Tea & Tai ChiServing San Francisco, the Bay Area & beyond
The Red Flying Dragon
Taiwanese gongfu tea and Yang-style Tai Chi with Ethan Holtzman. Private ceremonies, classes, and teas to take home.
Three forms
One practice, three forms.
The Chinese art of tea
Tea Ceremony
Gongfu cha: the art of tea, done slowly. Small clay vessels, patient steepings, full attention.
It's Taiwan's tradition of “tea made with skill”: high-mountain oolongs steeped again and again, each pour a little different from the last. I guide you through the whole ritual, the smell of the leaf, the sound of the pour, the way the taste opens over rounds. No tea knowledge required. Just come and taste.
- Intimate tasting
- Group session
- Private event
Tai chi chuan
Tai Chi
An internal martial art: soft on the outside, powerful underneath, moved by breath and cultivated inner energy.
I teach the Yang-style forms passed down by my teacher, Sifu Chen, in Taipei. Slow, deliberate movement that builds balance, root, and a calm nervous system. Some call it moving meditation. I call it strength that doesn't announce itself.
- Private lesson
- Small group
- Event performance
Upcoming Tai Chi Sessions
Regular sessions, open to join. Dates, times, and locations below.
- Mon · Wed · FriTai Chi Training9:00 amIn person
- Tue · ThuDaily 10 Series Tai Chi (Online Class)7:00 pmOnline
- FriTai Chi Training + Cultivation6:15 pmIn person
- Sat · SunSong Gong Training7:30 amOnline
- SunTai Chi Meditation Walking10:00 amIn person
Tea + Tai Chi
Yin & Yang
Tea slows you down. Tai Chi grounds you. Together, they're a full evening of stillness and motion, a ceremony for the body and the senses, shaped around your space and your group.
What people feel
Don't take our word for it.
Working with Ethan was delightful from beginning to end. He was calm, charismatic, and completely in tune with our guests. The ceremony was educational and entertaining, the tea itself was delicious, and the whole evening flew by. I will absolutely work with him again.
Ethan creates a warm, intimate atmosphere from the first moment. His knowledge of tea runs deep, and he shares it with genuine passion and humor. Two hours passed like twenty minutes.
Ethan is charismatic and creates such a warm, inviting space to connect and drink delicious tea. It is an experience unlike anything else.
You will never forget your night with Ethan. He evokes every sense, touch, smell, taste, sight. You need to experience it to believe it.
What made Ethan's tea ceremony so extraordinary was his warmth and engaging personality. Every cup became a truly memorable experience, filled with laughter, thoughtful conversation, and quiet appreciation.
Ethan gives a meticulous and mesmerizing tea ceremony. I learned so much about tea and how preparation affects the taste. He is funny, engaging, and happy to answer every question.
Private sessions
Enter the Tea Temple
Taiwanese oolong, unhurried conversation, and a few minutes of grounding. In my tea room in San Francisco, or brought to you anywhere in the Bay Area, for one to five guests.
- Arrive
- Settle
- Ground
- Share
- Reconnect
Shop
Shop the Tea
Single-origin Taiwanese oolongs in 15g pouches. Take the ceremony home.
- $8.95 flat shipping per order, U.S. only
- Choose quantity at checkout
- Secure checkout by Stripe
Single teas
Boxes & Elixir
About
About Ethan
I trained as a gongfu tea apprentice in Taiwan and Los Angeles, learning the ceremony leaf by leaf, steep by steep. Today I work with growers and importers to bring those teas home to San Francisco.
In Taipei I trained under my teacher, Sifu Chen: Yang 37 Tai Chi as a 5th-generation practitioner, and Whooping White Crane as a 4th. Both are internal arts, built on breath, root, and quiet inner strength.
Two practices, one thread: helping people slow down, come back into their bodies, and feel something real, whether it's a form moving through stillness or a tea opening over six steepings. Come find out for yourself.
Newsletter
Join the Tea List
Upcoming ceremonies, Tai Chi sessions, and the occasional limited release, straight to your inbox. No spam, just the good stuff.
Connect
Find me elsewhere
Get in touch
Talk to Ethan.
Planning an event, a Tai Chi class, or a tea evening for your team? Tell Ethan what you have in mind and he will reply personally.
Booking a private tea session?Go straight to the Tea Temple
Booking policyPaid in full when the date is confirmedRead moreRead less
- Payment
- The full amount is charged when the booking is confirmed, not a deposit. Ethan sends a secure payment link once your date and details are set.
- Cancellation
- Full refund if cancelled 72+ hours out. Inside 72 hours: one free reschedule, no refund. No-shows forfeit the full payment.
- Weather (outdoor Tai Chi)
- Host's call, reschedule at no cost.
Prefer to text?Text Ethan