Empowering Kids,
Teens, and Adults
Through the Wisdom of Kung Fu.
Traditional Kung Fu and Tai Chi for Every Stage of Life
From a child’s first kung fu class to lifelong study in traditional martial arts, Tai Chi, Qigong, and mindful movement, Dragon Phoenix offers a welcoming place to learn, grow, and feel more capable in your body.
Explore local classes for children and adults in North Asheville/Woodfin—or begin training with us online from wherever you live.
Authentic traditions · Thoughtful teaching · Beginners welcome
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA’S TAI CHI AND INTERNAL KUNG FU CENTER
THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO BEGIN
Find the Path That Speaks to You
Dragon Phoenix brings together traditional martial arts, lifelong movement practices, health-focused classes, and cultural arts within one welcoming community.
You do not need previous experience or a complete understanding of the different styles before beginning. Start with what interests you, and we will help you find the class that best fits your goals.
Kids Kung Fu
Confidence, Focus, and Self-Discipline
A thoughtful martial arts program for children and teens ages 7–14. Students develop physical skills, resilience, responsibility, and greater confidence through patient instruction and meaningful challenges.
Dance, Yoga, and Mindful Movement
Move with Energy, Creativity, and Joy
Experience Nia Dance Fitness, Sword Yoga, Tai Chi Fan, and other distinctive movement classes. Beginners are welcome, and flexible drop-in options make it easy to explore.
Adult Martial Arts
Traditional Training with Lifelong Depth
Explore Cheng Baguazhang, Chen Taijiquan, or Baoding Shuai Jiao. Each offers a different path through traditional Chinese martial arts, with clear entry points for beginners and room for years of continued development.
Online Academy
Authentic Internal Arts—Wherever You Live
Study Cheng Baguazhang, Chen Taijiquan, Xingyiquan, and Dao philosophy through structured online lessons, detailed instruction, and direct guidance from Shifu Aaron.
Tai Chi and Qigong
Balance, Mobility, Health, and Inner Calm
Discover gentle, coordinated practices that support balance, posture, relaxation, body awareness, and healthy aging. Choose from accessible Tai Chi and Qigong classes taught by experienced, welcoming instructors.
Lion Dance and Cultural Arts
Tradition Brought to Life
Discover the energy, teamwork, martial skill, and cultural tradition of Chinese lion dance. Learn about the Dragon Phoenix Lion Dance Team or inquire about performances for community events and celebrations.
CHOOSE THE APPROACH THAT FITS YOU
Two Ways to Begin at Dragon Phoenix
Our local classes are offered through two different programs. Choose structured curriculum training when you want a progressive course of study, or begin with flexible drop-in classes when you prefer to explore individual practices on your own schedule.
Structured Curriculum Programs
Follow a Progressive Path
Curriculum programs are designed for students who want to attend consistently and develop through an organized course of study.
Kids ages 7–14 may begin with Kids Kung Fu. Adults and teens ages 15 and older may choose Cheng Baguazhang, Chen Taijiquan, or Baoding Shuai Jiao.
Your first class is free
Beginners may start at any time
Classes build progressively from strong foundations
Ongoing monthly memberships support consistent training
Students may continue into advanced forms, applications, partner training, and weapons
Flexible Drop-In Classes
Choose Classes as Your Interests and Schedule Allow
Drop-in classes offer an easy way to explore Tai Chi, Qigong, Nia Dance Fitness, Sword Yoga, Tai Chi Fan, balance training, and other movement practices without beginning an ongoing curriculum membership.
Beginners are welcome
No ongoing membership is required
A single class is $20
A flexible 10-class pass is $180
The pass does not expire and works across participating classes
Choose one practice or explore several
KUNG FU THAT GROWS WITH YOUR CHILD
Build Confidence, Focus, and Self-Discipline
Kung fu gives children a meaningful place to move, learn, overcome challenges, and become more confident in their own abilities.
At Dragon Phoenix, children are taught with patience, clarity, kindness, and high expectations. Every student is encouraged to work hard and take responsibility while receiving the guidance they need to progress at their own pace.
Kung Fu for Ages 5–7
A Playful First Step
This flexible drop-in class introduces younger children to basic kung fu movement through active games, imaginative exercises, and age-appropriate challenges.
Students begin developing listening skills, coordination, body awareness, confidence, and familiarity with the structure of a martial arts class.
No ongoing membership is required.
Kids Kung Fu for Ages 7–14
A Structured Path of Growth
The Kids Kung Fu curriculum combines authentic Chinese martial arts with thoughtful, child-centered teaching.
Students develop confidence, focus, resilience, self-control, and personal responsibility while progressing through an organized curriculum of foundational skills, forms, partner exercises, and increasingly advanced training.
Beginners may start at any time, and the first class is free.
TRADITIONAL TRAINING WITH LIFELONG DEPTH
Choose the Martial Art That Speaks to You
Dragon Phoenix offers structured adult training in three distinctive Chinese martial arts. Each develops the body and mind differently, but all provide a welcoming entry point for beginners and a path that can deepen over many years.
Cheng Baguazhang
Circular Movement, Strategy, and Change
Explore spiraling movement, circular footwork, rapid changes of direction, internal development, martial applications, and a rare traditional system with remarkable depth.
Chen Taijiquan
Internal Power, Coordination, and Precision
Develop balance, relaxed strength, whole-body coordination, traditional forms, martial applications, meditation, and a Tai Chi practice that can continue evolving throughout your life.
Baoding Shuai Jiao
Fast Throws, Dynamic Balance, and Practical Grappling
Learn gripping, balance disruption, throwing mechanics, athletic movement, and energetic partner training through the traditional Chinese art of jacket wrestling.
You do not need previous martial arts experience to begin. Explore the three paths, choose the training experience that interests you, and try your first class for free.
HEALTH, BALANCE, AND JOY IN MOVEMENT
Find a Practice That Fits the Way You Want to Move
You may be looking for better balance, a calmer mind, greater mobility, expressive movement, or simply an enjoyable way to remain active.
Dragon Phoenix offers several welcoming paths. Beginners are encouraged to start wherever their interests lead them.
Tai Chi
Choose Gentle Practice or Deeper Traditional Study
Explore approachable Yang-style Tai Chi for balance, health, relaxation, and graceful movement—or enter the structured Chen Taijiquan curriculum for traditional forms, internal power, martial applications, and lifelong development.
Qigong and Balance
Move Gently, Breathe Deeply, and Feel More Grounded
Qigong and balance-focused classes use adaptable movement, posture, breathing, and mindful awareness to support stability, mobility, relaxation, coordination, and a stronger connection with the body.
Dance, Yoga, and Expressive Movement
Discover Strength, Creativity, and Joy
Nia Dance Fitness combines music and expressive movement in an energetic, adaptable practice. Sword Yoga brings together yoga, balance, strength, creativity, and traditional Chinese straight-sword movement.
Most classes in this section are available through the flexible drop-in program. Attend one class for $20 or use the $180 flexible 10-class pass to explore participating practices.
AUTHENTIC DEPTH. THOUGHTFUL TEACHING.
Traditional Arts Made Genuinely Learnable
Dragon Phoenix is more than a place to attend an occasional class. It is a center for preserving, practicing, and sharing traditional Chinese martial arts and mindful movement in ways that remain faithful to their depth while welcoming modern students.
Founded in 2014, the school combines living martial lineages, carefully structured curricula, skilled teaching, and a warm community where beginners and experienced practitioners can continue growing.
Living Lineages
Connected to Generations of Teachers
The martial arts taught at Dragon Phoenix come through direct teacher-to-student transmission.
Shifu Aaron continues to study under respected masters, preserving the principles, forms, applications, weapons, and deeper context that give each tradition its identity.
Thoughtful Instruction
Advanced Material Explained Clearly
Shifu Aaron holds a master’s degree in education and previously worked as an elementary school teacher.
Complex skills are broken into manageable stages, explained in plain language, demonstrated in multiple ways, and adapted to how individual students learn.
Preservation Through Practice
Keeping Rare Arts Alive
Traditional arts survive when people do more than preserve their names. They must be practiced carefully, understood deeply, taught responsibly, and passed forward.
Dragon Phoenix is committed to keeping these traditions alive through serious study, structured curricula, patient instruction, and long-term student development.
High Standards in a Welcoming Environment
You do not need previous experience, unusual athletic ability, or specialized knowledge before beginning.
You only need curiosity and a willingness to learn. Our responsibility is to meet you where you are while showing you where the path can lead.
REAL EXPERIENCES FROM OUR COMMUNITY
What Students and Families Say
People come to Dragon Phoenix with different ages, goals, abilities, and levels of experience. What they share is the experience of learning in a community where students are known, supported, and encouraged to grow.
Confidence That Reaches
Beyond Class
“My son has developed more social skills, has better focus and balanced emotions, and is more centered and mentally aware of his surroundings.”
— Anna, Dragon Phoenix parent
Teaching with Heart and Understanding
“He teaches from both the heart and the mind. He explains, and demonstrates in a way that is enlightening.”
— Laurent, longtime martial artist
More Than a Place to Exercise
“I have discovered many friends in our community of Tai Chi—we check in on each other.”
— Rachel, Tai Chi student
Every student’s path is different. Come experience Dragon Phoenix and discover what the practice may bring into your own life.
MORE THAN A PLACE TO TAKE CLASSES
Practice, Tradition, and Community
Dragon Phoenix is built around relationships: teachers sharing what they have learned, experienced students helping newer classmates, families growing together, and people supporting one another through years of practice.
Whether you join us locally or study from farther away, you become part of a community connected by curiosity, mutual respect, and a desire to keep meaningful traditions alive.
Learn and Grow Together
A Welcoming Local Community
Small classes allow students to know their instructors and one another. Beginners receive guidance from teachers and experienced classmates, training partners support each other, and friendships naturally develop through shared practice.
Explore our instructors, programs, and the people who make Dragon Phoenix feel like a community.
Celebrate Chinese Cultural Traditions
The Dragon Phoenix Lion Dance Team
Lion dance brings together martial skill, teamwork, music, artistry, and cultural celebration.
The Dragon Phoenix team performs during Lunar New Year and at community events, business openings, festivals, weddings, and other special occasions. Older Kids Kung Fu students may also have opportunities to participate.
Connect from Wherever You Live
The Dragon Phoenix Online Academy
The Online Academy connects students who may not have access to authentic internal martial arts where they live.
Members study through structured lessons, communicate with fellow students, ask questions, and participate in monthly online gatherings with Shifu Aaron.
WHAT OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES SAY
A Place to Learn, Grow, and Belong
People arrive at Dragon Phoenix with different ages, abilities, interests, and goals. What they discover is thoughtful instruction, meaningful training, and a community where students are encouraged to develop at their own pace.
“Welcoming and life-changing.”
— Matt
“I have made great friends in the classes.”
— Rachel
“Dragon Phoenix has helped boost my son’s self confidence.”
— Phil
QUESTIONS BEFORE YOUR FIRST VISIT?
A Comfortable Place to Begin
Trying something unfamiliar often comes with questions. Here are a few things that may help you choose your next step.
Do I need previous martial arts experience?
No. Dragon Phoenix welcomes complete beginners. Our introductory and Level 1 classes are designed to help you develop the necessary foundations one step at a time.
How do I know which class is right for me?
Begin with the program that best reflects your interests. You can explore traditional kung fu, Tai Chi, Qigong, Chinese wrestling, movement and wellness classes, youth programs, or online training.
If you are uncertain, send us a message. We will be happy to help you choose a comfortable place to begin.
Can I try a class before enrolling?
Yes. New students may try a local curriculum class before deciding whether to enroll. This includes Kids Kung Fu, Chen Tai Chi, Cheng Baguazhang, and Shuai Jiao.
Drop-in wellness classes may be booked individually without purchasing a membership.
What should I wear to my first class?
Wear comfortable clothing that allows you to move freely. You do not need a uniform or special equipment for most first visits. If a class requires anything additional, we will let you know beforehand.
Still Have Questions?
Tell us a little about yourself, your goals, or the kind of class you are looking for. We will personally help you find the right place to begin.
Are there long-term contracts?
No. Dragon Phoenix does not require long-term membership contracts. We want students to continue training because the program remains meaningful and valuable to them.
Where is Dragon Phoenix located?
Dragon Phoenix is located at 51 North Merrimon Avenue, Suite 109, in North Asheville/Woodfin, North Carolina.
YOUR PATH CAN BEGIN HERE
Take the First Step
Whether you are seeking greater confidence for your child, a deeper martial arts practice, a welcoming way to improve your health, or authentic instruction you can follow from home, Dragon Phoenix offers a place to begin.
Explore the programs, choose the path that interests you, and experience a class for yourself. You do not need previous experience, exceptional fitness, or certainty about how far you want to continue.
You only need to take the first step.
Dragon Phoenix Kung Fu and Tai Chi
51 North Merrimon Avenue, Suite 109
North Asheville/Woodfin, North Carolina
828-423-2868 · aaron@dragonphoenix.org
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Teachers Who Care About Each Student
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Building Confidence
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Building Focus
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Fun and Exciting
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Graceful and Elegant
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Champions
