Today we’d like to introduce you to Taran Champagne.
Hi Taran, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a father, husband, and veteran of the United States Army. I am the Sifu (chief instructor) for the Texas Dragon/Lion Dance Team located here in Austin, Texas. I also serve as one of two head instructors at Aiping Tai Chi Center Austin and as a board member on the United States Dragon & Lion Dance Federation. In all three roles, I seek to promote Chinese Martial Arts (Kung Fu/Wushu and Tai Chi) and dragon and lion dance to both the local Austin community and the United States at large. My journey to where I am today starts as a child, watching old kung fu movies with my Father. I was amazed at the way the actors moved and had complete and total control over their body. He was himself a lifelong practitioner of martial arts, and that was passed along to me. I started training in martial arts when I was in high school but made the switch over to Chinese martial arts when I was a student at the University of Florida. Once I started training Chinese Martial Arts, I was hooked and haven’t stopped since. I also started my journey into dragon and lion dance while attending UF.
Following college, I enlisted in the United States Army where is served as an infantryman. I eventually ended up at Fort Hood and have been proud to call Texas my home for the past 11 years. I continued my studies in Chinese Martial Arts in Texas, eventually becoming a disciple of two amazing teachers, Sifu Michael Thomas and Grandmaster Aiping Cheng. What is important about discipleship is that you are no longer just a student but now responsible for propagation of the arts to others rather than just concerning yourself with your own practice.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No journey in life is ever smooth and easy. To become proficient in lion dance, dragon dance, kung fu, and tai chi, you have to endure hours upon hours of intensive training. You hold difficult postures for long periods of time, engage in extreme physical conditioning, and have to do independent study for long hours outside of class. It also means waking up early to train or staying late to help clean or get corrections from your teacher. You sacrifice time that others are going out so that you can become better and better at what you do.
Along with all the struggles it takes to become good, I have dealt with the fact that I do not have my son all the time. When I separated from my son’s mother, she was awarded primary custody. What this meant was that I went from seeing my son every day to seeing him 1st, 3rd, and 5th weekends of the month and one night a week. I remember speaking with my Sifu about this, as he had been divorced, and he told me all you can do when you are not with your children is to train. It gave me a brief reprieve from the overwhelming feeling of loss you have when you are not with your child. In addition, it helped show that even when things are bad and not what you expect, you can make the most out of a bad situation and hold your head up high.
I miss him dearly and have tried hard to negotiate with his mother for more time (no luck on that one yet). Outside of negotiations, I have been at the Capitol the past six years trying to affect change in the way the Texas Family Code is written. I have worked with many people to advocate to change the law so that when parents separate, the child has equal access to both parents. This leads to best outcomes for children, and I never want my son to ever have to fight to have equality like I have had to.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Texas Dragon/Lion Dance Team is a community organization dedicated to the spread of the arts of Dragon Dance, Lion Dance, and Chinese martial arts in the Central Texas area. The team comprised of UT students and working professionals in the Austin area. The team has been in operation since 2000 and performs all year round for a wide variety of events. These events range from school events to weddings to business openings and beyond. By sharing these arts with the community, we hope to inspire the next generation to take up the crafts we have had the great fortune to learn.
I am most proud of the dedication that my team shows in that they are all volunteers. No one is paid for their services on the team. They come back week after week training and performing because they love the art. All performances that we do that are paid go towards the costs of maintaining the team (i.e., buying new equipment, paying for storage, and feeding team members after performances). In addition, we send our team members to seminars to learn from qualified instructors from across the globe to ensure that we are always improving and never stagnant in our art.
Adults 18 and up are welcome to come check out the team. Our lessons are free of charge, and all that is asked is to come with an open mind ready to learn.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
Dragon Dance, Lion Dance, and Kung fu have withstood the test of time. They have existed for thousands of years and will continue to be a vital part of Asian culture not only abroad but here in the US as well. These arts are for people of all backgrounds to come and learn.
As the world becomes more hectic, it is important to take a step back and focus on your health. While there are many activities that bring physical wellness to you, all three of these arts help nourish both the body and mind. In addition, it gives back to the community as it brings joy and good fortune to those who see dragon and lion dance.
As Austin continues to grow, there will certainly be an increased demand for dragon and lion dance. The Texas Dragon/Lion Dance Team is the senior Dragon and Lion Dance team in Austin, and we will strive to serve our community. Austin has been so generous to us, supporting us over the past 22 years, and it is important to continue to give back and engage in the cultural education that is essential to our mission.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@tddt.org
- Website: www.tddt.org
- Instagram: @tddtaustin
- Facebook: @tddtaustin
- Twitter: @tddt
Image Credits
Photo with Yin Yang Lion: KUT Austin: Patricia Lim Photo with me in blue Shirt: Huaxia Kongyuan Andrea Sanchez Phot with me and seated man: Beibei Xu other photos are from my phone
