This site has a little information about Tai Chi, the classes in Hove that I teach and an occasional blog. I see no point in reproducing what you can find elsewhere on the web so I have just included a page of links to relevant sites.
King Alfred Redevelopment
The council are moving on with the development of the King Alfred site.
“We will be working with the team with the aim of having the planning application submitted by the end of 2025. That will enable us to stay on track to have work for the new facility start on site in the early months of 2026 with planned completion in early 2028. ”
Alliance Leisure has been chosen to complete the design and lead the planning application using GT3 Architects with Engenuiti as the civil and structural engineers for the project, Van Zyl & de Villiers (VZDV) will be the project’s building services and engineering consultant and Hadron Consulting the technical project managers.
More details, if you are bored and really want them(!), can be found here.
Obviously once they start there may be disruption to our regular Thursday evening slot but they promise “to keep the centre open as long as possible”.
I could move the class elsewhere to avoid hassle but I’m inclined to hang on to our current slot, in the hope it will give us priority when the new facilities are completed. After all, Wudang, Practical, Tai Chi Chuan has been practised there, almost every week (excepting COVID lockdowns), for more than 35 years!
January 2026 Beginners Tai Chi Course
I shall run a 4 week Beginners Tai Chi Course starting on the 9th January 2026, 8-9pm. If you are looking to try out a full system of Tai Chi then this is the course for you!
We will cover the first few moves of the Hand Form, some Pushing Hands drills and a bit of History and Theory but don’t worry, there is no exam at the end!
Cost £50.00. Maximum 6 places. Email, text or call me to book your place and/or ask any questions.
September Advanced Workshop & October Beginners Course
Usual Advanced Workshop in Horsham this Saturday, 7th September. You need to be familiar with the Short Form and at least two styles of Pushing Hands before attending but ask me if in doubt.
If you are thinking of trying Tai Chi, the Autumn Beginners Course will run for 4 weeks from Thursday 3rd October. 8-9pm. Cost £50.00.
It will cover the first few moves of the Short Hand Form, some Pushing Hands, a little theory and a brief history of Taijiquan (to give it it’s proper name).
There will not(!) be a test at the end but after completing the course you can join the regular drop in group to extend your knowledge and practise for just £10pw. Contact me, details on the Classes Page, to reserve one of just 6 places available.
King Alfred Development
At an “urgent cabinet meeting” the council decided to push ahead with the new sports centre on the King Alfred site. They agreed that:
“Work to select and appoint a lead architect and professional team to commence the design process will now begin.
At a future cabinet meeting in summer 2025 we will seek agreement on the design and the landowner’s consent (Not sure who this is but…) for submission of a planning application.
We would not expect any work to begin on site before early 2026 and the facility is not expected to open before spring 2028.
The intention is to keep the current facility open and operating for as long as is possible.”
Fingers crossed it proceeds smoothly and the new facility will be suitable and affordable. I also hope we don’t have to move out for too long but I will look at finding an alternative venue, not too far away, for any closure and/or the future in case it doesn’t suit us.
Qi-gong & Tai-chi in Wish Park this Summer
We are continuing to meet and train in Wish Park on Tuesday evenings, and have only had to cancel a few, despite the dismal weather!
Beginners are always welcome so just come along and join in at 6.45pm, to find out what these ancient arts are all about. We will be somewhere near the middle of Wish Park. Cost just £5.
Regular students will know I usually hold a summer BBQ and, this year, it will be on Saturday 10th August, from 4pm, at mine. Partners/children welcome but please let me know the numbers and any diet restrictions via WhatsApp. A contribution – dish or bottle (Not Pimms, I still have an unopened one from last year!) would be appreciated.
Here’s hoping last Friday wasn’t the only hot day of this summer.
Ozymandius Meet Up
For those of you with some experience, an event not to be missed:-
The Inaugral OZYMANDIUS TAI CHI CAMP!!!!
Venue: The College of Richard Collyer, Horsham RH12 2EJ
Date: Early Spring Bank Holiday Weekend 4th-6th May
Three whole days of Wudang or Practical Tai Chi Chuan. Obviously you don’t have to do all of them.
Sessions will be lead by a number of Dan’s best known students from this country and abroad.
Click on the King of Kings above for details.
I can’t wait!
Tai Chi in the Park restarts on Tuesday 16th April 2024l
At last the trees are bursting into leaf and the evenings are staying lighter longer so it’s time for Taiji & Qigong in the park to re-start for the summer, even if it is still a bit chilly.
So, next Tuesday, 16th April, we will be in Wish Park 6.45-7.45pm and every week thereafter until Septemberish. The class is open to all abilities including complete beginners. If you want to find out what these mysterious Eastern arts are all about just come along and join us, no booking required, cost just £5.
If you want to know a bit more first look at the About & Classes pages or contact me via the email/phone number thereon.
I’m looking forward to meeting old friends and making some new ones. See you there, just remember to dress for the weather!
New Year, New Beginners Course and January Workshop
After the disappointing early closure of the King Alfred, we have had our last class of the year and I have started planning for 2024. We will start back on the first Thursday after New Year.
I shall run a 6 week Beginners Tai Chi Course alongside the regular weekly classes starting on the 4th January. If you are looking to try out a full system of Tai Chi then this is the course for you. We will cover the first few moves of the Short Hand Form, some Pushing Hands drills and a bit of History and Theory but don’t worry, there is no exam at the end! Email, text or call me to book your place and/or ask any questions.
The next Advanced Workshop in Horsham will take place on Saturday 6th January – ask me , or see Peter’s site for details.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all, including those I haven’t seen for a while – it’s never too late to re-start!
Advanced Workshop & Nei-gong Refresher in Horsham
I’m looking forward to the usual monthly Advanced Workshop in Horsham this Saturday, 4th November.
Usual format:
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- 2-3pm, Hand Forms
- 3-4pm, Pushing Hands and applications
- 4-5pm, Weapons forms and applications
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Cost:
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- £7 per hour but just £20 for the whole afternoon
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Location:
In case you don’t know, there is a Nei-gong session beforehand for Menren, ‘inside the door students’ of PTCC.
The Nei-gong exercises require a degree of effort not everyone can commit to and are not taught in open class. There are 12 Yin and 12 Yang exercises some quite demanding, and some more meditative. Each set can be done in under an hour, at the basic level, but should be done daily initially. If you would like to find out more speak to me or Peter.
July Advanced Workshop, Nei-gong on Zoom & Qi-gong in the park
After another great workshop with Peter in Horsham at the start of June we are back in Hove on Saturday 1st July. It was particularly good to see a few people I haven’t seen for ages.
I know I don’t have Peter’s depth of knowledge, and it is a bit further for many of you to travel, but I do hope more of you can make it south of the Downs this time as it is so good to train with experienced players and exchange ideas – we all learned some things slightly differently from Dan.
Usual time, venue, format and cost see Peter’s Site for details. Unlike Peter, I can’t include a Nei-gong session beforehand but all ‘men-ren’ are welcome to join the Wish Wudang twice weekly Zoom sessions from 7.45-8.25am . Yin set every Tuesday and and Yang every Friday (Alternating between sets 1&2 and 2&3 because all 12 take longer than a free Zoom!). Just DM me for login details.
Qi-gong/tai-ji in the park is not proving that popular this year – a few ‘newbies’ have tried it but none have stuck as yet. So, if you have just stumbled on this site, and are looking to try Tai Chi or Qi-gong this summer, feel free to come along and give it a go. We meet in the middle of Wish Park/Aldrington Recreation Ground at 6.45pm on Tuesday evenings up until September.