Is the centipede a tae kwon do stance?

Answer 1

No, not specifically. Like most of the terms that relate to animals and insects, the centipede is not so much a "stance" or "technique" as it is a tactic and strategy for fighting which imitates or mimics the animal/insects natural defenses. This was traditionally done in Chinese Martial Art systems, such as Kung-fu or Wushu.

Many other traditional Martial Art systems, such as Korean Taekwondo, have adopted and share a few names for specific stances, and individual techniques, but do not embody the entire essence of the animal or insect in the overall fighting strategy. "Centipede" is not a term that is typically used in Taekwondo training, however since Taekwondo is a "live" growing and adaptive art, there is nothing wrong with adopting similar attributes and names in some movements, provided they do not displace or overshadow the primary philosophy, tactics, and fighting strategies of Korean Taekwondo.

Some common animal terms that are often used in Taekwondo include: Horse Stance, Tiger Stance (sometimes called cat stance), Crane stance (aka: "one-legged stance"), bear claw, tiger claw, and tiger mouth strikes, and various "swallow" techniques (wing-like movement of the bird). Also, the "mule" or "donkey" kick (aka: "back kick").