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Dan
The dan (step) ranking system was invented by Honinbo Dosaku, a professional
'go' player in the Edo period. Although it is Japanese, dan ranking serves as a
useful way to differentiate higher-level skill and has been adopted by many
martial arts.
Misconception
A student is awarded their 1st dan black belt when they have completed
the fundamentals, the basics. The student is not an expert. Nor are they ready
to open a school or teach a class.
The general public seem to regard the black belt as being some sort of
martial arts graduation. This is a misconception.
Laziness
Some people stop training when they pass one black belt. This is crazy.
The tai chi syllabus is about to get really exciting, and they quit.
Expert?
A 1st dan black belt student is not an expert. A tai chi expert has at
least 10,000 hours of experience, and no 1st dan possesses that. 10,000
hours of continued improvement, insight and development.
You need to put in the work. Pass 6 black belts and you are closer to
becoming an expert.
Attendance merit?
We do not awards belts for merit. Driving people to classes, being a judge or
long-term attendance do not warrant a new belt.
Hours of practice
By the time they pass 1st dan, a student should have approximately 3000 hours of
experience. Passing the 6th dan syllabus: at least 10,000 hours.
10 higher belts
Gaining a black belt signifies the beginning of a much more serious
journey. The student has climbed up out of the valley but is a very long
distance from the peak.
Not many people have the wherewithal to go all the way. There are 8 higher belts
to work through. The
training is more extensive and rigorous than earlier in the syllabus.
A better standard of practice is expected.
Passing black
Wearing a black belt and passing a black belt are two different things
entirely. Students who grade successfully will receive a black belt
certificate for each dan they pass.
Coloured belts are beginner's belts
White, yellow,
orange, green,
blue, purple &
brown
belts are for tai chi beginners.
Intermediate belts
The first 4 black belts are
intermediate-level tai chi chuan.
Experienced belts
5th - 8th dan black belts are for more experienced
tai chi chuan practice.
Advanced belts
9th and 10th dan black belts are for more advanced tai chi chuan
practice are only suitable
for instructors.
How can I become an instructor?
We welcome anyone who wants to become an instructor. Prospective
instructors start in the beginners class and work their way through the
syllabus.
With patience, commitment and practice, they pass 4th dan. At that point, the
student is taught how to teach. Reaching black belt is undoubtedly an
accomplishment, but it is not the end.
If you really want to take the art further you must learn how to teach. There
are 3 black belts to pass prior to starting
teacher training.
High grade
An instructor must have a greater sense of the permutations. They need to be
able to guide a student through a step-by-step discovery of the art.
'Knowing' the material is quite a different matter to simply going through it a
few times in class. The instructor plants seeds, cultivates nuances, themes,
connections and associations.
Their role is to nurture the growth of the student.
Instructor training course
An instructor knows how to teach. They also understand the syllabus. It is
necessary to present the material in a way that enables other people to learn
the art.
Revision and refinement
The dan grades offer the most formidable challenge in terms of revision and
refinement. It is one thing to possess a basic understanding.
Mastery is another thing entirely. The gap between a basic grasp and expert
skill is wide indeed. Much of the black belt is spent studying existing
material.
Understanding
If you really want to understand tai chi, the level of subtlety and intricacy
must be very acute. A considerable amount of time is spent on every aspect of
the curriculum.
Even the most insignificant-seeming exercise contains vast layers of detail. The
study of tai chi is like peeling an onion. There is always another layer.
Train everything
The black belt means training new material in addition to the fundamental
exercises.
All of the skills you have learned will continue to be relevant, and your
understanding of them should change as your tai chi matures.
The Japanese word for black belt is shodan which
means 'first step' or 'certified beginner'.
(Michael Gelb)
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
05 January 2024
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