Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy instructors have years of experience with Tai Chi and Qigong. Our instructors are all certified and accredited to instruct, and our assistant instructors are all supervised by qualified instructors.
Founder and Head Instructor
Ray Gates is a physical therapist by profession, and has been involved in various martial arts styles for over 35 years, and exclusively with Tai Chi for over 20 years.
In 2001 Ray became a student of Master Dennis Watts, an internationally recognized, certified, and accredited Master of Tai Chi based in Queensland, Australia. Over the years Ray has trained and become proficient in a number of Tai Chi and Qigong forms. In 2003 he entered his first competition and has since competed at both State and National levels in Australia and the United States. He is a multiple gold medal winner in individual and team events. In 2012 he won Grand Champion at The Tai Chi Association of Australia’s national championships in Sydney, Australia, and has most recently qualified as a member of the US Kung Fu Team.
In 2005 Ray was officially appointed as a class assistant for Gold Coast Tai Chi Academy. Over the years he became more involved with instructing classes. In 2013 he became an Assistant Instructor, and in 2014 was certified by Master Dennis Watts as an Instructor. Ray has previously been accredited as a Level 1 Tai Chi instructor by Kung Fu Wushu Australia, and is currently accredited as a Level II Instructor by the American Tai Chi and Qigong Association. Ray is also a current member of the USA Kungfu Wushu Federation. He has trained students who have competed and won medals at National level competition, including a member of the USA Kung Fu Team.
Ray is proficient in numerous Tai Chi and Qigong forms including: Ba Fa Wu Bu, Beijing 24 Forms, Yang 40 Forms, International 42 Forms Combined Taijiquan Competition Routine, Hong Chen, 32 Forms Orthodox Sword, Chen 22 Forms Sabre, Scholar’s Dragon Phoenix Fan, Lotus Qigong, Ba Duan Jin, Shi Ba Shi, Fire Dragon Meridian Qigong, as well as taijiquan martial applications, Push Hands and Qin Na. He continues to learn more about Tai Chi and Qigong for his own benefit and the benefit of his students, learning from internationally recognized Tai Chi and Qigong Masters such as Master Dennis Watts, Master Peter Wu Shi-Zheng, Dr Yang, Jwing-Ming, and SIfu Amin Wu.
Ray is also an advocate for the promotion and teaching of traditional Tai Chi, and contributes a number of articles related to Tai Chi and Qigong. He presented at the 2023 Science of Tai Chi and Qigong as Whole-Person Health Conference.
Assistant Instructor
Amber Glass commenced her Tai Chi journey In 2012 with Emily Smith of Grasshopper Healing Arts in Edgerton, Wisconsin, and remained with her for 2 years learning the Cheng Man Ching 37 Forms based on the Yang style. After Emily retired in 2014, Amber sampled many different classes in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, looking for opportunities to continue her learning and development. In 2019 she became a student of Ray Gates through Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy, with whom she continues to learn and develop her Tai Chi.
Since joining Wisconsin Tai Chi Academy, Amber has learned Beijing 24 Forms and Yang 40 Forms to a proficient level, and has commenced 32 Forms Orthodox Sword. She has also studied several Qigong sets, including the Lotus Qigong set, Ba Duan Jin, and Shi Ba Shi. In 2022 Amber became a Class Assistant to help with Beginner classes, and in 2023 stepped up to an Assistant Instructor role. In 2024 she also became a member of the United States of America Wushu Kungfu Federation and has won gold medals for her forms at State level. She continues to explore her passion and understanding of Tai Chi through learning and teaching at WTCA, and is working on becoming a certified Instructor.