Instructor Staff
Stephen Genus
Shifu & Instructor
Stephen is accomplished in both Chen and Yang Style Tai Chi having won awards for Solo and Weapons Forms as well as Push Hands competition. He has won several champion and Grand Champion titles in moving and restricted step push hands. He is a deep fan of history and internal theoretical principles, concepts, and writings. He has also spent the last couple of decades studying, teaching, competing/ demonstrating in Hebei Xing I and Liu Feng Chun Bagua Zhang as well. He hopes to carry on the tradition of passing the internal martial arts on to the next generation. After a period of re-immersion in his studies he returned to International Competition. A World title in Bagua Zhang as well as many more National Championship titles in Form and Pushing hands attest to his dedication toward evolving to ever higher skill levels. He plans to carry forward the Wu Shen Tao tradition of continually training highly skilled internal martial artists.
In July 2018 he earned the coveted title of World Champion in Bagua Zhang santioned and attained at the International Kuoshu World Tournament held in Hunt Valley MD. He also placed #2 in the World, behind our own Terance Nicholson in Xing-I Chuan ( Five Element Fist). There he also earned his 6th US National title in Tai Chi Pushing Hands.
We at Wu Shen Tao are honored and privileged to have several members of our teaching staff who continue to train and progress their own skills while passing these skills on to the next generation.
Kenneth Chrzanowski
Instructor, Bagua & Xing-I
Kenneth has studied for almost 2o years focusing on Bagua Zhang and Xing- I Chuan. He has competed in many regional and National level martial arts tournaments, where his many gold medal performances in form, weapons, and push hands have led to many grand championship titles. He as been a 5-time Internal Grand Champion of the Kuoshu International Championships, a top tournament held each July in Maryland. Over the past few years he has been expanding his studies to include the intricacies of Yang and other styles of Tai Chi Chuan.
Jeff Bandy
Instructor, Shaolin Kung Fu
Jeff is accomplished in northern style Shaolin Kung Fu, and a passionate student of Internal Martial Arts. Lao Shi Jeff taught Wu Shen Tao’s Shaolin children’s class since 2015.
He earned a Black Sash in Kung Fu in 2016 after nearly a decade of training with 4th -dan Sifu Terence Nicholson who studied under 64th generation Tien Shan Pai Grandmaster Lui Chao Chi, and 18th generation Wudang Longmen Grandmaster Lui Xiao Ling. Under Sifu Nicholson, Jeff studied techniques in Tein Shan Pai, Tong Bei, Bajiquan, Piqua, and Six Harmony (Liu He) systems, including forms with weapons such as short/long staffs, broad/straight swords, spear, and the Quan Dao.
Jeff strengthened his foundation in internal energy by expanding his study of Internal Martial Arts under Sifu Ramos. Jeff has studied Tai Chi forms, including Sun style and Yang style, Tai Chi push hands, and Tai Chi applications and self-defense techniques.
Jeff has been a top medalist in multiple regional tournaments in Kung Fu open-fist and weapons competitions, and Tai Chi push hands. In addition, he produced two YouTube documentary videos on Wu Shen Tao lineage in Tien Shan Pai Kung Fu and Internal Martial Arts.
Michael Daryabeygi
Instructor, Tai Chi
Michael assists in teaching our busy Tai Chi classes and fills in when Paul is away. He has been awarded medals and high marks at local and regional tournaments for his Yang Form and Push Hands. A long time scholar of the classics, Michael promotes a well rounded practice of Tai Chi including, Chi Gong, Standing Postures, and a deepening understanding of the Martial Roots. He enjoys teaching for the opportunity for greater understanding through instruction and the satisfaction of seeing others make new accomplishments. His current focus is on practicing applications and perfecting his sword play. After 20 years of training and evolving he has a wide knowledge base in application, theory, and form. He is also a 20th generation Wudang Long Men Pai disciple and trains to pass these teachings onto future generations.
Jerry Simpson
Instructor, Tai Chi
Jerry has spent over 15 years teaching Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan for Wu Shen Tao in various satellite programs around the Washington DC and Maryland suburban areas. He specializes in the Yang 24 posture form and applications. He studies and seeks to improve his skills to carry on and pass forward many aspects of Tai Chi Chuan training.
Other Assistant Instructors
Space does not permit full bios of other members of the Wu Shen Tao Staff, but our talented teaching staff also includes other members, many of whom, are members of the 20th Generation of the Wudang Long Men sect. They are (in no particular order) Eric Putney, Ted Curtis, Alex Zito, Evan Colton, and Toba Adewusi.