About The Instructor
Julie Cisler
Julie Cisler is a seventh-generation lineage holder of Yang style T'ai Chi Ch'uan. She began her T'ai Chi studies in South Dakota in 1986, at the invitation of her friend and first martial arts instructor, Sifu Richard Mesmer. She was already studying Tae Kwon Do with Sifu Mesmer, but immediately fell in love with T'ai Chi because of its depth and complexity. She completed the solo form, and began studying T'ai Chi sword and staff, before finishing her college studies. With her instructor's encouraging words to seek out a T'ai Chi school that taught pushing hands, she left South Dakota for the Twin Cities.
Julie moved to the Twin Cities in 1989. She had visited a few area T'ai Chi schools, but didn't find the right fit. Instead, she spent several years studying Aikido with her husband, a valuable and fun experience. Financial circumstances forced Julie and her husband to temporarily suspend all martial arts studies for over a year. During that time, Julie heard from several friends about an exceptional T'ai Chi school in St. Paul. Her husband had been suffering from a knee injury that made practicing Aikido difficult. So, when they were financially able, Julie convinced him to try T'ai Chi with her. His T'ai Chi practice strengthened his knees, and now he suffers no significant knee pain, surgery free!
Julie began her renewed studies of T'ai Chi Ch'uan at Twin Cities T'ai Chi Ch'uan Studio in 1997. She continues to study there, and has learned the 150-posture Solo Form, T'ai Chi Sabre, T'ai Chi Sword, and the two-person San Shou form. She also studies the art of Pa Kua Chang at TCTCCS. In 2001, Sifus Ray Hayward and Paul Abdella inducted Julie as a Yang-Style T'ai Chi Ch'uan lineage holder. Julie continues her studies with Sifus Hayward and Abdella. Because she loves teaching, and to further and deepen her studies, she is happy to bring T'ai Chi Ch'uan to Northeast Minneapolis. Julie also currently teaches the Cheng Man-Ch'ing 37-Posture Form to employees of Hennepin County at the downtown Minneapolis Government Center, and an introductory class for Minneapolis Community Education.
T'ai Chi Ch'uan Lineage
* Julie is not the only lineage holder under Sifus Hayward and Abdella. This chart only lists her name for simplicity.