**LOCATION CHANGE! This class is moving from its original Greenwood location to a venue near Judkins Park in the CD.**
Thursday evenings Apr 18, 25, May 2 2024
7-8:15pm
Classes will take place at a private studio located near Judkins Park in the Central District of Seattle. Location details will be emailed to participants after ticket purchase.
This 3-week mini-series on Thurs evenings is a great way to disperse the burdens of the day, refresh your mind-body connection, and move into Friday and the weekend with a clear, relaxed mental space. We’ll focus on standing meditative movement phrases based in Chen style taiji quan (tai chi) and qigong, examining foundational flows that can be practiced alone or stitched together for a longer sequence. Our practice explores balance, stability, fluid navigation through space, joint flexibility and articulation, how to find ease during exertion, and cultivating strength with minimal force.
Age 15+ to adults, all levels welcome, no experience necessary, wear comfortable clothing that doesn't restrict your range of movement. Invitation to practice barefoot, other practice shoes ok, no street shoes in the studio.
Attendance at all three sessions strongly encouraged but not required; drop-ins can still benefit from the experience.
3-class series $55, single drop-in $20
If you are an SBP member or have taken a class with me before, contact me for a springtime single-use discount code!
Get your tickets early! Free street parking and multiple bus stops nearby.
Feel free to ask me questions deb@dccreativearts.com or ig dc_creativearts
Specific to Judkins Central studio:
Address and location details for this private studio will be emailed to you after ticket purchase. Please safelist or add deb@dccreativearts.com to your contacts to keep my messages out of your spam folder.
Please note the main access to the studio is via a flight of stairs. If you need ADA access, please contact me in advance so that I can arrange it.
Instructor bio: Deborah combines her professional backgrounds in health and the arts to teach classes featuring movement, sound and dance as tools for wellness. As a board certified Chinese medicine practitioner, she believes there is great power in connecting each person back to themselves and to the natural rhythms of the earth.
Taiji Flow FAQs
What is taiji quan?
Taiji quan is a movement practice that originated as a martial arts training tool in China, traced to the late 1600s. It is a relatively young practice if you consider that the foundations of the movement and its correlating Daoist philosophies had been developing for millenia prior. The practice is generally done slowly and can be adapted to suit a wide demographic. Many people today incorporate it into their regular self-care and wellness routines.
What if I have no experience and have never done anything like this before?
This series is designed to be accessible and modifiable for all levels!
Is taiji quan the same as tai chi?
Yes these different spellings refer to the same practice, they just come from different systems of romanization. “Tai chi” comes from the Wade-Giles system that was created between 1850-1900 by two British men whose surnames were Wade and Giles. In the 1950s, a Chinese linguist developed the pinyin system, which literally translates to “spelling sounds.” Pinyin is most widely used today and is the format that we are using here.
What’s the difference between taiji quan and qigong?
Qigong literally translates to working with energy and is a broad umbrella term for a multitude of practices that involve working with qi. These can be standing, seated, lying down, static, moving, and there are a plethora of styles and practices. Taiji quan is a movement form that originated as a martial arts training tool, and even though it involves the physical body, the internal energy component is essential. So, in fact, taiji quan can technically be considered a type of qigong.