Work History

Work undertaken todate:

* Age Concern Wandsworth - Cowick Housing, Tootting 2011

* Age Concern Programme - for the residents of Hanover Court, West London - 13 Weeks Programme completed in Feb 2011.

* L & Q Neighbourhood Group - for the residents of L&Q Housing Trust in Brixton - 6 Weeks Programme completed in Dec 2010.

* Myatt’s Fields Park, for the residents of Lambeth, Brixton - 4 months project completed in Oct 2009.  This course was subsidised by Lambeth Council and took place every Wednesday to encourage the use of newly refurbished park.

* Women of Wandsworth - WOW Mums Battersea originally started in May 2009, was subsidised by Wandsworth Council for 15 months until July 2010. This course was made open to the general public in Sept 2010 and now takes place every Fridays, 10.00 - 11.30am in Katherine Low Settlement, 108 Battersea High Street, London, SW11 3HP.

* Brandlehow Primary School in Putney, six sessions in 2011

* Age UK Lambeth, 13 weeks programmes starting in 2011 and will continue into 2012

Many repeated “Introductory Sessions” for the following:

* UCU (Universities & Colleges Union) members in Lambeth, Clapham Park Project (Women’s Group)
* Balmuir Gardens GP Surgery in Wandsworth
* Ferndale Community Centre-Brixton, Wandsworth Council - Festive Reunion Event (MEND)
* Active Days Conference - 2009 supported by the Age Concern in Wandsworth
* Wandsworth Primary Care Trust-St Michaels Day Centre in Clapham
* Graveney Day Care Centre in Tooting
* Age Activity Centre in Tooting
* St John’s Hill Centre in Battersea
* Battersea Scout Centre
* Elmwood Court in Battersea
* Ashmead Care Centre
* Open Door Community Centre
* Primrose Hill Community Centre in Camden
* Amida and Nuffield Health Clubs in Twickenham
* Lambeth Festival of Sport 2009 and 2010
* Active Workplaces Project for NHS-PCT in (Government Office of London)
* “Black Sun PLC” employees in Fulham - 10 weeks programme
* The Furzedown Festival in Wandsworth 2010 and 2011
* Honeywell infant school in Battersea 2010 and 2011
* Lambeth Council - to promote the new leisure and health centre in Norwood. Tessa Jowell and many local Cllrs were among the VIP’s attended this session.
* July 2010 presented a programme to British Lung Foundation in South West London
* September 2010 participated in the Activate Programme by Lambeth Council

Please see “HOME” for all current work in progress.

Syllabus

South London Taichi offers comprehensive and graduated tuition in T’ai Chi Ch’uan. The syllabus is the Yang style syllabus of the ‘British T’ai Chi Ch’uan Association’.

Beginners start by learning Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing’s Short Form alongside Qigong, Sticking, Heartwork and Spirals (silk-reeling) exercises.  Shi Ba Shi, Partner Work, Pushing-Hands, and Ta Lu are all integral part of this learning process. Students then go on to “The Welcome to Continuing Programme” to learn Yang Chengfu’s Long Form.

The Left Side Form, Long Form, Weapons Forms, and the Dance are taught with Master Mark Raudva in The The T’ai Chi Centre.

Prof: Cheng Man-ch’ing and his students

The Teacher

Hamid Momtahan BA, MA

Between 1970-1973 I studied hard and external martial arts. Then in 1992 I began studying Qigong with Amadis Cammell. Soon afterwards, in 1996, I discovered T’ai Chi on one of my business trip to China. As Chinese say; when you are ready the teacher will come!

Since 1996 I have been a student at ‘The T’ai Chi Centre’ under the tuition of Master Mark Raudva.  In 2000, I completed an Instructor Training Programme with Master Mark Raudva.  In 2006 I began studying with Grand Master Dr John Kells founder of British T’ai Chi Ch’uan Association.  Further to this, I regularly study with Master Steven Moore at his ‘T’ai Chi Heart-Work’ intensives in London.

In 2008 I took an early retirement as Business Development Manager and Educational Technology Developer from Thames Valley University and after 30 years service in various educational establishments.  In the same year I established South London Taichi, focusing on teaching T’ai Chi to corporate businesses and mature people. 

I have completed Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing’s Short Form, Yang Chengfu’s Long Form, the Left-Side, Weapon Form (Sabre), alongside Qigong, Sticking, Heartwork and Spirals (silk-reeling) exercises.  Partner Work, Pushing-Hands, and Ta Lu have been all integral part of this learning process. I am currently learning T’ai Chi Dance, other Weapons Forms (Straight Sword and Staff).  Since January 2009, I started learning Water Style Boxing (Liu He Ba Fa) from Paul Andrews in Brighton and Sifu Nathan Menaged in USA. 

While I acknowledge the martial aspect of the T’ai Chi art, my approach to teaching is essentially a non-combative soft T’ai Chi, focussing on relaxation, fitness and health.

I was invited to run introductory sessions in T’ai Chi for UCU (Universities & Colleges Union) members in Lambeth, Clapham Park Project (Women’s Group), Balmuir Gardens GP Surgery, Ferndale Community Centre-Brixton, Wandsworth Council - Festive Reunion Event (MEND) and Active Days Conference - 2009 supported by the Age Concern in Wandsworth.  In recent months I have taught many sessions in the following Centres across London, Wandsworth Primary Care Trust-St Michaels Day Centre in Clapham, Graveney Day Care Centre in Tooting, Age Activity Centre in Tooting, St John’s Hill Centre in Battersea, Battersea Scout Centre, Elmwood Court in Battersea, Ashmead Care Centre, Open Door Community Centre, Primrose Hill Community Centre in Camden, Amida and Nuffield Health Clubs in Twickenham, Lambeth Festival of Sport 2009, Active Workplaces Project for NHS-PCT around London (Government Office of London), “Black Sun PLC” employees in Fulham, The Furzedown Festival in Wandsworth, Honeywell infant school in Battersea, in July 2010 invited to present a programme to British Lung Foundation in South West London and In September 2010 participated in the Activate Programme by Lambeth Council.

I am currently teaching T’ai Chi to the over 50s in Katherine Low Settlement in Battersea, the Open Group in Battersea, one-to-one classes in the West London area and since October 2009 in the reCentre a private Health Clinic in Balham - London.  I also teach Balance Improvement and T’ai Chi for the GP Referral Scheme for Lambeth Council in Ferndale Community Sports Centre in Brixton and the Society of the Sacred Heart.

I am also a qualified First Aider and active volunteer with St John Ambulance serving in South West London region. In September 2010: I completed a Disability Inclusion Training for sports coaches by The English Federation of Disability Sport (EFDS).

Please see: “WORK HISTORY” For full list.

Lineage

Hamid Momtahan has studied T’ai Chi since 1996 at The T’ai Chi Centre with Master Mark Raudva.  He regularly studies with Steven Moore at his ‘T’ai Chi Heart Work’ intensives in London. In 2006 he began studying with Grand Master Dr. John Kells founder of British T’ai Chi Ch’uan Association.

Master Mark Raudva - June 2009

Grand Master Dr. John Kells - May 2009

Dr John Kells founded the B.T.C.C.A. in 1968 - it is the oldest T’ai Chi organisation in Europe. In 1976 Dr. Kells was the first Westerner to become an internationally recognised Master of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, he has had many notable teachers, one of the most important being Dr. Chi Chiang Tao who was Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing’s top student.

Dr. Chi Chiang Tao and Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing