Our Teachers
Inspirations
We have a lineage tied to the Yang style Tai Chi, while also we have studied other styles of internal/external martial arts, physical disciplines and movement methodologies. Enjoy these quick bios of some of our influences.
Master John Charlton
Master John has mentored Dustin in Tai Chi for over 10 years. He has been a student of the art as taught William CC Chen for 40+ years. John’s emphasis has always been on becoming empty, developing a that softness that hardness. As of 2026 John would love to encourage Tai Chi players to try the form and push hands while eyes are closed, sensing from inside out.
1945 -
Grandmaster William C.C. Chen
Grandmaster Chen's contributions to the art of Tai Chi are immeasurable. He arrived in New York in 1965, just 1 year after his teacher Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing came to New York himself. William started his own school, and developed a new variation of the “form”. Since then he has qualified hundreds of instructors to spread the wisdom of the moving mediation, Tai Chi.
1933 -
Kenton is a Shotokan Karate sensei, mixed martial artist, and wilderness skills practitioner. He personally mentored Dustin through his Forest Monk program for 2 years at Rewild University. Here Kenton takes students through rigorous meditation, martial arts, and wilderness skills trials…all in the natural world. Kenton emphasis’ on a deep connection with Nature first is foundational in Indy Tai Chi’s methodology
1973-
Sensei Kenton Whitman
There is no Indy Tai Chi without the Professors diligent development of the art. Professor was know as ‘the master of the five excellences’… painting, calligraphy, medicine, poetry and martial arts. He was highly accomplished in all fields, while being best known for his Tai Chi in the 1960s and 1970s in New York City. Here he shared a softened style of Tai Chi that differed from his primary influence, patriarch of Yang Style Tai Chi, Yang Cheng Fu.
1902-1975