Ilona Bito

We Did It!

My last workshop in Seattle was one of my personal favorites, and I’ve been thinking about why. The people who came made it great of course, a full house, coming from different martial arts schools, charged with curiosity. My challenge was to lead a workshop that’s truly meaningful for every body and all levels- one that could be the perfect intro, but also an opportunity for going deeper and…

We rocked Spain 2024! The highlights reels are up on instagram, here are more words and gratitudes for a once in a lifetime experience.

… about the VII International Tuishou Competition in Guadalajara, Spain on 11/16/24, and what made it so special. The most obvious distinction: there is ONLY push hands (tuishou) at the International Tuishou Competition. No tai chi forms or weapons demonstrations, not to mention any other style whether internal or external. This creates an environment where martial artists from any style will…

Left to Right: Jan Childress, James McConnell, Ilona Bito, Michael Weston, Indie Randall 10/23/2023 One year ago I was maxing out my training in preparation for the biggest fight of my career. The event itself was delightfully worth the preparation that it took, but it was the training season that set the stage and that raised the bar for me. I made a few attempts at journaling on those long…

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In this month’s article, I consider the lineage and family of 15 Goals Tai Chi, and how studying different styles of Tai Chi can be a lot like visiting your in-laws... Emergent Style in Tai Chi. Diverse and Divergent Form within the Yang Lineage.  15 Goals Tai Chi is in the Yang style, derived from the Yang family of Tai Chi Chuan Masters. Perhaps “style” is a somewhat backward way to describe…

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“Standing alone and unchanging, one can observe every mystery.Present at every moment and ceaselessly continuing, this is the gateway to indescribable marvels.“ –TAO TEH CHING Solo tai chi practice is standing meditation. In Holding, or Embracing, the Tree, stand in the “wu chi,” position-  translating literally to “without separation,” referring to the moment before distinction, a meditative…

15 Goals Tai Chi takes two minutes a day to learn. Practice and share to help advance the Sustainable Development Goals. 15 Goals Tai Chi https://taproottaichi.com/15-goals-tai-chi/

Women Teachers Teaching Women Teachers: reflecting on AWMAI’s Hall of Fame Awards

A reflection on the Hall of Fame Banquet at AWMAI 2024 Conference: Teaching the Teacher in Columbus, Ohio. It was an honor just to be in the room at the Association of Women Martial Arts Instructors Hall of Fame Banquet. The dinner punctuated a very full weekend of professional development workshops. The awards ceremony inducting this year’s 30, 40, 50, and 60 year career honorees activated a…

Happy Earth Day 2024: 15 Goals Tai Chi

Happy Earth Day 2024! To celebrate, please enjoy, share, and support this new project, for the benefit of everyone and the future of tai chi. Right now all contributions to Taproot Tai Chi go towards furthering the mission of 15 Goals Tai Chi. How to Support 15 Goals Tai Chi 15 Goals Tai Chi with Ilona Bito

While my monthly writing for Push Hands Now is dedicated to making sense of tai chi, allow me to surrender momentarily to its mystery. World Tai Chi Day, the last Saturday of each April, arrives during Earth Month, twinning Earth Day. In this poem, I contemplate the dynamic phases of each movement, imagining these two initiatives playing together. -Ilona Bito  Song of 15G Tai Chi (Twenty Twenty…

“Give Everything Up.” -GGM William CC Chen Parenting is humbling. When there seems to be no more time, attention, or energy left to give, that is when we are asked to give more. Push Hands is like parenting because you are always being tested. Playing, working, or struggling together depends on a secure root. Rootedness in push hands allows you to literally stand your ground. With your child,…

I wouldn’t know if it is the same in Chinese, but the most common English name of the first movement in our matching set, “push,” seems a bit misleading. In the solo form, a preconceived image of push gives some people the idea of shoving their arms forward, or of leaning their torso into the direction. Instead, the action is to uproot- to control or unbalance another body’s center of gravity. To…

Happy New Year! After wrapping the semester at Little Red School House in NYC with a share for families, I was so impressed by how far my students have come. They are my inspiration to share this piece I've been thinking about for so long. More monthly..

The world would be a different place. At least three different people have shared this idea with me this week. From a dedicated practitioner now in her 70s, to a first time student in my YMCA class who works in NYC public schools, there is a sense of awe and urgency behind this statement. Their hope lies in people sharing a way to embody peace with the next generation. I assure them that this is…

After a long hiatus, I am thrilled to announce the new season…

Dancing Families with Ilona 

Sundays in Soho 4-4:45 Kids crawling- 5 years old with their grown ups  9 sessions ($200) / $25 Drop in / $15 sibling discount

Oct 1, 8, 15, Nov 5, 12, 19, Dec 3, 10, 17

Please RSVP to [email protected] for Studio address

Dancing Families (SUN 4-4:45) with Ilona invites Babies, Toddlers and pre-K/K kids to learn and participate in Creative Movement with their grown ups by their side. Together, we will sing songs, play movement games, explore with instruments, props, and obstacle courses, and create dances to feel good music!

Creative Dance with Ilona

Mondays on the Upper East Side  Ages 4-8

Please RSVP to [email protected] for Pricing, availability, & Studio address

In Creative Dance (MON 1:15-2:15) with Ilona, 4-8 year olds are guided by curiosity and the joy of movement: we warm up to music, improvise and play games with our imaginations, and practice modern dance skills to challenge individual dancers. The dance making process engages kids with artistic expression through movement concepts.

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Dear Dancing Families, 

Kids class is finally back this fall. 

On a personal note, after a decade of teaching early childhood movement, I’ve enjoyed taking some time to be one on one with my toddler at home, and be in parent-child classes with other great teachers. Since she is starting preschool for the first time this September, I’ve decided to start our Dancing Families class next month.

Along with the Dancing Families Sunday sessions (previously known as Tiny Taproots!) I'll be starting a small group for homeschoolers on MONDAYS 1:30-2:30 PM September 18- December 11 on the Upper East Side for kids ages 4-8. For more info e-mail [email protected] & keep in touch @dancingfamilies

Dancing Families classes are dynamically inspired by kids and 5 Core Values: Creative Choice, Problem Solving, Joyful Expression, Healthy Embodiment, & Connection to Nature and Community. 

Ilona Bito, MS. Ed, has brought a diverse technical background and a decade of experience teaching children and performing in NYC to these unique classes. To find out more follow Dancing Families on Facebook and Instagram!

Summer 2023 Highlights!

Push Hands Workshops:

June 9th in Seattle, WA hosted by Seattle Sil Lum Kung Fu (in photo)

August 19-20th in Beacon, NY hosted by Valley Spirit Acupuncture and Internal Arts

Weekly Training in NYC: pushhandsnow.com

PUSH HANDS

FEB 14, 21, 28

10AM-12PM

RANDY WARSHAW STUDIO, NYC

-> REGISTER HERE

$25 single class

C O R E M O T I O N WEEKLY CLASS: Ilona's class will include a QIGONG warm-up and Tai Chi Push Hands (Tui Shou)