We are continuing to closely monitor and evaluate developments of the coronavirus (COVID-19), and follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and local health and government authorities in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and New York. Please rest assured, we will only hold camp if we believe it is safe. The CTQS-WAQI's highest priority is the health and well-being of all of our students, friends and instructors.
If you attended Sabre Camp (Part 1) in 2018 or (Part 2 ) in 2019, your space has been reserved.
This course is for practitioners with some prior taiji experience. In particular, those having practiced the Chen 48 Form, PaoCui or EBQT are qualified to attend, but the retreat is suitable for other styles and traditions as well. Please submit an application if you have not studied with Dr. Yang previously but are interested.
This will be our 23nd year at the Blowing Rock Conference Center in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina. This retreat will cover part III of Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang's version of the Chen Style 38 Saber Form. This classic taiji weapon routine will help us build and clarify energy, improve agility and balance, enhance our push-hand skill, and enjoy the esthetics of dynamic martial art movements.
As always, push-hands and applications will be integral to the training regime and principles and applications will be extracted from the saber form. And Master Yang's instruction will focus on nurturing ourselves (yang sheng) and, in the case of push-hands, nurturing our training partners. In connection with this, we will again alternate between conventional upright training (in form, push-hands, and applications) and recumbent qigong exercises to restore energy and cultivate critical dimensions of deep relaxation.
Yang Laoshi will guide students through Functional Meditation sessions. This approach to meditation connects daily challenges with abiding truths of human experience. This approach to meditation—drawn from centuries of Chinese wisdom—creates the conditions in which individuals can transform problems into means for achieving lasting tranquility and happiness.
If you attended Sabre Camp (Part 1) in 2018 or (Part 2 ) in 2019, your space has been reserved.
Tuition: Base tuition is $880, payable to the Qi Balance, LLC. Available tuition options are detailed in the pricing grid below. Lodging and meal costs are additional to tuition and will be arranged directly through the Blowing Rock Conference Center (Reserve Lodging at Blowing Rock Conference Center - HERE). Please see available Tuition Discounts outlined below the pricing grid.
| Camp Attendance | Tuition |
|---|---|
| Full Camp | $880 |
| Half Camp (any 3 days) | $595 |
| 1 Day | $225 |
| Per Session | $130 |
▪ If your registration and full payment have been received by July 1, 2020 you may
apply a $50 discount to your tuition fee.
▪ Final deadline for registration and payment is August 14, 2020.
You will indicate your lodging preference on the registration form and reserve your room directly through the Blowing Rock Conference Center (Reserve Lodging at Blowing Rock Conference Center - HERE). There are four options for housing on-site:
▪ Cottages. There are 4 cottages with similar floor plans. Each has a small kitchen, dining area and living room and back porch. There is a master bedroom with queen-sized bed that is ideal for couples and a second bedroom with two singles and one bunk bed. Each Cottage can accommodate 6 people for a maximum capacity of 24 people in the 4 cottages, and cottage spots are on a first come, first served basis.
▪ Corriher Lodge. These are hotel-type rooms available as single or double rooms. For those wishing to stay in the lodge, arrangements must be made directly with the Center.
▪ A limited number of tent campers will be allowed. There is a spot on the registration form to indicate if you would like to camp.
▪ Alternatively, you may make your own reservations and commute to the campsite. Please contact the Blowing Rock Conference Center (Reserve Lodging at Blowing Rock Conference Center - HERE) .
Pictures of the Conference Center and lodging options are available on the Blowing Rock Conference Center web site.
▪ Please note that due to the Coronavirus situation, Dr. Yang has made revised the deadlines to accommodate participants while adhering to the rules and logistics required to fairly and effectively work with our venues. Please refer to the Coronavirus Notice at the top of this page which spells out the revised deadlines.
▪ Sunday, September 13: check-in begins at 3:00 pm, instruction from
6:30-8:30 pm
▪ Mon-Thurs: 6 1/2 hours instruction (plus an optional training hour in
the evening)
▪ Friday, September 18: 8:00-9:00 am and 11:00 am -12:00 pm
instruction/practice - check out by 12:00 pm.
A complete schedule is also available HERE
The "getaway" experience of camp is well worth the extra travel time from a major airport. For those flying into Charlotte, there are three options for getting from the Charlotte airport to the Blowing Rock conference center.
▪ Renting a car from the Charlotte airport is straightforward. The last time we checked, the price for a Sunday (noon) through Friday (5:00p) rental was around $100, but if you added one day (beginning on Saturday) the cost was around $300. These prices may change, of course. You may find the driving directions from BRCC website.
▪ Hickory Hop Shuttle Service is a shuttle service that travels from the Charlotte airport to Hickory, Blowing Rock ( Tanger Mall) , and Boone. You can request the shuttle to take you straight to the Blowing Rock Conference Center with an extra charge (as of 2019 they charge an extra $10). Please find their updated fares and schedule here.
NOTE: It is a two-hour trip. If you are taking the shuttle back to the airport, please be sure to leave camp at least three hours before your plane departure.
