to form 30 - filming scheduled, forms listed here!
Posted by Fiona Anderson. on Thursday, October 30, 2014
I am teaching my Chinese (and others - non-Chinese welcome too!) class up to form 30, so now filming it is scheduled for this weekend, after which that film will go up on this website, in 4 versions:
Front view, back view, at normal speed
Front view, back view, with each movement broken down for the details.
My own teacher is in the process of doing the definitive version for the whole 108 form, which I will advertise as soon as it's available - that version is really something! It has Sifu Gary Wragg in two views split-screen (one view from the front, simultaneous with a view from 90 degrees), doing each form (named as subtitles underneath) and talking through the details of each one. Looking forward to getting my own copy, when it comes out!
I have been really impressed how quickly this particular class has picked up the sequence - it really is a huge achievement! Normally I take a lot of time with individuals, so that everyone has a good grasp of everything at their own pace, but this class is learning quite differently:
They like for everyone to do everything together, exactly the same. This has the major advantage that everyone has progressed hugely, even though there's only one of me. One of my friends is learning tai chi elsewhere and says he gets really frustrated, because his class never gets any progress, as they always stop and do just the first few forms for a constant stream of new people starting.
To overcome that, I've instituted an extra session of 30 mins before the main class starts, so that not only are new beginners able to get some individual tuition ahead of the group form practise, but also it gives me the opportunity to do things from the wider tai chi curriculum for anyone who is interested in that. I also like to do single forms in that time, so that people can get the details of each form right through repetition of one form several times, followed by a different form with its repititions for details...
Looking through the list of 30 forms (below), discerning readers will notice how many forms get repeated several times in the whole sequence. This means that if you spend time on doing the single forms, your overall form will definitely improve in look and feel.
Below is a list of the names of the forms and when I do the filming, I will say the names of the forms in the breakdown versions. When I was learning tai chi myself, I liked having a handy printout of the list of names and ticking these off one by one as I practised, so that over time I could see my progress (g).
1. Beginning of Tai Chi Chuan
2. Raise Hands
3. Play Guitar
4. Grasp Bird's Tail
5. Single Whip
6. Slant Flying
7. Raise Hands
8. White Crane Spreads Wings
9. Brush Knee
10. Play Guitar
11. Parry and Punch
12. Push Forward
13 Carry Tiger to Mountain
14. Cross Hands
15. Diagonal Brush Knee
16. Turn Body and Diagonal Brush Knee
17. Grasp Bird's Tail
18. Single Whip
19. Fist Under Elbow
20. Repulse Monkey
21. Slant Flying
22. Raise Hands
23. White Crane Spreads Wings
24. Brush Knee
25. Needle At Sea Bottom
26. Play Arms Like a Fan
27. Strike Fist to Back
28. Step Back and Punch
29. Step Forward and Grasp Bird's Tail
30. Single Whip
Conclusion of Tai Chi Chuan
Front view, back view, at normal speed
Front view, back view, with each movement broken down for the details.
My own teacher is in the process of doing the definitive version for the whole 108 form, which I will advertise as soon as it's available - that version is really something! It has Sifu Gary Wragg in two views split-screen (one view from the front, simultaneous with a view from 90 degrees), doing each form (named as subtitles underneath) and talking through the details of each one. Looking forward to getting my own copy, when it comes out!
I have been really impressed how quickly this particular class has picked up the sequence - it really is a huge achievement! Normally I take a lot of time with individuals, so that everyone has a good grasp of everything at their own pace, but this class is learning quite differently:
They like for everyone to do everything together, exactly the same. This has the major advantage that everyone has progressed hugely, even though there's only one of me. One of my friends is learning tai chi elsewhere and says he gets really frustrated, because his class never gets any progress, as they always stop and do just the first few forms for a constant stream of new people starting.
To overcome that, I've instituted an extra session of 30 mins before the main class starts, so that not only are new beginners able to get some individual tuition ahead of the group form practise, but also it gives me the opportunity to do things from the wider tai chi curriculum for anyone who is interested in that. I also like to do single forms in that time, so that people can get the details of each form right through repetition of one form several times, followed by a different form with its repititions for details...
Looking through the list of 30 forms (below), discerning readers will notice how many forms get repeated several times in the whole sequence. This means that if you spend time on doing the single forms, your overall form will definitely improve in look and feel.
Below is a list of the names of the forms and when I do the filming, I will say the names of the forms in the breakdown versions. When I was learning tai chi myself, I liked having a handy printout of the list of names and ticking these off one by one as I practised, so that over time I could see my progress (g).
1. Beginning of Tai Chi Chuan
2. Raise Hands
3. Play Guitar
4. Grasp Bird's Tail
5. Single Whip
6. Slant Flying
7. Raise Hands
8. White Crane Spreads Wings
9. Brush Knee
10. Play Guitar
11. Parry and Punch
12. Push Forward
13 Carry Tiger to Mountain
14. Cross Hands
15. Diagonal Brush Knee
16. Turn Body and Diagonal Brush Knee
17. Grasp Bird's Tail
18. Single Whip
19. Fist Under Elbow
20. Repulse Monkey
21. Slant Flying
22. Raise Hands
23. White Crane Spreads Wings
24. Brush Knee
25. Needle At Sea Bottom
26. Play Arms Like a Fan
27. Strike Fist to Back
28. Step Back and Punch
29. Step Forward and Grasp Bird's Tail
30. Single Whip
Conclusion of Tai Chi Chuan
