Blue Sky T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Wu style T'ai Chi Ch'uan was developed by Wu Chian-chuan (1870-1942) from the style taught to him by his father, Chuan Yuo, who learned from both Yang Lu-chan (1799-1872) and his son, Yang Ban-hou (of whom he became a "disciple" at the suggestion of Yang Lu-chan himself. Wu style is believed to be based on an old Yang family style. Wu Chian-chuan's student, Ma Yueh-liang, married his daughter, Wu Ying-hua, and together they became influential martial artists and teachers of the Wu style.

Grandmaster Sophia Delza (1903?-1996) was an American dancer who lived in Shanghai in the late 1940's and early 1950's when her husband worked for the U.N. She was fascinated by the T'ai Chi Ch'uan practiced in the parks, but unable to find anyone willing to teach a Westerner. A back injury during a Chinese dance class led to referral to Master Ma Yueh-liang, who agreed to allow her to become his student, and they remained close until her death. When Sophia returned to the U.S., she continued to seek out teachers in Chinatown, and her magazine articles and TV appearances were largely responsible for the awareness of the martial art in the U.S. She taught in T'ai Chi Ch'uan, sword and knife forms and chi gong in New York with the passion, precision and intensity of her own training as a dancer. Carolyn Hearn studied with her from the mid-1970's until Sophia Delza's death in 1996.