Headin' Southwest

Hey folks- we're heading southwest this year for the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi Association Conference! The schedule has been hammered out and posted on the Guang Ping Yang Association website: www.guangpingyang.org so swing over and check it out.

We're headed to new territory - Albuquerque, New Mexico - a nice change of pace. And we really have Dug Corpolongo to thank. He graciously did a lot of background work to get us a great hotel at fabulous rates (you can get that info at our site!) as well as some incredible entertainment for the Friday Evening Social. (So if you don't know: we work hard -really hard - during the day, and have fun - lots of it - in the evening. But not too much. We still have to get up for stretching and form by 6:00. Larry Riddle has a switch. He will use it.)

Okay, so I get pretty excited when new teachers are folded into the mix of our conferences. I'm really pumped to get to meet Jiang Jiangye and to learn Nine Dragons Bagua Push Hands. I still don't feel push hands is a great strength of mine - especially because I really like to push instead of yield most of the time (there's a little inside secret if you're ever paired up with me!). I've only seen the multitude of videos Master Jiang (www.jiangtaichi.com) but have never attended one of his workshops.

I'm also really interested in being introduced to medical qigong with Lu Yuzhi - who will lead a workshop on it. I still remember the first book I read that covered medical qigong (Qigong Empowerment by Master Shou-Yu Liang and Wen-Ching Wu) that went over simple but effective movements - and sometimes sounds - to ease the body back into balance. But there's a huge difference between reading something in a book and physically working with a group of people led by a highly experienced master, so again, I'm pumped.

We are also lucky to have extremely talented, sharing teachers in our own association who basically donate their time and energy to offer the best Guang Ping workshops available. Over the years I've been to many of them - luckily they've been repeated over the years because I always learn something different each time.

And I must say that I feel like I come home for a while when I'm able to attend GPY conferences. The familiar faces, catching up, being challenged. As the young people say: "It's all good."

Hope you send in your registrations and join us for this year's conference!

Still hammering the details...

BUT, we do have this information for you. This year's convention in Albuquerque will be...drum roll please...

October 22, 23, and 24th

That's a full three days (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) of conference workshops. Rooms at the luxurious (especially after a long day of training) Radisson Hotel are slated to be $79 per night. The details - including cost and presenters for this year's conference are being hammered out as we speak, but we wanted to get out the dates and room cost so everyone would be able to plan in advance!

Hope to see you all there!

2010 Convention set for Albuquerque, New Mexico

We're off to a new area in 2010 where old and new, natural beauty and manmade wonders, frontier town and sophisticated metropolis convene. Even the landscape - which accommodates both majestic mountains and vast desert plains - reveals the city's diversity.

The Radisson Hotel of Albequerque, New Mexico will house our three-day convention this year surrounded by natural beauty and a team of exceptional presenters!

The Hotel Radisson Albequerque is a 100% non-smoking, newly-remodeled facility with spacious hotel rooms and suites. After a day of hard Guang Ping training, you can can unwind in the indoor heated swimming pool and whirlpool or enjoy complimentary access to the Midtown Fitness Center. The Albuquerque hotel boasts a range of other services, including complimentary wireless Internet access and a complimentary airport shuttle.

On location you'll find the hotel's Brio Grille Restaurant, where mouth-watering meals are served in a casual atmosphere. You can tempt your palate with selections from our menu of American and New Mexican cuisine.

We're excited about this years convention and can't wait to give you more details about this year's presenters...but you'll have to wait until the all of the details are finalized! Keep checking back!

If you have any questions, contact your board members by emailing or joining our Facebook group and posting a question there!

Making it a family trip?
Easy enough! Albuquerque boasts a wide cultural mix that is reflected in all aspects of day-to-day life. Distinctive cuisine, sizzling salsa bands and high-energy festivals reveal the city's strong Mexican influence. During the winter months, excellent skiing attracts visitors from around the world; in the spring and summer, outdoor enthusiasts can explore a range of recreational activities. Points of interest include historic Old Town, trendy Nob Hill, Sandia Peak Tramway, the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, and a number of fine museums and historical monuments. Albuquerque is also home to the University of New Mexico.

Historic Old Town Albuquerque has been the heart of Albuquerque since the city was founded in 1706. Historic Old Town is our cultural center, with seven museums and over 100 shops, galleries and restaurants.

LOCAL POINTS OF INTEREST
The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science
Museum of Archaeology and Biblical History
The Albuquerque Museum of Art & History
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Albuquerque Biological Park
Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
New Mexico Rail Runner now stopping in Santa Fe
Sandia Peak Aerial Tram - The World’s Longest Aerial Tramway

GOLF: CASINOS:
The Championship Golf Course at UNM Sandia Casino
Coyote del Malpais Golf Course Isleta Casino
Isleta Eagle Golf Course Route 66 Casino
Paa-Ko Ridge Golf Club Santa Ana Star
Pueblo de Cochiti Golf Course Buffalo Thunder
Sandia Golf Club
Twin Warriors Golf Club