His continued interest in the martial arts has earned him a brown-belt in Judo, a black-belt in Kempo Karate and a senior student rating in Jeet Kune Do (The way of the Intercepting Fist), an effective combat system conceived by the foremost martial artist, Bruce Lee.
In 1966, Dan had the opportunity to study T'ai Chi Ch'uan with master Tung Fu-ling, a third generation master in the traditional Yang style T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Through his instruction, Dan learned the traditional 108 form T'ai Chi Ch'uan Set, Fast T'ai Chi Ch'uan Sets, Push Hands and Weapon Sets. He later visited Taiwan and China and studied with numerous masters in order to advance his skill in T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Chi Gong and weapon systems.
Fluent in Chinese, Dan continued his study in the theories and practice of T'ai Chi Ch'uan from original manuscripts. He has conducted classes at the Southern California T'ai Chi Ch'uan Center, California Institute of Technology and other institutions, enthusiastically sharing his knowledge with his students. The instructional video tapes on T'ai Chi Ch'uan he produced have taught thousands of students throughout the country. Dan has become a well-known spokesman in T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Combat Arts and is frequently interviewed by news media. He has been invited to conduct workshops and give speeches both in the States and abroad. In 1989, Dan received the "Man of the Year" award given by Black Belt Magazine for his 20 years of continuing efforts in promoting the art of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and upholding the true spirit of martial arts in the United States.Dan has developed the T'ai Chi Ch'uan program at this center into 8 levels of instruction. Each level is conducted separately with well-defined curriculum and instructional materials. He is aided by his competent teaching assistants. The instructions are given with emphasis on correct postures relaxed body movements and body-mind integration. The principles of T'ai Chi Ch'uan movements are scientifically explained and the application of the Yin-Yang philosophy in daily life explored. Classes are conducted in a warm, caring, non-competitive and non-judgmental atmosphere and open to everyone who is interested.
