- Our Authentic and Comprehensive Curriculum. You’ll appreciate your choice of the Carolinas’ most authentic and traditional classes in Zen (Ch’an) Meditation, Tai Chi, Shaolin Kung Fu, Internal Martial Arts (Pa Kua and Hsing-I), Shuai Chiao (Chinese Grappling), and Qigong.
- Personalized Programs. We confer with you to help YOU decide what your personal goals are, and then we help you choose the program and classes that will best help you achieve your goals. Some of our students are very satisfied taking a couple of classes a week in a single style or art form; others train hours a day, every day, in multiple styles and art forms. Some primarily want to get or stay healthy and feel good mentally and physically; others want to become world-class martial artists and fighters, or perhaps someday teach these arts. We’ll help you choose the most sensible and effective training program for you to achieve your goals.
- Authentic and Professional Instruction. As Head Instructor, I’ve dedicated the past 45+ years of my life to training in authentic Martial Arts, Zen (Ch’an) meditation, Yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong, and East Asian philosophies and culture. During the past 35+ years I’ve been fortunate to have lineage instruction passed down by some of the most renowned and talented teachers alive today. For the tai chi and martial arts programs at The Peaceful Dragon I have several fully-certified teachers assisting me, each of whom has trained with me intensively for a minimum of ten continuous years to earn their Instructor Certification. We don’t hire outside martial arts teachers; each of our teachers is fully versed in the exact curriculum that you will learn when you join.
Call 704-572-6854 to schedule your FREE Introductory Class!
A longer life maybe…a better life absolutely
Classes at The Peaceful Dragon may very well increase your longevity, but their real value lies in how they increase your wellness and enjoyment of life right now. None of us know whether we’ll be here tomorrow, so the important question is, “Do we feel healthy, energetic, secure, optimistic and content today?”
Classes at The Peaceful Dragon are designed to gradually steer you toward a greater state of mindfulness – the state of being tuned in to and appreciative of each moment.
As we get older we become more cognizant of just how short and fleeting our lives really are, and we see the importance of learning how to maximize our well-being and really enjoy each moment in life.
At The Peaceful Dragon you’ll not only learn the physical side of each art, but also how to make healthy lifestyle choices that complement your training. These lifestyle factors include diet and nutrition, sleep habits, time management, exercise routines, reducing bad habits and unhealthy vices, associating with positive and optimistic people, being attuned to nature’s cycles and living in accord with them, learning to mindful of the moment, and many other factors that will help you enjoy each day to its fullest.
“Master Sbarge is very knowledgeable in the arts. The curriculum is comprehensive and challenging and a joy to learn. The instructors are great.” –Dale Guadagna, Charlotte, NC, Solutions Development
“Master Sbarge is a very calm, personable teacher, never arrogant yet extremely knowledgeable in all aspects of the Chinese arts.” –Natalia Hill, 28, computer programmer
Call 704-572-6854 to schedule your FREE Introductory Class!
We’re a One-of-a-Kind, Family-run School
At The Peaceful Dragon, you become part of an extended family. Unlike many of the Charlotte fitness centers and other Charlotte yoga studios, we’re a family-owned school, not part of a chain, franchise or cookie-cutter “same-as-the-next-one” school.
My wife Debra and I started the school in 1997 with the help of many of our dedicated students, including our son George who now helps manage the school and has become a senior instructor. It grew to be the largest center in the Carolinas for Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Asian cultural arts and related practices. Due to the challenges of Covid-19 and approaching retirement age, Debra and I decided to sell the center and downsize to just teaching serious students on a smaller scale.
Our goal from day one has been to run one great school, and offer the many benefits of traditional training in Asian Health Arts and Martial Arts to anyone with a serious interest in learning.
“I had heard for years of the physical benefits of Tai Chi, and for the last couple of years I had been eating painkillers and hardly able to work. Four weeks after starting classes I threw away the pills and have not even been back to the doctor.” –Charles Sullivan, 44, York, SC
“I began taking classes at The Peaceful Dragon at the same time I began radiation treatment for breast cancer. These classes helped me recover and improve my health immensely. I truly believe that I have remained cancer-free these last two years due in part to my continued participation in these classes. Sifu Sbarge has so much knowledge than I can take classes here for a very long time and still continue to learn from him.” –Leslie Carlson, 45, Landscape Designer, Charlotte, NC