montclairtaichi-about the director

Meet the Teachers of Tai Chi Montclair
An Official Center of Traditional Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan

Holly Sweeney-Hillman, director of Tai Chi Montclair, has been teaching movement arts for twenty-five years. She holds a BA in Dance and an MS in Orthopedic Biomechanics from New York University. She began her study of Traditional Yang Family Tai Chi in 1995 with Master Yang Zhenduo and his grandson, Master Yang Jun. She became a center director for the Yang Family in 2002. She has traveled throughout the U.S. and the world to study Tai Chi and to participate as a judge for the International Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association. She earned the rank of Golden Tiger in 2006 in Brazil, being the highest rank a Tai Chi player can attain through the ranking system. She earned a silver medal in 1999 in national competition. In addition to teaching Tai Chi, Holly is a certified Alexander Technique teacher, and founder of The Physical Literacy Project. She has published numerous articles on Tai Chi, Alexander Technique and biomechanics, which can be viewed at www.physical-literacy.org.

Ken Burgess Ken Burgess began his martial art training at the age of thirteen with the study of Okinawan Karate. After fifteen years, he attained the rank of fifth degree Black Belt (Renshi). To deepen his study, and understand the root of Eastern martial arts, he began a fifteen year practice in Shaolin Hung Gar Kung Fu under his teacher, Sifu Pedro Cepero Yee. It is at this time, he also began to explore the internal aspects of the martial arts by learning Energy Work (Chi Kung) and Tai Chi Chuan. In 2002, he became a member of the Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association under the direction of Master Yang Jun, and to fulfill his desire to share and spread the therapeutic benefits of Tai Chi, he became a Certified Instructor under his teacher, Holly Sweeney-Hillman. He earned the rank of Copper Tiger in 2008. He is also a Buddhist and student of Zen Meditation in the Mountains and Rivers Order.

Jo Anne Sellars has been practicing Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan for 10 years and holds the rank of Golden Eagle from the International Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan Assn. She received a bronze medal in Senior Women’s Straight Sword at the 3rd International Demonstration and Competition of Traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan of Shanxi, China in 2007. Jo Anne’s studies have been with Holly Sweeney-Hillman, Master Yang Jun and Grand Master Yang Zhen Duo. Before Tai Chi, Jo Anne had extensive training in dance. She received an M.S. in Dance from George Washington University and was a member of the adjunct faculty there. She studied ballet with Edna MacRae in Chicago and Modern Dance with Robert Cohen, Bertram Ross and Patricia Birch from the Martha Graham Co. at the Dance Circle of Boston and the Paul Taylor Co., Erick Hawkins and Bella Lewitsky at American University Wolftrap Center for the Performing Arts, among others. Jo Anne was the Commissioner for Dance on the Alexandria, VA. Commission for the Arts and participated in the National Endowment for the Arts Artists in the Schools Program and the Washington Careers in the Arts Program.

Kate Van Frank is excited and very pleased to be teaching kids’ classes at Tai Chi Montclair. She is an accredited Tai Chi Chih teacher with a background in dance and karate. Tai Chi Chuan combines the strengths of these disciplines into a unique and rewarding practice. It promotes clarity and focus, and it simultaneously calms and invigorates the body—promoting inner balance as well as physical balance. Other effects of Tai Chi include poise, strength, flexibility, self-awareness, and lots of fun! The kids’ class will introduce children to these concepts through special movements with interesting names such as White Crane Spreads Wings, Cloud Hands, High Pat on Horse, and Hand Strums the Lute. Kate is looking forward to meeting you and your children and sharing this extraordinary discipline.