Starting out in the mid-1960s as a visual artist, Marilyn Cooper emerged fifteen years later, a Kung Fu artist.
Cooper has been the subject of numerous feature newspaper articles and television interviews. Her articles on kung fu have been published in Inside Kung Fu, Taijiquan Journal, Kung Fu/T’ai Chi magazine and ezine and other news media. She has performed at universities and masters’ demonstrations, fund-raisers for United Way, the victims of 9/11, and the tsunami. Cooper opened her first kung fu school in 1980 in New York City, and has been teaching kung fu ever since. Cooper founded a national non-profit institute called Pushing for Peace, whose mission is to promote a T’ai Chi program designed to help prevent youth violence and poor mental and physical health.
Career Highlights
2002, ‘03, ‘04: Performed in Masters’ Demos at international Kuoshu tournament, Baltimore, MD.
2003: Performed in Masters’ Demo, Canton, OH.
1997: Won First Place World Title in T’ai Chi, Wushu/Kung Fu World Tournament, Orlando, Fl.
1996: Won gold medal for T’ai Chi in national competition, Baltimore, MD.
1995: Won first place for 2 person Chin Na in international Wushu competition, Baltimore, MD.
1988: Performed Chin Na, Nassau Coliseum, Greatest Martial Arts Show on Earth, Long Island, NY.
1987: Won 3 titles and the grand championship in tournament in S. Plainfield, N.J.
1987: Profiled on “ESPN Inside Sports” for 1/2 hour televised interview on Kung Fu, Clifton, N.J.
Employment
2006 through present: Teaches T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, Orinda Community Center, In Forma Integral Fitness, and Claremont Fitness Center
2010 through present: Teaches Pushing for Peace program, Heads Up, Oakland, CA.
1984-2006: Trained several Kung fu/T’ai chi teachers
2006: Founded the Pushing for Peace Institute
2005: Taught T’ai Chi, Kirby Sports Center, Lafayette College to students and faculty, Lafayette, PA.
2003 – 2005: Adjunct professor of t’ai chi, Northampton Community College, Bartonsville, PA.
2001: Co-founded the Visual and Performing Arts Center, Stroudsburg, PA.
2001- 2003: Taught t’ai chi to k thru 5th graders, St Paul’s Lutheran School, East Stroudsburg, PA.
1999: Taught Kung Fu, Blair Academy High School, Blairstown, PA.
1999: Taught “Tai Chi for Children” Program, Guang Ping Yang Conference, Pt. Reyes, CA.
1998: Taught t’ai chi applications, 2nd annual Guang Ping Yang Conference, San Francisco, CA.
1998: Taught Tai Chi for Children program, the Tai Chi Farm, Warwick, NY.
1996: Founded the Cultural Collective Art Center, Stroudsburg, PA.
1996: Taught Taoism and t’ai chi, Moravian High School, Bethlehem, PA.
1993: Taught differently-abled youth for PACA (Pennsylvania Center for the Arts), Stroudsburg, PA.
1984: Started the “Little River Kung Fu School” in Bangor, PA.
1980: Opened the “New York Kung Fu Loft” in N.Y.C.
1971: Taught at risk teens at the Mission Youth Center in San Francisco, CA.
My primary teachers have been Masters Kuo Lien Ying and Peter Kwok. Master Kuo taught me how to train
– early in the morning, consistently and to practice, practice, practice. Peter Kwok taught me what to train – a series of traditional systems and forms in a progressive order from beginner, to intermediate, to advanced levels. Both masters stressed making the forms function for fighting, exercise and performance.
Email Master Marilyn Cooper at littleriverwest@gmail.com
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