Biography of Colin Snow

Colin Snow, born 1955 in London, re-located to Minneapolis with his family in July 2003. Since graduating from Bath Academy of Art, 1977, and Cardiff University in 1987, Colin has worked as an educator in both Elementary and Special Education, Instructor of Tai Chi & Qigong and as a Shiatsu practitioner. More recently he studied in Minneapolis with Master Chunyi Lin and instructs Tai Chi & Qigong classes at many locations in and around The Twin Cities.

In 1986 he began to attend Tai Chi and Qigong classes at the U.K's premier Rising Dragon Tai Chi School, Cardiff, Wales. Founded in 1979, RDTC was one of the first schools of its kind to be founded in the U.K. A member of the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain, its Principal instructor and founder member is Richard Farmer.   

Colin became his assistant instructor and subsequently a core group teacher for the school. As a qualified instructor he established and taught new R.D.T.C. classes in Wales, making Tai Chi and Qigong accessible to everyone regardless of age or ability.

NSSTC Teacher Training Program

To perpetuate this lineage of Tai Chi we offer a teacher training program to committed NSSTC students.

Biography of Teri McNamara

I heard about Tai Chi from friends for several years, but when my grandmother said it gave her more stamina and flexibility, I decided I really needed to start myself.  I started with the Yang family short form in 2005 and I also play Shibashi, Eight Strands of the Brocade and Dao Yin.  I find the meditative aspects to be as rewarding as the increased strength and flexibility. 

 

In addition to my Tai Chi practice, I have worked with Authenticity Consulting, LLC as a partner since 2001, after a 20-year career in engineering and marketing.  We offer consulting, training and publications in capacity building and in peer coaching groups, an adult-learning model based on inquiry, reflection and action.  There is more information at www.authenticityconsulting.com. 

Biography of Andy Katzung

I began my Tai Chi journey in 2006 as a way to connect with the deeper aspects of myself and to find inner peace. Tai Chi became the base of my spiritual practice and it has given me better health, balance and stamina. I consider myself a lifelong student, as Tai Chi continues to show me avenues I never knew existed.

 

I am a photographer, videographer and editor. I spent 16 years in the video production field as a videographer, editor, director and producer working on everything from news to local commercials. Currently I am studying graphic design and web design at the Minneapolis Community & Technical College. I also perform improv on a semi-regular basis as a graduate of the Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis.

Biography of John Hughes

I came back to Tai Chi during a time of great upheaval and growth in my life. I knew that I both needed to find my center and to reground myself in my body/mind. I knew Tai Chi was a way of opening that space within me, that recognized ”me”, and could help me reconnect to the flow of life. When I discovered Colin’s school I found his very gentle “soft limits” approach to fit with how I wanted to “allow” my awareness to reenter my body. Tai Chi and meditation are my primary paths to maintaining my center and groundedness and I am working with the principles as guides to my spiritual and life growth. While thinking about what I hoped to gain from attending a workshop with Richard Farmer of Rising Dragon Tai Chi I became aware that the principles of rooting, sticking and yielding were at the center of the way I conceptualize and do my work in daily life, only the words I generally use were slightly different. Recognizing that Tai Chi, life and work are one thing has been a deeply moving and profound experience.

My life’s work is focused on helping families who own businesses work through the many changes that are necessary to transition the business to the next generation of owners and leaders while maintaining or enhancing healthy family relationships. In April of 2009 I founded Ollum Consulting, LLC as a vehicle for my work. In Gaelic, an Ollum is a fully fledged poet that carries the story and history of the family and in times of crisis is called on to use their knowledge of the family to help the family navigate the difficulties. In a very real sense the core of my work is to help the family re-story their collective and individual pasts in order to open creative space in the present, thereby unlocking the future. I use a Triple Spiral as my brand to signify the individual, the family and the business as well as to represent the three stages of life for each: youth, maturity and renewal.

Biography of Amanda Degener

Amanda Degener is the co-proprieter of Cavepaper Inc. in Minneapolis, a production paper mill making high quality Western style papers. She received her MFA in Sculpture at Yale School of Art and her BA at Bennington College. She is co-founder and publisher of Hand Papermaking Magazine and writes extensively in her field. She travels internationally, to show her art work and conduct lectures and workshops. She has been active at Minnesota Center of Book Arts including being a Founder, first Artist-in-Residence and first Artistic Director. She taught classes in 2D and 3D foundation, Sculpture, Artists Books and Papermaking in the degree program at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. Studying Tai Chi since 2009 and is excited about her role as assistant teacher at NSSTC.

Biography of Tom Lieberman

-NSSTC Advisor

Tom Lieberman is an artist and entrepreneur with over 30 years experience providing wide-ranging creative and production services for radio, television, stage and screen.  A musician and songwriter by trade, Tom worked on Garrison Keillor’s venerable public radio program “A Prairie Home Companion” from 1976 to 1986, wearing many hats as a performer, writer, & segment producer.  Over the course of his career, Tom has put words and music into the mouths of such beloved characters as Elmo, Arthur, and Winnie the Pooh, and provided professional services on behalf of such brands as Disney, General Mills, Henson, Discovery, Hallmark, PBS, and many others. In recent years, Tom was Executive Producer of the feature film, “Sweet Land,” and is currently working with New Orleans jazz great Delfeayo Marsalis on the development of an animated children’s television series, “Jazmine and the Blue Notes.” Tom’s honors include Film Independent’s 2006 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, a Gold Lion from the 1986 Cannes Advertising Film Festival, and the 1966 Camp Teko Spirit Award.