2026 Events
Public talks · Workshops · Programs · Camps
Advancing evidence-informed Tai Chi and Qigong
Upcoming
Summer 2026
In-Person Summer Camps
June 2 - June 7
Tai Chi & Qigong Fundamentals Camp
Beginner & Intermediate Level
Back pain and whole-body well-being (balance, sleep, stress, and immune function)
June 7 – June 12
Chen Tai Chi Cannon Fist Camp
Intermediate & Advanced Level
Internal power, silk-reeling, agility, and injury prevention
Format: In-person camp
Learn more
July 16, 2026
Department Teaching · Mount Sinai Geriatrics
Tai Chi and Qigong for Whole-Person Health in AgingBack Pain, Balance, Sleep, and Cognitive Health
An invited presentation to the Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, introducing Tai Chi and Qigong as a simple yet profound, evidence-based, whole-person practice. Drawing on 40 years of teaching — including 25+ years of clinical work in the U.S. — and randomized controlled trials examining back pain, balance, immune function, sleep, and cognition, the session outlines what the practice looks like and who benefits most.
Audience: Mount Sinai faculty, staff, and trainees (not open to the public)
Format: Virtual (Zoom)
Host: Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
November 20 - 22, 2026
Workshop
Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health
Tai Chi and Qigong for Back Pain
Improve Sleep, Reduce Stress, and Restore Balance
An in-person workshop at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health exploring Tai Chi and Qigong as gentle, intentional practices for relieving chronic back pain while enhancing sleep, stress regulation, balance, and confidence in everyday movement. Participants will engage in slow, intentional movement, stillness, and meditation practices to strengthen the core, support spinal stability, and examine and transform the roots of stress and anxiety.
The workshop reflects evidence-informed principles studied in a randomized controlled trial of Tai Chi and Qigong for chronic low back pain and includes clinical perspectives from honored guest speaker Roger Härtl, MD. Recent clinical research on a virtually delivered Tai Chi and Qigong program for chronic low back pain, published in the North American Spine Society Journal, will also be discussed.
Dates: Friday–Sunday, November 20–22, 2026
Format: In-person workshop
Location: Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, MA
Registration: Through Kripalu Yoga & Health
Learn More
Summer 2027
In-Person Summer Camps
June 1 - June 6
Tai Chi & Qigong Fundamentals Camp
Beginner & Intermediate Level
Back pain and whole-body well-being (balance, sleep, stress, and immune function)
June 6 – June 11
Chen Tai Chi Cannon Fist Camp
Intermediate & Advanced Level
Internal power, silk-reeling, agility, and injury prevention
Format: In-person camp
Ongoing (year-round)
Online Live Classes
Saturday · Spine Fundamentals
A gentle, foundational class centered on spine health—supporting back pain relief, balance, sleep, and stress regulation through evidence-informed Tai Chi and Qigong practice.
Schedule: Saturdays · 10 - 11am ET
Format: Zoom
Learn More or Purchase Here
Sunday · Chen Tai Chi Cannon Fist (will resume in September)
An intermediate–advanced live online class focusing on traditional Chen-style Tai Chi training, emphasizing whole-body integration, power generation, and refined movement skill.
Schedule: Sundays · 10 - 11am ET
Format: Zoom
Past
April 30 - May 1, 2026
Oral presentation: advancing evidence-based Tai Chi and Qigong for back pain and whole-person health
Interactive session: participants experiencing stillness and movement in practice
Oral presentation: sharing results from a 350-participant randomized controlled trial
Conference Presentation at Harvard
Advancing Evidence-Based Tai Chi for Back Pain and Whole-Person Health
Dr. Yang Yang presented both scientific findings and experiential training at Harvard Medical School, engaging researchers and clinicians in the integration of traditional Tai Chi and Qigong with modern clinical research.
Scientific Contribution
Oral Presentation
Virtual Tai Chi and Qigong for Low Back Pain: Results of a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial
Dr. Yang shared findings from the 2024 randomized controlled trial evaluating a fully virtual Tai Chi, Qigong, and meditation program for adults with chronic low back pain. The presentation highlighted clinically meaningful improvements in disability, pain, sleep, and quality of life, and demonstrated the potential of a scalable, non-pharmacological intervention.
Experiential Teaching
Interactive Session
Experiencing Traditional Tai Chi and Qigong: Core Training Principles for Back Pain and Whole-Person Health
This guided session introduced core training principles drawn from traditional curricula—including stillness, awareness, and intentional movement—and demonstrated how their integration supports back pain relief and whole-person health. Participants engaged directly in practice, gaining a felt understanding of the method.
Key Takeaway
Effective Tai Chi training integrates both stillness and movement—an approach that is often underrepresented in conventional research, yet essential to achieving meaningful clinical outcomes.
Organizer: Osher Center for Integrative Health, Harvard Medical School
March 19, 2026
Master Yang with Jaspal Ricky Singh, MD
Grand Rounds Presentation
Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine
Virtual Tai Chi and Qigong for Chronic Low Back Pain: Clinical Evidence, Mechanisms, and Next Steps
This Grand Rounds presentation reviews findings from a large pragmatic randomized controlled trial evaluating a virtually delivered Tai Chi and Qigong intervention for adults with chronic low back pain. The talk examines functional outcomes, rehabilitation-relevant mechanisms, and implications for long-term self-management.
April 9, 2025
Photo: Courtesy of NewYork-Presbyterian
Featured Collaboration with Och Spine at New York-Presbyterian / The Spiral
Sharing New Frontiers in Spine Health
We recently had the honor of collaborating with Roger Härtl MD, Jaspal Ricky Singh MD, and the outstanding team at Och Spine at NewYork-Presbyterian.
September 25 – 27, 2024
NASS 2024: with Dr. Roger Härtl during invited presentations on integrative spine care.
NASS 2024 – North American Spine Society Annual Meeting
Invited Presentations on Integrative Spine Care
Dr. Roger Härtl and Grandmaster Yang Yang, PhD, were invited to present at the 2024 North American Spine Society (NASS) Annual Meeting, sharing clinical and experiential perspectives on Tai Chi as an integrative approach to pain relief, healing, and spine health.