Ryan Comandich

Ryan Comandich has a BA in Sociology / Anthropology with music and art minors, where he focused on music and arts of different cultures. He also has a second BA and MA in Spanish language and literature. He has been teaching Spanish language and literature since 2012, including in university, community college, high school, middle school, and Montessori elementary. He has lived and studied in many Spanish speaking countries.

Ryan has been studying Tai Chi Chuan since 1997. He earned a black belt in Tai Chi from the US Wushu center in 2003. He lived in Taiwan for a year in 2011 studying Tai Chi intensively with the Kaohsiung Wushu Association. He returned to Taiwan in 2018 to study with top push hands teachers Zhang Shujin and Zheng Qingbin (students of the legendary Chen Manqing). He has studied with top lineage-holders of Chen style Tai Chi, including at grandmaster Feng Zhiquiang's school in Beijing, with his daughter Feng Xiufeng, with Li Zhangren in Tainan, and with Chen Xiang from Beijing. He has also studied under Yu Shaowen and Gao Jiamin. He has created multiple new Tai Chi forms. Ryan has also played and taught guitar and Javanese gamelan music.

Ryan has been teaching at NW Academy since 2020.