events

Community Practice Days Sept. 19, Oct. 31

Now for something completely different. What we’re calling “community practice day”—one Saturday a month, 2-4pm—is actually a free class in disguise. It is a laid back, sociable gathering of all students,new and old, whatever your skill level, and a chance to “exercise” core energy arts principles outside of the structure of regular classes.

3rd Annual Tai Chi a Thon (June 21)

Participate in tai chi, chi gung and ba gua practice groups and raise money for Brookline Tai Chi and Water Way Arts. People are familiar with the concept of donations made to support friends and family to walk, run, swim and bike for a cause… why not do the same for our energy arts practices? From now until the day of the event you can ask friends, family, and co-workers to support your efforts and help provide financial support for Brookline Tai Chi.

Reaching Out Online: YouTube Videos Help Step Up Your Solo Practice-- April 2009

You’ve seen the first BTC YouTube video —an engaging way to introduce newcomers to the practice of Chinese movement arts. Now tune in to our new aid for BTC practitioners, a ten-minute follow-along session guided by teachers Dan Kleiman and Katie Keane. Ongoing videos in this series will be posted monthly, following the new, once-a-month “community practice” Saturdays that started up in March. “We’re launching a lot of new efforts to make outside-of-class, solo practice easier for students to integrate in their daily lives,” says BTC director Dan Kleiman.

Hold That Posture—Standing Practices -Summer 2008

Sometimes the best way to learn the Chinese movement arts we teach is by not moving. Holding postures is a traditional method of teaching the tai chi form (‘ji’ shown to the left). Standing chi gung (shown to the right) is important to the “releasing tension and strength” that we talk about so much. Both train your body to feel alignments more deeply.

Second Annual Tai-Chi-A-Thon June 15: BTC Students Seek Sponsors Per Hour of Practice-- Late Spring 2008

Here’s a way to put some fun into fundraising. Last year’s tai-chi-a-thon raised $6,000, drew a surprising crowd considering it was relatively unpublicized, and gave old and new students a chance to practice together for four hours (10am–2pm) as well as socialize. This year we’ve set the fundraising goal-post higher, at $10,000. Pledge request forms will be available as the date draws nearer.

Tai Chi Spring Training Intensive April 28–May 4 is a ‘First Ever’ Collaboration--March 2008

If you have never gotten around to learning tai chi, here’s your chance. If you have been looking for a faster way to fine-tune your existing practice, it is also a good time to take a plunge. For the first time ever, BTC is hosting a week-long tai chi immersion training led by Frantzis Energy Arts senior instructors Eric Peters and Craig Barnes along with BTC senior instructor Alan Dougall. Each has decades of experience. We expect BTC to be a hub of activity for national and international tai chi students during the week between our early and late spring sessions.

First Annual Spring Nature Retreat-- Early Spring 2007

We know it’s still cold out, but think spring. The weekend of May 19-20 BTC is reserving Essex Conference Center and Retreat near Crane Beach on Cape Ann for our first ever tai chi and chi gung get-away.

Keys to Wellness: BTC Launches Outreach into Holistic, Medical Communities-- Late Spring 2007

In a free slide show/talk at BTC Sunday, April 29, award-winning Canadian journalist Eugénie Francoeur lines up hard evidence on the efficacy of a different kind of healthcare model. Author of the upcoming book Forever Healthy: The Okinawa Project, Francoeur explores an ancient self-help system—with physical, mental, social, and spiritual components—that accounts for Okinawans being the world’s record holders for longevity with wellness.

‘Tai Chi Driving’ Workshop in the Works - Winter 2007

Look for a new BTC campaign in the upcoming months to demonstrate the impact of tai chi and chi gung on mental overload. What better place for a trial run than the streets of Boston? Imagine bringing the smooth, slow, circular movements that are a hallmark of the “internal” martial arts we teach into a fast-paced road culture that jerks along by fits and starts. Stay tuned for details of this free introductory program to promote relaxation in motion. Students willing to post “tai chi driver” signs in their cars are already signing up.