13 December: Tai Ji Circle’s Christmas Party followed our annual assessments…
Thanks to all our generous students and friends who made the day go with a swing and helped with delicious food, a great end to a busy year.
APOLOGIES THE IMAGES ARE MISSING FROM THIS YEAR
23 September: Celebration of 65 years of the
People’s Republic of China
Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador gives a press conference
Liu Quanjun and Chris Jones
Celebration of 65 years of the People’s Republic of China, Liu Quanjun and Chris attend the celebrations at the Chinese Embassy in London. Liu Xiaoming, the Chinese ambassador to the United Kingdom, gave a welcoming speech to the packed reception of guests and the media before we all tucked into a feast of delicious food.
12, 19 & 20 July: Chen Tai Ji in the heat
London Summer Street Festivals July 2014
Three tai ji demos in a week, starting with Islington Council’s, “Festival of the Field’s” at Highbury Fields, we really appreciate that our TJC students come from all over London to lend their support for the festival. The following Saturday, it was Jazz in Camden Square, and during the interval Shifu Liu and some students did a short tai ji demo and then encourage the locals to join in with us. The next day it was the full Camden New Town Festival underway in Camden Square, while we practiced, picnicked and later performed in St Paul’s Church hall, our regular Sunday venue for classes. As always thanks to everyone who came along, their time, energy and support is much appreciated.
2 July: Tai Chi for Bloggers (Chen Taijiquan in Primrose Hill)
Shifu Liu teaches a group of bloggers tai chi in the park, their first time taking a class, an alternative to exercising in the gym, what will they make of the experience? Hard to convey the complexity of the Chen tai ji practice, and the deep theoretical aspects behind it, in a one hour session.
23 & 24 June: MASTER CHEN ZIQIANG with TAI JI CIRCLE IN LONDON
Chen Ziqiang in the centre seated between Liu Quanjun and Chris, with students at the end of our first workshop.
We were fortunate to catch two days with Chen Ziqiang (nephew of Chen Xiaowang) in London before his return to China from his European tour. After his famously challenging warm ups we plunged into double Push Hands practice, opening and closing movements with two martial applications. On day two, we worked with single Push Hands trying chinna (joint locking) techniques, everyone enjoyed his teaching and we are grateful to Anders Gramer for shooting some fabulous images, and Li Ming for helping with translation. To finish the event Chen Ziqiang gave us a dynamic and demanding form performance based on Xinjia (New Frame) routines, an inspiring visit.
17 May 2014: Foundation Workshop with Shifu Liu
Tai Ji Circle’e essential foundation seminar covered standing and silk reeling practice, with detailed correction to posture and movements, followed by basic blocking and grasping martial techniques.
16 May: TJC at the Intercultural Wellbeing day
at the Drovers Centre, Islington
Age UK Islington organised a special Intercultural Wellbeing day of arts activity, massage, dance, music and Tai Chi. Shifu Liu and Chris received a warm and eager welcome and soon lots were trying out Chen tai ji movements as Liu performed the 9 part form, followed by some silk reeling exercises. Afterwards Chinese calligraphy was an unprecedented success, with a queue of people wanting their names written in Chinese characters, a great time had by all. Thanks to the centre organisers for the invitation.
26 April: Chinese Health Qi Gong Masterclass
Tai Ji Circle were fortunate to be able to present the Six Healing Sounds Masterclass at our Camden venue for our students and friends. Lined up for the group photo are Master Peng on the right who taught our semiinar, and Master Ma on Shifu Liu’s left side. It was a stimulating afternoon, learning sounds for the organs and accompanied by movements to enhance the efficacy. Thanks very much to the British Health Qi Gong Association and Shifu Faye Yip for bringing the Chinese masters down to London.
18-20 April 2014: Shifu Liu’s Easter Tai Ji Intensive
We were fortunate to have two and half days training in the Chen style Old Frame Routine, Laojia Yi Lu (Chen taijiquan’s classic form) in one of London’s most beautiful parks, and the weather was fine! Learning the movements, working the energy and practicing applications from the form.
22 March 2014: Conference Workshop
Shifu Liu teaches a workshop at a conference in the Mary Ward Centre in London
Students gather around to watch Shifu Liu demonstrate key features of the Chen style, before joining in to try out tai ji as a relaxing break in their conference activities.
14 March 2014: Free Tai Chi class on London’s Southbank
Shifu Liu ran a free tai chi class down on London’s famous Southbank, with the London Eye and the river Thames in the background. We were lucky to have a great musical accompaniment, an unwitting jazz guitarist on the embankment. Several students came along and many tourists joined in before heading back home.
8 February 2014: Chinese New Year party at the Islington Chinese Association
Tai Ji Circle students demonstrate Chen Shi Taijiquan and explain details of the style, on stage at the Islington Chinese Association Chinese 2014 New Year Celebrations. Chris leads the team in silk reeling exercises, while Lai explains to the audience in English and Cantonese some of the technical movement details, before we joined together to perfom Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang’s Nine Part Form which clearly shows how these seemingly simple exercises are the crucial foundation to the practice. Islington Mayor Cllr Barry Edwards opened the occasion and watched the performances which also include the Yang style, and traditional Chinese music. Many thanks to those who supported us, performed and to those who took pictures.
16 January 2014: Spring Festival party at the Chinese Embassy
Tai Ji Circle trustees were honored to be invited to the Chinese Embassy Spring Festival celebrations in London. The Chinese tv media filmed the Ambassador’s speech that opened the event and selected some of the guests to be interviewed to give greetings for the Chinese New Year. We were fortunate to have the chance to meet again Madame Hu, the Ambassador’s wife who had made us so welcome during the visit of Grand Master Chen Xiaowang last November. After the speeches tables of delicious food were revealed and everyone tucked into the feast, a great way to welcome the Chinese New Year of the Horse.
Grandmaster Chen Xiao Wang seated behind Liu Quanjun from Tai Ji Circle (centre), with Li Hui from the Chinese Embassy and members of the UK Jiangxi Friendship Association and the UK Research and Development Centre for Chinese Traditional Culture; lined up for a panoramic shot at the SOAS Tai JI and Calligraphy seminar given by Master Chen on 11.11.2013 .
Photo © Anders Gramer/Tai Ji Circle 2013