Classes
Taijiquan
Tàijíquán (太極拳, t'ai chi ch'üan) is a centuries-old martial art which is mostly trained at a slow pace to support relaxed, easy movement with good structure. There are many traditional family styles, all of which are good ways to develop one’s balance, flexibility, strength, posture, and sense of calm. While it is not a religious practice, there is a deep spiritual underpinning: by learning to stand, breathe, and move in harmony with our own bodies we also bring ourselves into harmony with the world around us.
I teach Chen style, which was the first to be codified; all the other main styles are descended from it in some way. I have been practicing in Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei’s lineage since 2011 and was certified as an instructor by his federation in 2022; the way I practice and teach reflects his interpretation and that of my main teacher, Viola Brumbaugh.
Chen Taijiquan for beginners
Autumn session 1
- Wednesday mornings 10:15-11:15am, September 17 - October 22. 6 classes total.
- Thursday evenings 5:45-6:5pm, September 18 - October 23. 6 classes total.
Autumn session 2
- Wednesday mornings 10:15-11:15am, November 5 & 12, December 3 & 10. 4 classes total.
- Thursday evenings 5:45-6:5pm, November 6 & 13, December 4 & 11. 4 classes total.
Winter session
- Tuesday mornings 10:15-11:15am, January 6 - March 17, skipping February 10. 10 classes total.
- Thursday evenings 5:45-6:5pm, January 8 - March 19, skipping February 12. 10 classes total.
Venue
James Bay Community School Centre, 140 Oswego Street, Victoria, BC V8V 2B1.
Cost
$10/class if you register in advance for a whole session. $14.50 to drop in to individual classes.
Registration
Online at the links above, by phone at 250-389-1470, or in person at the James Bay Centre during office hours.
If you can't make your usual class day you are welcome to come to the other class instead. Please email me if you plan to do this, just so I know how many people to expect.
Class description
We’ll use Chen Zhenglei’s 18 step essentials form to get an overview of Chen Taiji without needing to memorise a long sequence. There will also be stretching, breath work, short standing meditations, and posture exercises. Each class will be a dose of gentle movement to start or end the day right.
Daytime classes train outside on the James Bay Centre grounds when the weather permits (shade and washrooms available), and we have an indoor space booked for when it’s raining, too cold, or too windy.
Map of the venue showing the main entrance and outdoor area at the James Bay Community School Centre. Click for a scrollable & zoomable web map.
Who this is for
Anyone 16 years or older, all genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds welcome.
This class is suitable for complete beginners, no previous experience with Taiji, martial arts, or any other movement practice is required. If you have any injuries or movement limitations please talk to me at the start - everything can be adapted for many different needs, but it’s important that I know so I can plan accordingly. It takes a while to learn the whole form, but anyone who attends a full session should leave with exercises you can practice yourself at home. If you get the bug you can spend the rest of your life refining it and learning the longer forms.
What to bring
No special outfit is needed, but wear flat shoes and comfortable clothes that you can move around in, and bring a bottle of water. Although we move slowly this can be surprisingly sweaty work, so bring a change of clothes if you’re continuing on with your day rather than returning home afterwards.
COVID policy:
- We practice outside whenever possible, but please understand that in winter it often isn't.
- Masks are still a good idea and highly encouraged indoors, but please be aware that the venue does not require indoor masking, and I don't usually mask to teach so that it’s easier to hear me.
- If you feel any cold or flu symptoms, please stay home, even if you’re sure it’s not COVID. I’ll be happy to arrange make-up classes for anyone who misses days to keep the rest of the group healthy.
Questions
Please email me with any questions about the classes or subject matter, or the James Bay Centre with any questions about the venue or registration.
Qigong
Qìgōng (氣功, ch‘i kung) is a very varied set of exercises that gently cultivate energy and stretch the body. They’re rooted in Classical Chinese culture, some are part of martial arts traditions and some are purely practiced for health. Most are practiced slowly and meditatively. They can be used as a foundation for martial arts or other movement work, or simply as an antidote to all the ways that desk work is unhealthy.
Five Animal Frolics
Five Animal Frolics (五禽戲, Wǔqínxì) is one of the more widely practiced qigong sets. It’s about 1800 years old, old enough that many different versions exist and it’s not quite clear who first put the sequence together. It consists of 10 movements altogether, a yīn (陰, gathering energy inwards) and a yáng (陽, moving energy outwards) movement inspired by each of Tiger, Deer, Bear, Monkey, and Crane. There’s no set order to the animals, and the usual custom is to repeat each movement three times.
Five Animals workshop series
Join us on occasional Wednesday evenings for an in-depth workshop about one of the animals at a time, in the time of year that best fits the energy of each animal.
Dates
- Bear (late summer): September 24th, 5:30-7pm. Register now!
- Crane (autumn): November 5th, 5:30-7pm. Registration link coming soon.
- Deer (winter): Tentatively January 7th, 2026, 5:30-7pm.
- Tiger (spring): Tentatively March 25th, 2026, 5:30-7pm.
- Monkey (summer): Date tba.
Venue
míqәn / Beacon Hill Park if we are lucky with the weather, or indoors at theDock, 722 Cormorant Street if not. Autumn & winter sessions will definitely be indoors. Registrants will get an email on the day confirming the exact location.
Cost
$16.70 per workshop.
Class description
Each of the Five Animals is associated with a season, an element, and an emotion. Through the year, we'll focus on each animal in its season, and talk about what the associated aspects mean to us and for the practice.
Each class will start with a 15-minute warmup, and then a short break. We'll spend an hour practicing the two movements associated with one of the animals, and talking about the feeling. Then another short break and a quick run through the whole set, to watch or take part in as you choose.
Who this is for
Anyone, all genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds welcome. Complete beginners welcome, and we can adapt the set for a wide range of movement limitations, just let me know your needs at the start of the class. Children are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
What to bring
No special outfit is needed, but wear flat shoes and comfortable clothes that you can move around in. This isn’t sweaty work, you won’t need a change of clothes.
COVID policy:
- When the season permits we practice outside. The indoor space we use has good air filtration and enough space that we can spread out.
- Indoors, masks will be encouraged, but please be aware that I don't wear a mask to teach, to make it easier to hear me. Outdoors there will be plenty of space for distancing.
- If you feel any cold or flu symptoms, please stay home, even if you’re sure it’s not COVID. I will always credit registration fees towards the next workshop for anyone who skips a date for health reasons.
Questions
Please email me with any questions about the workshops or the Five Animal Frolics.
Five Animals at the office
Time: 2-2:30pm.
Dates: Mondays other than public holidays, from September 8th onwards.
Venue: theDock coworking space, meet in the ground floor reception area.
Cost: Free for theDock community members; membership starts at $20/month.
Registration: Join theDock online or email community@thedockvictoria.com; no need to register for this class specifically.
Class description
Each week we go through a simple warm up routine to get our bodies moving in a relaxed and comfortable way. Then we’ll pick one or two of the Five Animals and go through their movements together, with time for questions and refinements.
Weather permitting, we practice outdoors in a public plaza that offers sun and shade. There is a sheltered semi-indoor space available for when it doesn’t. theDock has washrooms, tea, coffee, and water available.
Who this is for
Any theDock community member 16 years or older, all genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds welcome. Complete beginners welcome, and every class is a drop-in so you can start at any time. We can also adapt the set for a wide range of movement limitations, just let me know your needs at the start of the class.
What to bring
No special outfit is needed, but wear flat shoes and comfortable clothes that you can move around in. This isn’t sweaty work, you won’t need a change of clothes.
COVID policy:
- We practice outside whenever possible, and have a sheltered space with permanently open ventilation available for rain and cold days.
- Masks are still a good idea and highly encouraged indoors, but please be aware that the venue does not require indoor masking, and I will probably not wear one so that it’s easier to hear me.
- If you don’t want to come in to theDock’s main office space, contact me in advance and I’ll tell you where to meet us.
- If you feel any cold or flu symptoms, please stay home, even if you’re sure it’s not COVID.
Questions
Please email me with any questions about the classes or subject matter, or theDock with any questions about community memberships.