T’ai chi ch’uan (also spelled taijiquan) originated in China in the 16th or 17th century as a martial art form, and has traditionally been practiced for its health benefits as well as for self-defense. Over time, five main schools of t’ai chi developed in China, the most popular of which remains the Yang style. Originally, the Yang style form consisted of 108 postures. Viewing the 108-movement form as needlessly long and repetitive, Cheng Man-ch’ing developed a shorter, 37-posture version that takes only ten minutes to perform. This shorter version is the emphasis of this class.
Instruction will focus on t’ai chi as a form of exercise and meditation. Designed for beginners, the class may also be helpful to current t’ai chi practitioners seeking a refresher course and/or the pleasure of group practice.
Taught by Zelda Stern who studied t’ai chi ch’uan in the 70’s in New York City with Herman Kauz, a martial arts expert who became one of the most prominent teachers of t’ai chi in this country. Kauz was an early student of Cheng Man-ch’ing (Zheng Manqing), one of the first Chinese masters to teach t’ai chi ch’uan publicly in the United States. After moving to Williamstown, Zelda continued to practice t’ai chi independently until she found Scott Carrino, with whom she studied for a number of years. She eventually taught in his place while on sabbatical.
“T’ai chi ch’uan, a gentle form of martial arts combining deep, diaphragmatic breathing and flowing, dancelike poses, can be a remarkably potent workout for people of many ages. In various recent studies and reviews, tai chi has been found to improve practitioners’ balance, leg strength, cardiovascular endurance, pulse rate, muscular flexibility, immune system response, sleep habits, happiness, sense of self-worth, and ability to concentrate and multitask during cognitive tests.”
– Gretchen Reynolds, “Ask Well: What Are the Benefits of Tai Chi?” New York Times, 6 March 2015.
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