Instructor & Lineage

Dawn Nader

Dawn Nader is the Founder and Principal Instructor of Elevate Tai Chi, based in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. She currently teaches in person at The Morton Arboretum and in community venues throughout the region. Dawn approaches Tai Chi as mindful movement, moving meditation, and gentle exercise — a lifelong practice that supports physical health, emotional steadiness, and mental clarity.

Training & Lineage

Dawn’s instruction is grounded in traditional martial arts lineage and over two decades of dedicated study, teaching, and practice.

Wushu, Tai Chi & Qigong

Student of Sifu David Chang (2004–2012)

Wushu Central — San Jose, California

Indoor student, private student, leadership team member, senior instructor

5th Duan Black Belt (2011)

Student of Sifu David-Dorian Ross (2012–2022)

TaijiFit International

Indoor student, private student, leadership team member, senior instructor, master instructor

Certified Instructor (2014)

Certified Master Instructor (2019)

CMAT (2019) Gold Medalist  Yang Style Simplified 24 Form and 32 Sword Form

Certified (2019) in Yang Style Simplified 24 Form and 32 Sword Form

Invited Student and Work Scholar of Master Al Huang (Chungliang) (2018–2020)

Living Tao Foundation

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Student of Professor Carlos Lemos Jr. (2019–Present)

Gracie Barra — Downers Grove, Illinois

White Belt (2019)

Blue Belt (2021)

Purple Belt (2024)

Teaching Philosophy

Dawn believes Tai Chi is most powerful when it is accessible, embodied, and practiced with curiosity rather than performance pressure.

Her teaching emphasizes:

Safety and adaptability

Clear, mirror-image instruction

Respect for lineage without rigidity

Encouraging awareness to develop over time

The goal is not mastery, but relationship — with movement, breath, and attention.

Community Partnerships

Elevate Tai Chi has partnered with a range of organizations to bring Tai Chi to diverse communities, including:

TaijiFit International

Veterans Administration Community Care Network (VACCN / OPTUM)

HUMANA Guidance Centers

Tivity SilverSneakers FLEX Program

Joliet Junior College

YMCA (Naperville)

Clarendon Hills Historical Society

The Morton Arboretum

Forest Preserves of Cook County
(and others)

These partnerships reflect a commitment to making Tai Chi accessible across ages, abilities, and life stages.

Beyond the Practice

Outside the studio, Dawn continues to live the principles she teaches — training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, traveling with her husband Mike, and exploring national and state parks throughout North America.

In 2024, she celebrated:

10 years of Elevate Tai Chi

20 years of martial arts study and instruction

Closing

Lineage offers roots.

Practice gives it life.