Last night I stopped by Lee's White
Leopard Kung Fu to check out the Tai Chi Class. Their website spoke
of the many levels of Tai Chi to work on and the soundness of the
lineage. They teach the “Wu” style of Tai Chi and break it down to
varying number of steps in the form, starting with 17 I think and up
to 108. Plus there is a “Saber” form where the Tai Chi person
makes the moves with a sword in one hand.
The first half of the hour class is a
standing meditation where everybody holds their hand out from the
waist and very slowly moves their fingers. Master Lee sat by me as
they did it and explained how each finger is connected to different
body parts and body functions. So that slowly moving them increases
circulation and Chi flow. He was quite adamant about Chi's
relationship to a healthy body.
He also teaches at least two types of
Kung Fu and commented on how fortunate he was to have such great
teachers.
After the standing meditation he lead
the class in a short form of a set of moves, after which people broke
into groups to work on whatever they were focusing on. Some die the
42 steps,others the 17 and then some brought out the swords.
I am pretty sure it is all totally
legit and it was very interesting and I am glad I went. BUT, there
were a number of things that just didn't pull me in, although most of
them were by no means disqualifying (well maybe one).
1. This may be the most superficial,
but it just didn't look pretty or graceful.
It could be I don't have the eye to
judge it but, whereas some people might think (incorrectly I believe)
that Aikido might not “work” in a fight, I don't think any open
minded person could watch even an average Aikido class and not think
it was beautiful. You can see moving from their center, and you can
see when they don't, but you get the idea of the way it is supposed
to be.
It looked like people were all
concentrating on just moving their arms. Not completely, but that is the feel
I got from it
2. When they were doing the standing
meditation even I could see the many of the people were slouching or
leaning forward or backward. When I used to go the Zen center, while
you were sitting a monitor or teacher would sometimes walk the room
quietly correctly posture for a more effective session. It just
seems strange that something that obvious was not addressed.
Of course I am the newbie and may
not know what the plan is
3. When they got the sword from the
rack, they were rusty on the flat of the swords.
It wouldn't affect the movements
at all but it just caught my eye
4. As I was reading the brochure for
the place there was a comment about you couldn't be released from
your responsibility unless you were moving or had an illness. I thought it
strange since all you would have to do was stop paying for the class. I thought.
5. Then when I left I was told I
could try two lessons for $20, and when I asked what the fee was
after that I found out you have to sign a one year contract and pay
3 months up front which I think figured around $100 to $110 a month.
Then I remembered noting there were no prices on the website or the
brochure.
None of the things would have prompted
me to discount the place immediately, except maybe the contract, but
all added together I was less enthused when I left than when I first
came in. I even could have stomached a contract, if that is how these
things are done, IF I saw something that totally grabbed me and made
me feel like I HAD to get into it.
In comparison, the Toaist Tai Chi I
went to on Tuesday and participated in still strikes me as graceful
and I think I get a sense of its purpose.
