The Pulse of Balance

April Newsflash

From the Tan Academy of Balance team!

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FIND IN APRIL’S NEWSFLASH:

• Learning Lab Monday April 20, 2026
• Tan Academy of Balance Celebration Day! April 25, 2026
• BSA Foundations Test- Sunday May 3, 2026
• TAB Program Info Session- Monday May 11, 2026
• Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival- Back in 2027!
• Where in the world will Tan Shīfu be in 2026?

We hope to see you soon!
Martina, Sheralyn, Tan Shīfu, Suzanne Lǎoshī, Sara Ward and the Tan Academy of Balance Team

See you online, in person, or on the Tan Balance Hub.

April Balance System Acupuncture Learning Lab

Monday April 20, 2026

Don’t miss the last opportunity to register!

Have you taken up to BSA Level 3 but need more anchoring on how to customize Global Balance and Channel Conversion treatments? If so, this Learning Lab is for you!

        Join Suzanne Lǎoshī for the Earth month Learning Lab to refine your treatment layering skills. We’ll review examples of layering multiple Global Balance strategies and incorporating Single Balance into your Global Balance treatments. We’ll discuss when it is appropriate to layer treatments and how to combine strategies for maximum treatment effect. Bring your curiosity and your questions!

       Who should join? Students interested in diving deeper into Balance System Acupuncture, channel theory, holography and Classical Chinese medicine.

       PREREQUISITE: A minimum of BSA Level 3: Channel Conversion through Tan Academy of Balance (in person or webinars) or an equivalent course through another provider.

Join online for one hour from wherever you are!
We’ll begin promptly at 1:00 PM PT on April 20, 2026!

Fee: 50% OFF for premium members of the Tan Balance Hub (the private Tan Academy learning community). Coupon code is in the Tan Balance Hub Activity Feed. 

Non-premium members $15.98.  

Register on the TAB Hub through the Events tile.

* Please note: CEUs are only available for those who attend Learning Labs live online and complete the feedback survey.

* Learning Labs are recorded and available in the Tan Balance Hub Members Area. 

Sign up as a premium member for discounted access!

 Tan Academy of Balance (TAB) Celebration day

Saturday April 25, 2026

Each April, we honour the many Tan birthdays and celebrate the graduates of our Tan Academy of Balance mentorship programs. This special gathering brings our community together to recognize this year’s graduates and share in an uplifting keynote presentation.

Join us for an exciting day of celebration and learning featuring Keynote Speaker David Chan on the topic:

“Understanding Cycles in the Face of Impermanence”!

Dr. David Chan is a Metal Rabbit Boomer, astrologically sandwiched between Metal Tigers and Water Dragons. Bright college years at Yale University saw the counter-culture movement, anti-Vietnam war protests, the birth of Feminism and the rise of the Black Panthers. Long hair, bell bottoms and beads was the hippie uniform, Rock and Roll ruled and Frisbees were the true flying saucers.  A degree in Psychology led to work as a Psychiatric Aide in Connecticut and later work in California as a Childcare Counselor in a residential treatment facility for traumatized teenagers. Trips to Asia ensued with English as a Second Language teaching jobs while studying Cantonese in Hong Kong and Mandarin in Taiwan. The latter served as an introduction to Martial Arts and Acupuncture.

Over the next 3 decades teaching at SAMRA and Emperor’s College, supervising student interns and a thriving private clinical practice ensued. Enter the pandemic and the retirement of teaching and the closing of private practice and a major move to Hawaii. A second doctoral program degree was necessary to become licensed in Hawaii, the first in 1985 and the second in 2025. The next phase is teaching and supervising at the Institute of Clinical Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in Honolulu.

When: Saturday April 25, 2026 | 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM PT (Doors open @ 2:00 PM PT)

Where: In-Person (Vancouver Chinatown) or Live on Zoom

Join us for an afternoon of celebration, inspiration, and connection!

Choose Your Experience:

•  In-Person Experience

Celebrate with us at our beautiful new space in Vancouver’s Chinatown.
Enjoy the graduation ceremony, keynote lecture, and a social networking dinner.

$28.99 + tax (includes dinner)
Special coupons available for Tan Academy graduates and student alumni.

•  Online Experience

Join us live on Zoom from anywhere. Attend the graduation ceremony and keynote lecture virtually.

$19.99 + tax

Event Schedule

• Doors Open: 2:00 PM PT
• Graduation Speeches: 3:00 PM PT (sharp)
• Dinner (in-person guests): 5:00 PM PT
• Event Concludes: 6:30 PM PT

We can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Visit our website www.tanbalance.com/program-documents
or email hello@tanbalance.com for more information on all programs.

 BSA Foundations (Levels 1 & 2) Test

Sunday May 3, 2026

Do you want to be an officially certified Balance System Acupuncture Level 2 practitioner? Are you applying to the BSA Certificate Mentorship Program that begins in September 2026? If so, you are required to pass the BSA Foundations Level 1 and 2 equivalency exam. Your first opportunity to sit the exam is coming up on Sunday May 3, 2026 from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM Pacific Time. 

For more information, or to register for the exam, please email hello@tanbalance.com.

TAB Program Info Session

Monday May 11, 2026

Join Dr. Sonia F. Tan and the TAB teaching team for an online information session about all the programs the Tan Academy offers!

Date: Monday May 11, 2026      Time: 1:00 PM Pacific Time

While you can find detailed information like program schedules, pricing, and content on our website, this is a fantastic opportunity to get your specific questions answered live. Don’t miss this chance to connect with us and discover the program that best suits your learning journey!

Email hello@tanbalance.com for more information.

Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival- Back in 2027!

Looking ahead to 2027: The acu-tent will return to the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival!

Due to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Vancouver will see significant FIFA-mandated road closures and a wide security perimeter around BC Place throughout June and July. Because of these requirements and FIFA-imposed city-wide event restrictions, the Concord Pacific Dragon Boat Festival will be taking a hiatus in 2026.

While a one-day Summer Regatta (sponsored by Concord Pacific) will be held on August 22, 2026, site limitations mean that we are unable to host an acupuncture tent there. Many racers have expressed their disappointment that we won’t be on site to help get them race ready, but we share their excitement for a full-scale return in 2027!

Keep an eye out for updates and a call for volunteers (open to BSA Level 9 Certified Practitioners only) in Spring 2027!

Where in the world will Tan Shīfu be in 2026?

Tan Shīfu’s teaching journey continues! In 2026, she will be sharing the wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine across the globe – here’s a glimpse at where her travels will take her.

BSA Foundations Levels 1 & 2

• June 5 – 7, 2026 → Hosted by the Ohio Acupuncture Association, Columbus, USA
• June 12 – 14, 2026 → Hosted by The Order of Quebec Acupuncturists, Montreal, Canada
• August 7 – 9, 2026 → Yo San University, DAOM Residency introduction + Masters elective clinical rounds, Los Angeles, USA.
• TENTATIVE: October 9 – 11, 2026 → Hosted by Balance Prague, Prague, Czechia

BSA Foundations Levels 2.5, 3 & 4

BSA Foundations 2.5: Review and Practical time on Day One. Days two and three introduce BSA Advanced levels Level 3 – Channel Conversion and Level 4 – 12 Magical System. 

• TENTATIVE: October 16  – 18, 2026 → Hosted by Balance Prague, Prague, Czechia
• November 13  – 15, 2026 → Hosted by China Books Sydney, Sydney, Australia

BSA Foundations Levels 3 & 4

Advanced levels of Balance System Acupuncture (BSA) in a combined two-day course of Balance System Acupuncture in Level 3 – Channel Conversion and Level 4 – 12 Magical System. 

• September 18 – 20, 2026 → Hosted by The Order of Quebec Acupuncturists, Montreal, Canada

From every corner of the globe, the wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine continues to spread. Stay tuned for more updates, and thank you for being part of our journey!

Email hello@tanbalance.com for more information.

Continued Learning Resources

         Books

Tan Academy of Balance Books

Dr. Sonia Tan authored this book as a reference textbook for BSA Levels 1+2: Single + Multiple Balance. It is an essential clinical reference.

Available in English, Spanish & International French!

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~ Inspiring Confidence ~ Creating Balance ~ Motivating Evolution ~