Sync up with winter’s restorative vibe and replenish your deep energy stores with meditative movement based in qigong and Chen style taiji quan (tai chi). We’ll use the movement to explore and embody themes of fluidity and flow, natural rhythms and cycles, traversing poles of a spectrum, and finding ease within tension and exertion at the physical, mental and emotional levels. We’ll examine our relationship to the space within and around us, integrating interoception and proprioception. We’ll work on balance, stability, alignment, joint flexibility and articulation, developing strength with minimal force, and cultivating a relaxed mental space for optimal clarity, creativity and play.

Classes are hybrid studio/seminar: approx 70% movement practice, 30% study of culture, history, philosophy, and language analysis of relevant terms in Mandarin Chinese. Students will have assigned readings and a daily course journal to complete. Students will establish an independent daily practice schedule to nurture the habit as well as to collect questions and observations for class.

Evaluation is based on constancy and quality of engagement, a written reflection of the student’s experience in the course (min 500 words) including the student’s self-assessment, and a final individual and group movement demonstration with audience to be agreed upon by the cohort.

Though this course employs material with a specific cultural heritage as a launching point, our goal is to utilize these tools to investigate topics common across the human experience. Our objectives include self-expression and emotional regulation through movement and play, identifying imbalances and alleviating discomfort in one’s being, implementing consistent self-care habits, and consciously reconnecting internally to self and externally to the environment. This course is open to all backgrounds, levels of experience, and chosen identities. Williams community members interested in auditing the course should contact the instructor.