Taproot Tai Chi

Ilona connects energy with nature, health, creativity, and peaceful self defense.

Ilona holds a Masters in The Art of Teaching from Sarah Lawrence College. Her background in dance and competitive martial arts grounds her training in a practical, personal, and creative approach. Ilona is the founder of Taproot Tai Chi LLC, which currently offers virtual and live instruction in Tai Chi (Yang style 60 movements, Yang style sword, and Push Hands), Qi Gong, and Personal Training for all ages. She co-founded the Push Hands Now group and blog to promote tournament style push hands and peaceful martial arts practice.

Ilona is the World tai chi push hands fighting tournament champion- she won 2 gold medals in Push Hands for the US Team at the 8th Tai Chi World Cup in Taipei, Taiwan. She remains undefeated in the women’s division in NYC and Northeast regional tournaments since 2015. She has also won several gold medals for her tai chi form and tai chi sword. 

Ilona has taught youth since 2010 and seniors since 2015. In 2020 Ilona studied pre- and postnatal fitness during her own pregnancy, and since then has enjoyed working with other moms and mothers-to-be.  Ilona has also performed and taught dance professionally in NYC for over a decade, recently appearing as a soloist with Gamelan Dharma Swara at the New York Philharmonic Lincoln Center.