JOSE M. TORRES, L.Ac. - Of Mexican descent, Jose is a first generation native of Los Angeles. His interest in Asian philosophy began at the age of 10 when his father Daniel enrolled him at Eagle Rock Tang Soo Do under the tutelage of Master Terry McMeekin and Anthony DiStefano 3rd dan. At the age of 17 he began the study of Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Ji Quan) under Sifu Michael Shaman with whom he continued to study while in college.  As a student at UCLA he also studied Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.  Since then he has mainly focused on the study and practice of Tai Ji Quan, as well as other “motion arts” in the U.S. and in China.

Jose holds a B.A. degree in Chinese Language and Literature from UCLA, as well as a M.Sc. degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from Dong-Guk Royal University in Los Angeles. He has been an acupuncture apprentice of hospitals both in, Bao-Tou, China and in Bangkok, Thailand with Dr. Varayut Stitstian, president of the Acupuncture Medical Association of Thailand. Besides his lifelong endeavor as a natural healer, Jose is very passionate about public health, community development, and the proliferation of the arts within society.

Currently Jose resides in Poughkeepsie, New York, where he works as an editor for a Beijing based Traditional Chinese Medicine publishing company, teaches Taiji privately, and pursues his career as a Clinical Accupuncturist/Herbalist.