This open level class geared towards dancers will dive into the most commonly recognized Taichi practice of the Yang style 24 Forms – often seen practiced in parks, taught in classrooms, and presented at international competitions. During the first half of this workshop, we will start with a guided warmup, which will then lead into the forms. Taught in the format of choreographic phasework, we will get comfortable with the sequence of steps, working through various phrases. During the second half of the workshop, we’ll explore a few martial arts concepts, such as Qi (energy), and how that moves our body through the forms, beginning to understand the purpose of the forms and what they represent. We will also touch on the various Taichi styles and how that changes the expression of the forms we just learned.
Dancers will leave this workshop with the foundational tools to begin one’s own Taichi practice, so that one feels comfortable joining a group practice at a park or taking a class at a local martial arts school. Dancers may also discover new ways to process, analyze, and move through movement, opening up qualitative possibilities in one’s own movement vocabulary.
*Recommendation: Students should wear comfortable clothes and bring water. Shoes are optional for this class (low-soled shoes are recommended if students do decide to wear them).
MATTHEW TAY
An American Born Chinese (ABC) raised in the San Gabriel Valley in LA, Dr. Matthew Tay is a movement and martial arts educator. Holding a Doctorate of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine (DACM) and an alumni of UCSD Dance, Matthew explores movement through the intersection of medicine, martial arts, and dance. His passion for Taichi stems from his journey to find his cultural heritage and roots. As a former USA Wushu Team member, Matthew still continues to compete semi-professionally but has shifted more to teaching. His goal is to share his knowledge of Taichi and Wushu and provide depth and nuance to these artforms.
