Erle Montaigue 1949-2011
Saturday, March 24, 2012
I've stayed mostly out of the martial arts loop since I resigned from my former school back in late 2009, or I might have found this out sooner. This afternoon I decided to check up on the latest news for Erle Montaigue and the World Taiji Boxing Association and discovered that he died from a heart attack back in late January 2011.
(photo courtesy of Tai Chi World)
I never had the opportunity to meet or study with Erle, everything I knew about him was from his books and the reams of information on his website. He was a controversial figure in the neijia (Chinese internal) arts, but no one can dispute that he had an incredible impact through his teaching, whether in person or through books and videos/DVDs. While it was obvious he needed to make a living from his efforts, he also shared a wealth of information free of charge. It always seemed clear that he was a teacher and martial artist first and a businessman second.
photo courtesy of Steel City Sound)
My thoughts go out to the Montaigue family as they continue to deal with their loss. Erle enriched the martial arts world with his presence and his willingness to learn and share, and we are all diminished with his passing.
JMH
