Fan Form Workshop – New Beginners and Improvers please enquire for next one
Payment
In person classes are payable by cash on a pay as you go basis.
Zoom classes are payable by direct debit monthly in advance for as many classes as you plan to do.
Private Instruction
One to one and small group tuition in Tai Chi Foundation Form, Long Form, Qigong and Principles and Concepts may be available upon request.
Other tailored workshops can be offered: e.g. Acupressure for First Aid.
1:1 or 1:2 £60 per hour; please enquire for groups.
For Tai Chi and Chi Kung classes in Lancashire: www.northwesttaichi.com
Learning Structure in Liz’s classes
Class formats follow a similar basic structure each week.
We start with warm-up exercises to relax the muscles, open the joints, focus the mind and awareness and prepare the body for the pattern of Tai Chi movements.
We follow this with Chi Kung practice, which includes a form of standing meditation and gentle, flowing movements, some co-ordinated with the breath, breathing to calm and focus the mind and to develop energetic self-awareness.
In Tai Chi classes, this is followed by focusing on learning the Tai Chi form. This is a series of gentle, flowing movements that one learns gradually with plenty of repetition and individual help from the instructor. The main form taught in the classes is the Yang style Long form. Beginners start by learning a short sequence based on the beginning of the Long Form. Once the student is familiar with the shortened version, there is a natural progression to the Long Form moves. The Long Form takes around 20 minutes to perform and a lifetime to learn!
Practice of core principles and concepts of Tai Chi is included in each lesson. Occasionally there is optional two person work to enable students to learn by feeling.
Liz also includes her knowledge of Chinese philosophy and medicine to explain the practice and methods of keeping healthy.
The class closes with breathing exercises.
Development of learning
Step 1 – Short, circular routine, based on the beginning of the Yang style Long Form
Step 2 – Yang style Long Form Section 1
Step 3 – Yang style Long Form – all 3 sections
Step 4 – Yin/Yang Form
Step 5 – Qi / Spiral Form
Each individual works for her/himself at their own pace.
Although Liz was trained in the martial arts applications, she no longer teaches them, other than for demonstration purposes. For anyone wishing to go into greater depth of martial applications, after integrating the principles of form practice, opportunities are available to train on Workshops and Retreats with Master Ding and for senior students to learn weapon forms at the MDA centres in London.
Occasional workshops and classes on Tai Chi/Qigong principles and Tai Chi Fan Form are taught by Bryan Nuttall, who has over 40 years’ experience, was a senior instructor with Master Ding and now runs Northwest Tai Chi in Lancashire.
DVDs and downloads are available as teaching aids for learning the form.
© Liz Welch 2023
