Description
Charlotte first started practising Tai Chi Chuan and Qi Gong whilst teaching English in Guizhou China in 2003. Once she knew a few words in Mandarin she plucked up the courage to go out early in the morning and join the old ladies who practised yang style tai chi chuan every morning.
She started having 1-1 lessons locally and found teachers when travelling. Chance encounters led her to a beautiful Buddhist monastery in Dali learning Shao Lin Kung Fu and learning Qi Gong from an elderly (but very active!) Master in Yang Shou who had been the monkey king in the Chinese Opera. He told her to start learning Chen Style (a more dynamic style of tai chi) angry about the politicisation of tai chi that had led to yang style gaining such popularity in China.
So, a few years later back in Manchester she remembered his words and sought out a Chen Style teacher, Chris Lomas (Little Nine Heaven) who taught her a dynamic Chen style form as well as giving her a basic understanding of martial applications and the health benefits of qi gong.
Moving to The Lakes in 2009, she was lucky enough to start training with Chris Shaw, June Parker and Raymond Towers (www.ukqf.co.uk) who taught her a deep respect for the Chinese Arts and its links to Chinese medicine and Taoism. She began teaching by holding free classes in the park (people in my area already knew me as the ”Tai Chi lady’ after seeing me practising up on the golf course and in Serpentine woods (Qi gong is best practised outside to feel its full benefits).
Now qualified as an instructor for the uktqf and Tai Chi Union, She teaches a number of classes in and around The Lake District and loves seeing people’s posture, alignment and mood change as they practice. Her own practice has developed and she now trains in weapons forms and floor work with John Bolwell Lakes Tai Chi (tai chi ball, staff, sabre) and Chen Hsing (the art of effortless power chenghsin.com).
It is her aim to introduce qi gong to people who have not done it before and for people to feel comfortable practising qi gong and tai chi outside in the UK just like those old ladies in China who first introduced me to the joys of tai chi chuan.
What to bring
Online bookings by eola