Tai Chi
The Center offers Tai Chi & Qigong classes on Mondays and Tuesdays. The classes are on-going throughout the year. Students are encouraged to start anytime. Class descriptions, instructor biographies, and fees are below. Please call the Center to register. Walk-ins welcome if the class is not already full. Class discounts are available when a student buys a bundle of 6 classes that can be used over a 9 week period. Prepaid students also avoid pre-class check-ins and payments at the front desk.
Sun Style Tai Chi with Norma Ferrell Mondays @ 12:15
Wu Style T’ai-Chi with Jay Dunbar, Ph.D Tuesdays 12-1:15
Tai Chi for Health with Caroline Demoise; Tues. evening 5:45-6:45
See below for class descriptions and instructor bios.
Sun Style Tai Chi with Norma Ferrell Mondays @ 12:15
$8/class for a bundle of 6 classes ($48) that can beused over a 9-week period. $10 per single class for drop-ins.
Tai Chi exercises and benefits all of the body’s vital internal organs, muscles, joints and ligaments. It increases muscle strength and stamina, decreases joint pain and stiffness, and improves coordination and balance. Abdominal breathing during Tai Chil provides more oxygen to the body, which increases heart and lung function. Sun Style has a higher stance and requires less bending of the knees. In this higher stance, it is easier to maintain the upright, relaxed posture which allows Qi to flow and power to be generated.
Norma Ferrell is a certified instructor for Dr. Lam’s Tai Chi for Arthritis and Tai Chi for Diabetes programs. Norma contineus her study of Tai Chi with Dr. Lam’s Master Trainer Caroline Demoise in Chapel Hill. Norma is also a massage and bodywork therapist licensed in the state of NC and nationally certified.
Tai Chi for Health with Caroline Demoise
Tuesday evenings @ 5:45
$12/class for bundle of 6 classes ($72) that can used over a 9 week period; $14 per single class for drop-ins.
Tai Chi comes in many varieties. This class is medically based and was created by a western trained, family practice physician from Sydney Australia, Dr. Paul Lam. It is a good entry level program for healthy adults of all ages as well as being very accessible for people with chronic health conditions. The program consists of a variety of short tai chi routines along with warm-up and cool down exercises that are safe for people with arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, total hip replacements, total knee replacements, Parkinson’s, MS and other chronic conditions. A person unable to stand for a one hour class, can do movements in a chair.
Tai chi exercises and benefits all of the body’s vital internal organs. It exercises all the muscles, joints and ligaments in your body; increases muscle strength and stamina; decreases joint pain and stiffness, and improves coordination and balance. Abdominal breathing is taught to provide more oxygen to the body, increasing heart and lung function. What really makes tai chi so precious is its ability to unify mind, body and spirit. Qi (life force energy) is the connection that links the body and mind into an integrated, functional system. People use tai chi as a pathway to connect more deeply to their inner being. Tai Chi uplifts the spirit to promote a peaceful tranquility in both mind and body, making it an excellent stress management tool for our modern lifestyle.
Caroline Demoise, MA has been studying Tai Chi for over 20 years. She has a Masters degree in Counseling, is a massage therapist and is one of Dr. Lam’s Master Trainers in the U.S. She teachers instructor training workshops for the Arthritis Foundation around the country. She has written articles for Tai Chi and QI Magazine and is the author of the book, The Inner Path of Tai Chi–A Spiritual Journey.
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Wu Style Taijiquan (T’ai-Chi) with Dr. Jay Dunbar
Tuesdays, noon-1:15 pm
$12/class for bundle of 6 classes ($72) that can used over a 9 week period; $14 per single class for drop-ins.
The Wu(Hao) is an understated, tranquil, meditative style, with small steps and subtle movements that disappear into formlessness and appear ordinary. It fosters “mind method”: internal focus and awareness through a concentration on breath and the opening and closing of energy gates. Dr. Jay studied this style privately with his primary teacher, Master Jou Tsung-Hwa. We will study Taiji Qigong (breathing and visualization matched with elegant movement) and two shorter choreographies– “Moonlight” and “Starlight”– as preparation to learn the full 108-movement long form.
Dr. Jay Dunbar (Ph.D.) has studied Taijiquan and Qigong since 1975, and is Director of the Magic Tortoise Taijiquan School ( www.magictortoise.com), based in the NC Triangle area since 1979. He holds an M.A. in English literature from Duke and a doctorate in education from UNC-Chapel Hill
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