Master Marilyn Cooper, bio/resume

My primary teachers have been Grand Master Kuo Lien Ying and Grand Master Peter Kwok. Kuo taught me traditional Kung Fu and how to train; consistently,  and to practice, practice, practice. Peter Kwok taught me a series of traditional forms and systems in an orderly progression from beginner to intermediate to advanced level. Kuo stressed the health and performance aspects, and Peter stressed making the forms function equally for fighting, for health and for performance.

I practice/teach Standing Meditation- Yi Ch’uan & Syin Tien Wuji Qigong.

I practice Wudang Qigong from David Wei.

I have studied spontaneous style push hands under Zhao Guohong.

Starting out in the mid-1960s as an art student, I emerged years later, a Kung Fu artist.

I have been the subject of numerous feature newspaper articles and television interviews.  My articles on kung fu have been published in Inside Kung Fu, Taijiquan Journal, Kung Fu/T’ai Chi magazines and e-zine and other news media. I have performed at universities, masters’ demonstrations, and fund-raisers. I opened my first Kung Fu school in 1980 in New York City, and have been teaching Kung Fu ever since. I 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 promote mental and physical health. The Peace Games are now taught all over the world.

Career Highlights

2007 – present: Teaches an ongoing group in Orinda, CA.

2023: Taught “Peace Partnership Project,” St Mary’s College, Moraga, CA.

2023: Taught pilot program Peace Games + Empathy Set, K thru 8th, Humboldt, CA.

2022: Posted more free vids!

2021: Posted numerous free videos for home-bound students to stimulate the immune system

2020: Began free YouTube channel during pandemic, taught local students outdoors

2019: Taught Peace Games to aid workers, Tijuana, Mexico

2018: Taught Peace Games, Push Hands, Woburn, MA. and Paris, Fr.

2017: Taught Peace Games, Maui, HI.

2016: Taught Peace Games, Paris, Fr., den Bosch, Nl.

2015: Created two-person Tai Chi form for youth in Oakland, CA.

2015: Taught Peace Games, Tai Chi Connection, Ft Lauderdale, Fl.

2014: Taught Peace Games, 88 and 64 Tai Chi Ch’uan, Maui, HI.

2014: Taught Peace Games, Tai Chi, Portland, OR.

2014: Taught Peace Games, Chin Na, Push Hands, Little Creek Kung Fu School, Kent Island, MD. & Jing Ying Institute, Annapolis, MD.

2014: Taught Peace Games, Rudramandir, Berkeley, CA.

2013: Taught Peace Games, Progressive School of Long Island, for staff development, LI, NY.

2013: Taught Peace Games, Neo-Humanist Global Educational Summit, Yderfors, Sweden

2013: Taught Qigong, Shaolin, Tai Chi, Peace Games, R.O.O.T.S. summer camp, Maui, HI.

2013: Taught Peace Games, Tai Chi, Push Hands, Stroudsburg, PA., Annapolis, MD.

2013: Featured Presenter,  Rancho La Puerta’s Tai Chi Week, Tecate, MX.

2012: Co-taught Push Hands w/Zhao Guohong, Baltimore, Annapolis MD.

2012: Presented Peace Games, Jack London Square, Oakland, CA.

2012: Taught Peace Games, Niroga Institute, Berkeley, CA.

2012: Taught push hands, Peace Games, Jing Ying Academy, Annapolis, MD.

2012: Taught Peace Games, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA.

2012: Taught Peace Games, Spirit Rock Buddhist Center, Woodacre, CA.

2012: Presented Peace Games at conference for mediators, Oakland, CA.

2012: Taught Tai Chi/Qigong to returning vets w/PTSD, Berkeley, CA.

2011: Taught T’ai Chi Ch’uan applications, Ashland, OR.

2011: Taught T’ai Chi Ch’uan workshop, push hands, Paris, Fr.

2011: Taught Tai Chi Ch’uan workshop, Basel, Switzerland

2011: Presented “4 Hands” (push hands), GPYTC conference, Lk Tahoe, CA.

2002, ‘03, ‘04: Performed, Masters’ Demos, Kuoshu, Baltimore, MD.

2003: Performed Masters’ Demo, Canton, OH.

1997: Won international gold medal in T’ai Chi, Orlando, Fl.

1996: Won national gold medal for T’ai Chi, Baltimore, MD.

1995: Won gold medal for Chin Na, World Wushu competition, Baltimore, MD.

1988: Performed Chin Na, Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, NY.

1987: Won 3 titles + Grand Championship,  S. Plainfield, N.J.

1987: Profiled on “ESPN Inside Sports,” Clifton, N.J.

Employment

2006~now: Teaches Kung Fu, Orinda, CA.

2012~14: Taught Kung Fu, Shaolin Lohan Institute, Oakland, CA.

2011: Taught vets with PTSD,  Berkeley, CA.

2010, 2011: Taught Peace Games, Kung Fu, Head Royce, Oakland, CA.

2006, 2009: Taught push hands, Berkeley Buddhist Monastery, Berkeley, CA.

1984-2006: Trained several Kung Fu/T’ai Chi teachers now running own schools

2005: Taught T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Kirby Sports Center, Lafayette College, Lafayette, PA.

2003 – 2005: Adjunct T’ai Chi Prof., Northampton C. C., Bartonsville, PA.

2001: Co-founded the Visual and Performing Arts Center w/Kathy Kroll, Stbg, PA.

2001- 2003: Taught T’ai Chi to K – 5th graders, St Paul’s Lutheran School, E. Stbg, PA.

1999:Taught Kung Fu, Blair Academy High School, Blairstown, NJ.

1999: Taught “Tai Chi for Children,”  GPYTC conference, Pt. Reyes, CA.

1998: Taught T’ai Chi Ch’uan applications, GPYTC Conference, San Francisco, CA.

1998: Taught Tai Chi for Children, the T’ai Chi Farm, Warwick, NY.

1996: Founded the Cultural Collective Art Center, Stbg, PA.

1996: Taught Taoism, T’ai Chi, Comparative Religions, Moravian Academy, Beth., PA.

1993: Taught differently-abled youth, Pennsylvania Center for the Arts, Stbg, PA.

1983: Opened the “Little River Kung Fu School,”  Bangor, PA.

1980: Opened the “New York Kung Fu Loft” N.Y.C.

1971: Taught at risk teens, Mission Youth Center,  San Francisco, CA.