Branch Representatives
Find the right teacher and half the battle is won.
Here are your contacts for Master Ding Academy activities in North East UK Branch
Mike Watson (Lead Representative)
Mike is an instructor of Master Ding. He began training in Tai Chi Chuan in 1994 after previously studying Karate for several years, becoming an instructor under the tutelage of Master Ding in 1997.
Since 2005 Mike has worked full-time to develop Tai Chi Chuan throughout the North East of England, teaching classes in Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington and Hartlepool.
Throughout the year, Mike hosts regular Tai Chi Workshops and assists Master Ding in local seminars. He also provides Tai Chi retreats in Spain three times a year. Mike takes great pleasure in assisting Master Ding to produce future Tai Chi instructors for the North East.
By teaching traditional Tai Chi Chuan Mike encourages all of his pupils to develop their personal potential in all aspects of life: physically, mentally and spiritually
Contact:
t: 07952 251025
Dave Robinson
Dave is a full time Tai Chi Chuan Instructor who teaches in the Tyne & Wear, Durham and Northumberland area. After attending a Tai Chi class at his local gym he was hooked from day one and began learning the simplified 24 step Yang style Tai Chi Chuan.
He gained his assistant coach award with Wu Kung UK and began teaching part time whilst working in the local authority. In 2001 he attended a workshop by Master Ding and was so impressed by the authenticity and depth of the teaching that he began to train in traditional Yang style Tai Chi Chuan with Master Ding Academy Instructor Mike Watson. In 2007 he was awarded his Advanced Level One Course Teaching Certificate and began teaching full time in 2012.
Training in the martial arts has been a constant theme running through Dave’s life bringing health, wellbeing and a positive attitude toward life. His aim is to promote the art of Tai Chi Chuan and inspire other to practice this holistic art to bring harmony of mind, body, spirit and wellbeing to their lives.
Contact:
t: 07909 715202
e: davidc16@virginmedia.com
Tracey Walker
Tracey started practicing Tai Chi Chuan with Mike Watson in 2011. In 2014 she became a MDA Instructor and now runs classes in Darlington, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool. She also assists Mike in some of his classes and workshops throughout the area.
Contact:
t : 07411 612524
e: twalker19@hotmail.co.uk
Claire Postgate
Claire started practicing Tai Chi Chuan under the instructor Mike Watson in 2011. She became a MDA Instructor in 2016 and now assists Mike in some of his classes and workshops throughout the North East area.
Contact:
t: 07846447101
e: clairewhiffin@hotmail.com
Chris Scaife
My name is Chris Scaife and although I am a part-time Tai Chi Instructor; I am fully committed to teaching, guiding and helping others learn and enjoy the Health and Well-being aspects and benefits of Tai Chi and Chi Kung.
I first started practising Tai Chi in January 2008 and within my first lesson I was ‘hooked’ and I haven’t looked back since. I gained my Health Instructor certification in 2011 and went on to qualify for my Advanced Level One Teaching Instructor certificate in 2012.
The following year I began instructing at various centres and in June of that year paired up with Andrew Knox, when we commenced our Yarm Tai Chi class, firstly at Yarm Social Centre and then at our present location at Conyers School gymnasium.
My greatest fulfilment is in seeing our students enjoy practising Tai Chi and Chi Kung and encouraging their development. When their enthusiasm shines through and they grasp the teachings within Tai Chi, then I feel that Andrew and I are creating a balance and difference for the better.
Andrew Knox
Hello I’m Andrew Knox. I was so fortunate when my wife first dragged me to a Tai Chi class some 20 years ago that it was Mike Watson’s and that he taught under the auspices of Master Ding. I read somewhere that the better the quality of skill that you find at a martial art school the nicer the people are and I’ve certainly found that to be true.
One thing I have realised in both work and play is the importance of flow. In psychology this is where a person is fully immersed in a feeling of energised focus, full involvement and enjoyment in the process of the activity. I think most people find this in Tai Chi.
One of the things I love about teaching Tai Chi is helping people to realise that they are capable of far more than they thought. But most important of all is the fact that it is fun.
Sally Thomson
Sally’s Tai Chi journey began nearly 20 years ago, however it wasn’t until I did my first retreat in 2004 with Master Ding that I thought I really want some of this.
I became a qualified instructor 2010 teaching 2 classes a week, one during the day and one on the evening.
Contact:
Mobile – 07863 341795
Dee De-Belder
Dee started Tai Chi Chuan with Mike Watson in 2005 and became a Health Instructor in 2011 and went on to become a MDA Instructor in 2014. She currently runs a class in Great Broughton and assists Mike in some of his classes.
Contact:
t: 07804612993
e: d.debelder@yahoo.co.uk
Geoff Whittington
Geoff started practising Tai Chi in 2006 under the guidance of Mike Watson under the Master Ding Academy and continued to be inspired by the cheerfully patient guidance of both Mike and Master Ding. He has trained in a variety of martial arts for over 40 years, currently doing Tai Chi for 10 years, 7 years as an instructor.
Geoff enjoys the practice and also the learning experience gained through teaching other people and seeing the way people change as they also experience the effects that Tai Chi can have on them.
Contact:
t: 07915 662 538
John & Linda Bonnett
We are John and Linda Bonnett, in our mid 60s, retired and living in Ilkley West Yorkshire.In 2006 we joined a local, weekly Tai Chi Class and also attended monthly workshops ( run by Mike Watson ) and twice yearly 3-day courses with Master Ding, both in the North East. Our weekly sessions concentrated on learning the moves and sequence of the form, whilst our monthly visits to the North East focussed on applying the fundamental principles to the moves.
Fast forward to 2016 and we had developed our understanding of Tai Chi by attending two 3-day ‘Tai Chi for Health’ courses at Master Ding’s studio in Limehouse – this coincided with our instructor retiring, so we stepped in and started teaching. We introduced the training routines established by Master Ding for Chi Kung, warm up exercises and the Foundation Form ,and we are now able to give our club members real experiences of the benefits of its concepts by using effective posture testing. The significance of this is a conversion from arm waving to giving each move substance.
We also enjoy a wider benefit from practising Tai Chi with a family of fellow enthusiasts whose friendship unites us all in mind, body and spirit .
Contact:
t: 07976282561
e: J.bonnett@icloud.com
Ruth Adams
I started learning Tai Chi some 10 years ago in Yorkshire. I was lucky enough to be introduced to Mike Watson and through him Master Ding. With the support and encouragement of Mike and MDA North East my enthusiasm for the arm and my skills have increased dramatically