Summer 2024 Taichitoday Class Schedule
Breckenridge Park (3 months)
Start date: Saturday, July 13, 2024
Taichi Yang 24 Form (beginner level), 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Taichi 42 Competition Form (intermediate level), 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Taichi Chen 18 Form (beginner level), 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
Taichi 42 Sword (advanced level), 10:00 am - 11:00 pm
Fee: $160/semester or $60/month or $20/class for drop in
Location: Breckenridge Park across from the softball field
Book class: https://www.taichitoday.com/contact-4
North East ISD Community Learning Center (10-week semester)
Taichi Chen 18 Form (beginner level), beginning Tuesday, July 16, 2024, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Book this class
Taichi for Beginners (Taichi Yang 16 Form), beginning Thursday, July 18, 2024, 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm Book this class
Fee: $200 per semester, subject to change by NEISD
Location: 8750 Tesoro Dr. San Antonio, TX 78217
Zoom online class (classes are ongoing; students pay monthly)
Start date: Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Fee: $60 per month
Location: at your home
Taichi 42 Competition Form and Taichi Chen 18 Form (intermediate level), Wednesdays, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Book class: https://www.taichitoday.com/contact-4
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Class Descriptions:
Taichi Yang 16 Form
(beginner level)
Taichi Yang 16 form is intended for beginners to establish a solid foundation for learning more advanced taichi forms. It provides more detail than the Yang 8 Form, adding another eight movements, two new hand forms, and six types of moving steps. This course usually takes two semesters to learn. Each semester is approximately 3 months long, with a short break between semesters. After completing this course, students should be able to practice on their own.
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Taichi Yang 24 Form
(beginner level)
Taichi Yang 24 form is widely practiced around the world. It is the most influential form, created by China State Physical Culture and Sport Commission in 1956, to promote wellness and a healthy lifestyle. Its movements are selected from Yang style traditional forms. This class is appropriate for all experience levels, including beginners, and introduces students to the art of taichi, including basic concepts of Yin and Yang, taichi steps, fist and palm hand forms, and 24 Taichi Yang movements. Typically this weekly class is broken into three sections that are taught over three semesters. Each semester is approximately 3 months long, with a short break between semesters. When students finish all three semesters, they should be able to practice on their own.
Taichi 42 Form
(intermediate level)
Taichi 42 Form, a competition form popular in International Martial Art and China National Martial Art competitions, is composed of four major taichi styles: Chen, Yang, Wu and Sun. This form has the majority movements found in the Taichi Yang 24 form, with added complexity and difficulty. This class is designed for more experienced students who have learned Taichi Yang 24 Form and are able to practice that form on their own. Students will continue to refine movements they learned in the Taichi Yang 24 Form, and will learn additional movements from other styles such as Fa Jin (burst power) movements from Chen style. The advanced movements in this class train students to gain better balance, strength and flexibility. Typically this weekly class is broken into three or four sections, taught over three or four semesters. Each semester is approximately 3 months long, with a short break between semesters. After completing this course, students should be able to practice on their own.
Online Zoom Taichi 42 Form
(intermediate level)
This class requires students to have an Internet connection, the capability to use their computer with their TV, and to use a camera and a microphone to communicate with the instructor. Once registered, students receive instructions and a link to the Zoom video conference, including class meeting ID and password. Instructors will demonstrate the movement from several angles to make the view easier for students to understand and follow. Additionally, a recording of the session is sent to each student after class, enabling people to practice throughout the week.
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For detailed class information, see Taichi 42 Form above.
Chen Style Xin Jia Yi Lu
(advanced level)
Xin Jia Yi Lu is considered an advancement of the original Lao Jia Yi Lu form. The form is taught to advanced students who have learned Taichi Chen Old 1st Routine. This form has a total of 84 movements, including new movements added to Lao Jia Yi Lu, additional spiral energies seen in qinna (or “joint lock and catch”), and other applications that were traditionally used on a battlefield. It is a beautiful form to practice.This course is taught over multiple 3-month semesters. After completing this course, students should be able to practice on their own.
Taichi 52 Fan Form
(intermediate level)
Taichi Fan 52 Form, or Kung Fu Fan, was developed by Professor Li De Yin who headed up the China Taichi promotion committee in the 1960's. The form has 52 movements, divided into six sections. The class for this Taichi Fan 52 requires students to already know other taichi forms such as Taichi Yang 24 or Taichi 42 Competition form, and have fairly good flexibility and balance. Most movements in the Taichi Fan 52 form are based on traditional taichi forms, especially sword forms, with the fan substituting for the sword. It is a very fun, entertaining form that can be presented as a group on the stage. Typically the class is taught over three semesters. Each semester is approximately 3 months long, with a short break between semesters. After completing this course, students should be able to practice on their own.
Taichi Chen 18 Form
(beginner level)
Taichi Chen 18 Form is a short form developed by Grandmaster Chen Zheng Lei in response to the demand for shorter Taichi Chen routines for beginners. All of its 18 movements are selected from Chen Old 1st Frame. This short form can be taught to new students or advanced students who have some background in martial arts or other taichi styles. The form is usually taught in two sections; the first section has 10 movements, and second section has 8 movements. This class is a great entry point for people who want to progress to learn the Chen Old 1st Frame long form in the future. This class is taught once a week for two semesters. Each semester is approximately 3 months long, with a short break between semesters. After completing this course, students should be able to practice on their own.
Chen Style Lao Jia Yi Lu
(advanced level)
Lao Jia Yi Lu is considered the most important and popular form originating from the taichi birthplace, Chen Village. The form can be taught to either new students or to advanced students who have some background of martial art or other taichi styles. The form has a total of 74 movements, giving students a profound flavor of Chen Style Taichi in its original format, since it is the root of all other styles. The main character of this routine is the hidden strength in its soft appearance. The form is typically taught in seven sections, one section per semester, with each section containing nine to 14 movements. Each semester is approximately 3 months long, with a short break between semesters. After completing this course, students should be able to practice on their own.
Taichi Sword 32 Form
(intermediate level)
This routine was developed by China’s State Physical Culture and Sports Commission. It is recommended that students know the Taichi Yang 24 form before taking this class. The form is simple to learn and easy to remember. The Taichi Sword 32 form is divided into four sections, with eight movements in each section. This sword form contains 13 sword techniques: point, stab, sweep, draw, chop, pull back, slice upward, block, hook, intercept, lift, strike and smear. The form also features seven martial art stances: front bow stance, empty stance, crouch stance, one-leg stance, feet-together stance, T-stance and side-bow stance, along with various footwork sequences. This form carries all traditional requirements from a martial art perspective. It is a very fun, entertaining form that can be presented as a group on the stage. Classes are taught once a week, and the entire form is typically taught over two semesters. Each semester is approximately 3 months long, with a short break between semesters. After completing this course, students should be able to practice on their own.
Taichi Sword 42 Form
(advanced level)
Taichi Sword 42 Form was developed by Chinese Martial Arts Research Institute in 1991. The form incorporates the movements from different taichi styles: Chen, Yang, Wu and Wudang. It has the traditional spirit of Taichi Sword through gentle, slow and flowing movements that embody stillness in motion, hardness in gentleness, and emphasizes the use of mind over physical power. It has 22 types of sword techniques and 10 stances, three ways of exerting power and many types of footwork, as well as balance postures. The whole form can be taught in four semesters. We recommend students who come to this class have learned some taichi like the 24 form or 42 form.