Tai Chi Yukon
OUR INSTRUCTORS
Chief Instructor Pam Boyde
Pam Boyde has studied tai chi chuan for over 35 years. She is a founding member of Tai Chi Yukon (TCY) and has served on TCY’s Board of Directors in various capacities from Director-At-Large to President. She currently is Tai Chi Yukon's head instructor, having started teaching in 1990.
Pam is also a member of the International Yang Family Tai Chi Chuan Association (Yang Family Tai Chi) and holds Silver Tiger (5th) level rank and Academy Instructor certification with the association. She currently serves as the Yang Family Tai Chi Vice President of Operations and Executive Manager and has been the Head of the Ranking Department for close to 5 years. In July 2014, Pam was accepted by Grandmaster Yang Jun as his disciple. Her disciple name is Yang Yazhu.
Although Pam’s tai chi chuan studies have primarily been in Yang Family style, she has also taken class in the other five major tai chi styles, baguaquan and various qigong forms and played with Tai Chi Kungfu Fan Form and Tai Chi Hockey Stick form.
Jo-Ann Gates
Tai chi chuan became Jo-Ann’s life-long endeavour in 2002. Two years later, she met Master Yang Jun for the first time while attending a Traditional Hand Form seminar here in Whitehorse. Since then, she has practiced Yang Family Tai Chi. A 2007 trip to China was her introduction to the history and vision of the Yang Family. She attended two International Symposiums – Kentucky in 2014 and Italy in 2019. These experiences deepened her understanding of and appreciation for the extensive study of this martial art. Over the years, seminars conducted by the Grandmaster and other Instructors reinforced the need and desire to continually improve her practice.
Jo-Ann achieved the Gold Eagle rank and Associate Instructor certification, with gratitude to all her teachers. Their passion has inspired her to share what she has learned with others. Teaching since 2006 has been most rewarding when students realize the benefits and beauty of tai chi. Locally and globally, the tai chi community enriches her life.
Helene Dobrowolsky
Helene began learning tai chi chuan from Cheryl Buchan in 1989. For over 35 years she has studied with Chief Instructor Pam Boyde as well as various guest teachers. Since attending a 2003 seminar in Seattle with Grandmaster Yang Jun, Helene has focused her practice on Yang style taijiquan as transmitted by the Yang Family Tai Chi association. This led to helping organize a Yang Jun seminar in Whitehorse in 2004, more studies in Seattle – where she earned a Gold Eagle ranking, a trip to China, and attending International Tai Chi Symposiums in Nashville, Tennessee and Selvino, Italy. In 2020, Helene was certified as a trainer for three forms through the Yang Family Teacher Academy program. In 2021, she took the next step, becoming an Associate Instructor. She is most grateful to the Yang Family organization for making this possible through their excellent distance education program.
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Helene has been teaching since 1995. Her classes have included qigong, various hand forms and, for 10 years, she led a class for people with health issues which included standing and seated qigong. In 2019, she began teaching saber, a new challenge – using a weapon to extend chi. She is a long-time TCY board member, focussing on communications.
Marina McCready
Marina has enthusiastically practiced tai chi chuan since 2016 and started teaching in September 2019. Previous experience includes teaching alpine skiing, and coaching dragon boat and outrigger canoe teams. She has also participated in multiple sports over the years and has a master’s degree in human kinetics.
Jill Johnstone
Jill has been practicing Tai Chi for a decade and started leading qigong sessions with Tai Chi Yukon in 2023. She brings an enthusiasm for the health benefits of qigong and decades of teaching experience from a career in biology. She is currently in training to become a certified qigong instructor with Holden QiGong.
Tai Chi Yukon Board, 2025-26
President: Marianne Douglas
Vice President: Jill Johnstone
Secretary: Helen Stappers
Treasurer: Marina McCready
Communications Director: Judy Forrest
Chief Instructor: Pam Boyde
Directors at Large:
Elizabeth Walker
Ellen Reh
Sharon Westberg
Helene Dobrowolsky