About This Activity
Description
Tai Chi has been described as an exercise for health, conducive to both mental and physical well-being. Recent research has shown that Tai Chi has important anti-aging effects upon its practitioners. Tai Chi, in addition to just extending life, can prevent falls in older adults in the community and improve osteoarthritis, Parkinson disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and cognitive functioning. Looking at general health Tai Chi to improves balance, flexibility, and aerobic capacity.Dr. Bennett's approach, Somatic Tai Chi is a new way of learning and understanding the classical movement art of Tai Chi. This class combines traditional Chinese Tai Chi wisdom with the knowledge gained from advances in neuromuscular education and movement science. This class presents the fundamentals of Tai Chi Chuan; the original Tai Chi 13 postures, classic warm-ups, as well as Tai Chi moves from the Yang Family Secret Long form. In addition, students will learn the Special Short Form (often called the PHD) developed by H.H. Lui. (H.H. Lui's Tai Chi, philosophy, and translations of the Tai Chi classics are found in his two books, Tai Chi Chu'an, Technique of Power and Tai Chi for Health and Harmony.)
This class will have its own dedicated web page available only to class members. Each Zoom class is recorded so that students can review any part or all of what was taught. The web page will also contain links to documents related to each classes focus.
The class is appropriate for people with no experience as well as for those people with backgrounds in Tai Chi, body movement, dance, or martial arts looking for new insights. Individuals of all ages are welcome. More information can be found at https://www.westeastsomatics.com/tai-chi.
This class is taught by Bradford C. Bennett, Ph.D. & Susan Spengler, MS.Dr. Bennett has been devoted to the practice of Tai Chi for more than 35 years. He was introduced to Tai Chi by H. H. Lui in San Francisco and studied with him for 10 years. During more than 30 years of teaching, Dr. Bennett has taught classes and workshops around the United States. He currently organizes and teaches at two retreats a year in California and has a private practice in somatic education, combining his study with Thomas Hanna, PhD, with his Tai Chi experience. He has published articles on both Tai Chi and somatic education. His most recent article, The Somatic Work of Thomas Hanna, Tai Chi, and Kinesiology, in Kinesiology Review can be found on his web site https://www.westeastsomatics.com.
Ms. Spengler studied Chi Lin Chuan Kung Fu with Nina Spadaro in Morgantown, WV, from 1996 to 2003. Spadaro’s teaching style focused on providing a solid grounding in the basic principles of martial arts and deliberate movement. After completing graduate school, Ms. Spengler was looking for a class that would build on the existing foundation from her years practicing Kung Fu. She began studying Tai Chi Chuan with Dr. Bennett over 10 years ago. This style of Tai Chi is an excellent complement to Chi Lin Chuan Kung Fu, involving more circular moves and is generally less physically intense but with the same core principles of stability and deliberate movement. Ms. Spengler began teaching Tai Chi in 2013.
Age Group
All Ages
Location
Greenwood Community Center
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