Wu Shen Tao Instructors and Staff...

Paul Ramos, Director and Chief Instructor

Director of Wu Shen Tao, with over 35 years of martial arts training. He has trained thousands of students in martial arts. Under his direction, Wu Shen Tao has produced 27 US National Championship gold medalists and has developed a strong national reputation for producing high caliber students. He is requested as a judge at national and international level tournaments all over the United States. A black belt in Sun Mi Do Karate and a 3 time national champion in Tai Chi Push hands, he is also an army trained intensive care nurse who has studied herbology, Taoist meditation and health practices, Eastern and Western Massage, and acupressure. He is a 19th generation disciple of the Wu Dang Longmen (Dragon's Gate), better known as the Taoist Adepts. Paul credits Wudang Long Men Masters Liu Xiao Ling and Gao Tie Niao with providing the thread between the internal systems that has allowed his knowledge to expand tremendously. Paul continues to train with these masters to this day.

Terence Nicholson, Instructor

Terence Nicholson is a student of Grandmaster Chao Chi Liu, and a 19th Generation Disciple of Wudang Kung Fu Master, Liu Xiao Ling. He began his training in 1994 at the Wah Shing Kung Fu and Tai Chi school in Chinatown, Washington DC, under C.C.Liu. There, he learned the Tian Shan Pai (Celestial Mountain System) of Kung Fu as well as the traditional long form of Yang Family style Tai Chi Chuan. Nicholson began competing in tournaments in 2000. In 2003, his Sifu (teacher) told him that the time had come to go out and teach. Nicholson left his retail job and became the Martial Arts instructor at Rock Creek Academy in Washington DC. Rock Creek Academy is a school for children and teenagers with developmental challenges and emotional disorders. At the same time, he became a pupil of Master Liu Xiao Ling where he studies Xingyi Chuan ( Form and Mind Boxing), Bagua, and traditional Shaolin boxing. Below is a list of tournaments in which Nicholson competed.

In addition to Nicholson’s accomplishments in the field of martial arts, he has made good use of his BFA degree from the Corcoran School of Art. He participates in seasonal art shows, where he exhibits his paintings and sculpture. Though he is often referred to as a renaissance man, he eschews this moniker. He looks at his life from more of a Taoist perspective, and considers it a path that he is simply treading.

Stephen Genus, Assistant Instructor

Stephen is accomplished in both Chen and Yang Style Tai Chi having won awards for Solo and Weapons Forms as well as Push Hands competition. besides having won several champion and Grand Champion titles in moving and restricted step push hands he is a deep fan of history and internal theoretical principles and writings. He has also spent the last several years studying, assistant teaching and competing/ demonstrating in Hebei Xing I and Yin Pai Bagua Zhang. He hopes to carry on the tradition of passing the internal martial arts on to the next generation.

Michael Daryabeygi, Assistant Instructor

Michael assists every Saturday during our busy Tai Chi classes and fills in when Paul is away. He has been awarded medals and high marks at local and regional tournaments for his Yang Form and at Push Hands. A long time scholar of the classics, Michael promotes a well rounded practice of Tai Chi including, Chi Gong, Standing Postures, and understanding of the Martial Roots. He enjoys teaching for the opportunity for greater understanding through instruction and the satisfaction of seeing others make new accomplishments. His current focus is on practicing applications and perfecting his sword form.

In his day job, Michael is a member of a Web Programming Co-operative, Sligo Computer Services. Sligo creates data analysis websites for several State Departments of Education and specializes in bringing BI technology and data management to socially minded organizations and non-profits.

Daniel Nightingale, Assistant Instructor

Daniel has a varied training schedule which includes training in TaiChi, XingI, BaGua, Northern Shaolin, and Eskrima. He is the head Chinese Martial Art instructor at the Mt. Rainer facility and is a multiple time tournament winner in TaiChi Pushhing Hands. His goal is to continue his training and make Martial Arts his career.