting using Nine Dragon mental and physical training methods to treat his patients and he currently facilitates group therapy sessions for people with chronic pain.
To learn more about chronic pain management please go to: Mindbody Pain Clinics