Tai Chi is an ancient martial art that is currently practiced for healthful reasons. The movements are slow and mindful, meaning that you pay attention to each foot placement, each weight shift, each arm gesture. This can sound very complicated but it helps to bring awareness to how you move which then improves things like balance and strength.
A Tai Chi form is a sequence of postures performed in a specific order. The postures are carefully designed such that each movement within a posture is done with correct body position. And so over time, you begin to move with greater ease and with better strength because you are using your body correctly. Plus the names of some of the postures are just simply fun, like golden rooster stands on one leg and part the wild horse’s mane which provides some creative imagery to the practice too.
There are two classes of Tai Chi offered at People Plus with instructor Suzanne Neveux. The Short Form is on Fridays at 10am and the Long Form meets on Wednesdays at 12:30 pm.
Both classes are on-going and new students are invited to come in and start practicing right away. Each class begins with a lesson either examining a particular posture or perhaps a particular principle of movement that is then incorporated into the form. Everyone follows along as best as they can and, with repeated practice, eventually the pieces come together. Tai Chi can feel very complicated (“how am I ever going to learn all this”) but with patience and practice, what initially was confusing suddenly has a calming flow and recognizable pattern. And it becomes a meditation in motion as you quietly pay attention to how you are moving and is very satisfying to those willing to take the time to play. Classes are $5/members and $10/non-members.
