Meet Katherine Allen
Published Tai Chi Chuan Magazine (Meet The Teacher Series)
How many years have you been practising Tai Chi?
More than 20 short years. I started
towards the end of 1987.
What stimulated your interest in Tai Chi Chuan?
I had sustained a serious horse
riding injury where I had damaged
my left elbow and shoulder along
with other minor injuries. After
two failed operations and four
weeks on traction, the prognosis
was not good. I had heard that Tai
Chi was good for joint mobility, and
my Tai Chi journey began.
What does Tai Chi Chuan mean to you?
Tai Chi is part of my life, but not all
of my life. I have other interests
which always vie for attention,
so my yin/yang balancing act is
constant and sometimes I fall off
my tightrope. Tai Chi has taken
me to countries I would never
otherwise have visited; Tai Chi has
led me into new interests, such
as learning Mandarin and making
sojourns into other areas of kung
fu. Tai Chi leads and I follow.
What is the most important aspect for you?
Tai Chi is a mysterious vehicle. I’ve
always wanted to fly on the wind,
and Tai Chi is the closest I’ve come
to this. I am always amazed at how
Tai Chi can offer different things to
different people. It is intriguing
and its meanings have endless
layers which can take a lifetime to
unravel. Every layer has its beauty
and its pain.
Do you have any personal goals in Tai Chi?
Tai Chi has helped me to feel
ageless and free, and I often feel
the desire to pass this quality
of feeling on to others who are
interested.
Who or what inspired you?
I had seen newsreels of Chinese
people in parks performing Tai
Chi, and their grace and balance
impressed me. I looked for a
teacher and found Dan Docherty,
who was very encouraging and
didn’t seem to worry about the
fact that my left arm movement
was severely restricted.
What do you make of Tai Chi Chuans current popularity?
Tai Chi can be as easy as you wish
it to be and many people are
attracted to easy exercise options
with minimal injury risks. There
are lots of teachers around who
teach a fraction of what Tai Chi has
to offer, and this fraction satisfies
many people. Mass popularity
of anything can result in dilution
and dumbing down, but on the
other side, results in many people
looking deeper into the art and
sharing insights. So on the whole,
popularity is favourable.
As a Teacher, how do you feel about the Martial aspects of Tai Chi?
The martial aspects are fascinating.
Every self-defence application
expands the doorway to ten
thousand variations. Every martial
piece of theory can be applied to
other areas of life.
What are your views on competition?
Yin and yang operate in all matters,
including competition. There are
benefits and detriments. Benefits
include: providing an environment
in which people can see what
other enthusiasts are offering;
participating in a contest with tai
chi colleagues and seeing how
well you play; seeing whether
you can maintain equilibrium in
a competitive arena ; protecting
you against the fate of being a big
frog in a small well. I have been a
competitor, judge, observer and
go-between at many competitions,
and feel that the advantages
outweigh the disadvantages.
What direction would you like to see Tai Chi Chuan going in the future?
I have taught many types of people
and have seen improvement in
every type of practitioner. For
example, I have seen the elderly
improve their mobility and balance;
sportspersons improve their game;
the mentally unstable regain their
emotional stability (for 8 years I
taught in a psychiatric unit); the
young develop their sense of selfworth
and self-discipline (for 5
years I taught in a boys’ school);
the aggressive become tempered;
the shy become poised; the bored
become enthused; the loner
become a team player. Tai Chi
can provide opportunities for all
groups and types of people and so
I would like Tai Chi to expand into
every area of society as a life art.