Instructor Yan Ding started Tai Chi practice in 1979 at Taiyuan University of Technology (TUT), Peoples Republic of China, where she was studying for a Bachelor Degree in Engineering.  During four years study at TUT, she learned the traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan and Yang Style Tai Chi Sword and after her university graduation,was employed as a lecturer by TUT also continuing her practice of Tai Chi.

In 1989, she came to Australia as a visiting scholar at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Monash University, where she was later awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in1998. In 1998, she obtained a Diploma in Education (DipEd) from the Education Faculty, Monash University in. Currently Dr Yan Ding is a senior lecturer at the School of Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences, RMIT University.

Along the path of advancing her professional career in Australia, Tai Chi has been her passion and routine practice. She used to practice Tai Chi solo at her Mulgrave home. One day, in 2005, a friend living in her neighbourhood expressed a strong desire to learn Tai Chi but was having trouble to find a class nearby.  This friend of hers had a back injury caused by an accident and Tai Chi was recommended by her physiotherapist as a part of her rehabilitation.

Inspired by the thoughts of helping her friend and others in the neighbourhood, Yan joined Celestial Tai Chi College in 2006 and completed her training as a Tai Chi Instructor in the same year. Yan has been helping Grand Master Eng Chor Khor in running the evening Tai Chi classes on Mondays at the College’s Box Hill Centre since 2006.