Sifu Waller introduced me to his tutor Peter Southwood who subsequently invited me to join his beginners Tai Chi class. The core of these classes being the Yang style long form. Well structured, Peter's classes always started with Tai Chi strength-building exercises centred around qigong movement and standing. Energised, the class moved into the form. Sifu Waller was the assistant instructor and helped Peter teach the lesson. The final half hour was dedicated to martial application of the form, pushing hands, small san sau and self defence. This was taught by Sifu Waller.

 I accompanied Sifu Waller, Peter and Shaun Ullah (Sifu Waller's student/training partner and another of Peter's senior students) on several Tai Chi excursions. The most notable being Chin Na tuition and the visit of Yang Jwing Ming. It is interesting to note that for a moment during a pushing hands demonstration, Dr Yang seemed uncomfortably wrong-footed by the subtleties of Sifu Waller's dynamic guile. Impressed, the Master insisted on using Sifu Waller as his on-stage practice partner for the remainder of the weekend.

 Peter was always eager to further his students and embraced Sifu Waller's rapid progress; maintaining an intensive 'indoor' Master/Student relationship until Peter's untimely death. With Peter's passing, we have lost a great conduit for the furtherance of Internal Kung Fu.

 (Michael Dutton)