First Tai Chi class
Some people seem surprised when I tell them I usually experience some hesitation and anxiety about starting something new, especially something with an open-ended commitment that could turn into a long-term thing. It takes some courage. As I like to say, I seem to need to "take a running leap" before jumping in. I noticed and was somewhat bemused by this anxiety in myself yesterday. While getting ready for the Tai Chi class, walking out to my car, driving there, and walking into the building I felt myself stepping out of my comfort zone, pealing out of a cocoon. I felt vulnerable and courageous.
I arrived early, ahead of the instructor, even. I paid him my money ($135 for the first month. It will be $70/month after that). In return was given a pair of shoes that I am only to use at the studio, a studio T-shirt I am to wear when I am there, and a small book with illustrated instructions for the Tai Chi forms.
It's a smallish class; I don't think there were more than a dozen people there. The two new students, me and a young man who may have been Middle Eastern, were paired with a man who has been taking classes for 10 years and who served as a teacher's assistant. We took one corner of the studio floor. A group that has been taking classes for a few months took another corner. On the other half of the studio were students who have already learned the choreography, and are now working on their form.
My instructor/TA was incredibly nice, as was everyone else I met at the class. In trying to give us a flavor for the classes, he told me they are like a family. “We just try to be kind to each other,” he said.
He also told me there are no tests, no rank. Everyone there has things to learn; there is never an end point. He pointed to a student who has been coming there for 18 years. “Even he has things to learn before he gets to where [the main instructor] is.”
I think I walked into the right class!
We were taught four forms during the hour-long class, practicing them over and over. The full Tai Chi form taught at this school contains 60 such moves. Though the forms are performed slowly and evenly, I felt like I’d had a good workout when I walked out of there.
I am looking forward to going back this week.
I arrived early, ahead of the instructor, even. I paid him my money ($135 for the first month. It will be $70/month after that). In return was given a pair of shoes that I am only to use at the studio, a studio T-shirt I am to wear when I am there, and a small book with illustrated instructions for the Tai Chi forms.
It's a smallish class; I don't think there were more than a dozen people there. The two new students, me and a young man who may have been Middle Eastern, were paired with a man who has been taking classes for 10 years and who served as a teacher's assistant. We took one corner of the studio floor. A group that has been taking classes for a few months took another corner. On the other half of the studio were students who have already learned the choreography, and are now working on their form.
My instructor/TA was incredibly nice, as was everyone else I met at the class. In trying to give us a flavor for the classes, he told me they are like a family. “We just try to be kind to each other,” he said.
He also told me there are no tests, no rank. Everyone there has things to learn; there is never an end point. He pointed to a student who has been coming there for 18 years. “Even he has things to learn before he gets to where [the main instructor] is.”
I think I walked into the right class!
We were taught four forms during the hour-long class, practicing them over and over. The full Tai Chi form taught at this school contains 60 such moves. Though the forms are performed slowly and evenly, I felt like I’d had a good workout when I walked out of there.
I am looking forward to going back this week.