Summer Tai Chi Classes

Celebrate Great River's 30th anniversary Sunday, June 14, 6pm Free Talk "T'ai Chi for Sports." T'ai Chi can be a wonderful enhancement for other sports such as tennis, golf, running, and basketball. Learn some basic moves and concepts at this talk. 1940 Hennepin Av So (at Franklin), 2F.
Sunday, June 21, 6 pm, New Beginners 10-week class, tuition $99 anniversary special ($140 regular price)
Sundays, ongoing—7 pm, Intermediate 2 (ongoing, form study focus is second half of form)
Thursdays—6 pm Intermediate 1 (ongoing, form study focus is first half of form)
Thursdays—7 pm Advanced (form, push hands, sword)

More anniversary celebrations to come this fall!
Call 612-822-5760 for further information about classes, and see our website (link at right) for more details about Great River.

Edith Davis Memorial Acupuncture Access Bill Passes Minnesota Legislature

The Equal Access To Acupuncture Act and as a Memorial to Edith R. Davis, Minnesota’s pioneer acupuncturist passes and has been signed by Governor Pawlenty! This act requires health insurers who cover acupuncture delivered by doctors and chiropractors to also reimburse for acupuncture by licensed acupuncturists. The importance of this bill was in allowing the consumer fair access to the practitioners who are most highly trained in the field, the professional licensed acupuncturists. This bill was supported by the acupuncture association, acupuncture schools and the Minnesota Chiropractic Association.

Edith Davis, mother of Great River T'ai Chi director Barbara Davis, was one of Minnesota's pioneer acupuncturists, a founder of the Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Association of Minnesota, founder and President of the Minnesota College of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, on numerous national acupuncture commissions, founder of the Healing Point Traditional Acupuncture Clinic, and most recently served on the legislative committee of the acupuncture association.

The association wrote, "This bill is dedicated to honor the memory of Edith R. Davis, a pioneering acupuncturist in Minnesota who for the safety of the public, the benefit of the profession and her love of people deemed it necessary that education, certification and licensing of acupuncturists be a fundamental requirement for practice. Edith labored tirelessly until her death at the age of 87, in May 2008. We are forever grateful for her inspiration, her support and her life."

Tai Chi for Balance

A recent New York Times article (4/7/09) reported that just six weeks of Tai Chi helped improve balance in people who'd had strokes. "While the exercise group showed little improvement in balance, the tai chi group made significant gains when they were tested on weight-shifting, reaching and how well they could maintain their stability on a platform that moved like a bus." Read more....

Nathan Menaged Workshop May 3

Nathan Menaged of Columbus Ohio will present the second installment of "Three-Dimensional Yielding" with Great River, Sunday, May 3 from 9–3. Contact us for information at 612-822-5760. Location to be announced (n.b. NOT at Great River studio).

Tai Chi for Golf!

Did you know that tai chi practice can help your golf game? A Wall Street Journal article recently covered the topic of practice and mastery—and lo, and behold, some golfers are using what they call the "tai chi swing" to help straighten out their golf technique. The slow pace of tai chi helps golfers analyze swings that would otherwise be done at high speeds that don't allow time for observation of accuracy. (Wall Street Journal 3/19/09)
Join us at Great River Tai Chi to polish up your golf game before the snow stops flying!

Great River Tai Chi Spring Classes Announced

Spring into health! New T'ai Chi classes will start Sunday, March 29, 2009 at 6:00 p.m..
T'ai Chi is a wonderful and intriguing, unique Chinese exercise that will help improve your balance, focus, blood pressure, and overall health. You'll learn the basics of T'ai Chi moves and easy qigong exercises to help get you on the right track.
Classes run for ten weeks and are one hour in length. Classes are open to all ages, however children should be approximately six or older, with decent attention spans. An adult must accompany the child to class.
This class is on the second floor of the building. Please contact us for accessible classes.
SAVE! Click here to get your Great River Tai Chi coupon for big savings!
For more information, see our website or call us at 612-822-5760.

Great River at Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Great River T'ai Chi Ch'uan teachers Barbara Davis and Cheryl Powers led an overflow crowd of children and parents in a fun set of t'ai chi exercises at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts Chinese Lantern Festival Family Day.
Over 5,000 people attended the day's events which included pipa music by Gao Heng, painting activities withe Bob Schmitt of Laughing Waters Studio (Bob designed and did layout of the print edition of Taijiquan Journal), paper lantern-making, and performances by the CAAM, the Chinese Dance Theater. This annual event is one of the Art Institute's monthly family activities that highlight different parts of the museum's diverse, large collection.

New Tai Chi Class at Concordia

Great River T'ai Chi has been invited to teach at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota. This credit class is offered through the Theater Department. Contact the school for registration information.

Professor Cheng Tai Chi Videos Available

Curious about who Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing was and what his t'ai chi looked like? A new authorized site shows clips of Professor Cheng's tai chi and information about ordering materials.

Chinese New Year Events

Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Chinese Lantern Festival Family Day
Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 11–5

Welcome the Year of the Ox with a fabulous celebration! See lion dances and other festive performances of the New Year. Make a paper lantern and join a parade of lanterns. Create a traditional good-luck envelope to give to a friend. Plus, enjoy pipa music by renowned musician Gao Hong and explore the MIA’s fabulous collection of Chinese art. Free and open to the public.

Great River Tai Chi will be appearing as part of the Family Day celebrations! See you there! See the schedule at the museum's website.