The Festival of Tai Chi 2009

The Festival of Tai Chi 2009 will take place on Saturday the 21st November at the Cashmere Club.

The doors will be open at 8:45am to register and meet with other enthusiasts. There is a $5 door fee.

The program will start approximately 9:15pm with the traditional Yang long form led by Loo Chi Hu QSM who is the father of Tai Chi in Christchurch.

This year Tai Chi Instructors, Orlando Garcia Morales and Diana Lau will represent Auckland. Terry Young and Mercedes Godinez will be coming from Wellington, all who have international experience in training or competition.

The Nelson School of Tai Chi led by Cristine Clements will again travel south to be part of our program.

Local Practitioners Dave Thew, Dr Denis Walker, Sandy Jiang and Jean Whalley will also present demonstrations. There will be plenty of opportunity to participate in the forms being presented and also talk to Instructors at various times of the day.

There are plenty of places close by to buy your lunch or you can order from the in house menu at the restaurant on site.

For more information contact Mike Penter on Retnep AT xtra.co DOT nz or use this email form letter.

Auckland Event Schedule for WTCQD

"One World ... ... One Breath"

Details of WTCQD in Auckland as follows:

Programme

	Public Demonstrations		Chinese Health Qigong Seminar
Date	Saturday, 25 April 2009	Date	Sunday, 26 April 2009
Venue	Tamaki College Community Recreation Centre	Venue	Marcellin College Gym
	Elstree Ave		617 Mt Albert Rd
	Glen Innes		Royal Oak
	Auckland		Auckland
Time	1.30 pm - 4.30 pm	Time	9.00 am - 1.00 pm
Admission	Free admission	Admission	$60.00

WORLD TAI CHI & QIGONG DAY 2009

"One World ... ... One Breath"

A relay of special events to celebrate World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (WTCQD) will begin in New Zealand and end 24 hours later in Hawaii.

WTCQD is officially recognized by the United Nations World Health Organization and aims to promote and educate the world to the benefits of practising Tai Chi and Qigong.

Since 2002, at 10.00am local time, Tai Chi and Qigong enthusiasts in New Zealand have had the honour of kick-starting WTCQD for the rest of the world and to initiate a "healing wave of energy" to encircle the globe.

This year WTCQD will be held on Saturday, 25th April and in observance of Anzac Day the usual large public events will take place in the afternoon instead.

However, New Zealand at the prescribed time of 10.00am will still kick-start WTCQD. Individuals and small groups of practitioners will gather to perform Tai Chi and Qigong privately with the hope that the new "healing wave of energy" they initiate for the world in 2009, will also carry the Spirit of Anzac - for peace, freedom, unity, love of life.

In Auckland, the celebration of WTCQD will for the first time take place over two days. On Saturday afternoon the public demonstrations will include mass displays of Tai Chi and Qigong performed by combined clubs and schools. A special seminar is planned for Sunday to teach the Ba Duan Jin Qigong routine. This simple to learn, evidence-based health Qigong from China is currently being promoted world-wide.

Research have shown that the traditional Chinese health technologies of Tai Chi and Qigong can reduce anxiety, depression, and chronic pain conditions. They can boost the immune system, improve respiratory function, burn calories, dramatically improve balance, improve cardiovascular benefit, provide powerful stress management tools, and slow aspects of the aging process.

WTCQD in New Zealand is organized by the New Zealand National Tai Chi Chuan Association Inc.

Further information is available at the websites:
www.worldtaichiday-akl.org
www.worldtaichiday.org

Contacts:

Diana Lau	Ph: 638 5308, 021-182 4963	Email Diana Lau
Orlando Garcia	Ph: 636 1329, 021-560 200	Email Orlando Garcia
David Wong	Ph: 625 5197, 027-475 4162	Email David Wong

WTCQD in Auckland is sponsored by SPORT AUCKLAND and ASIA NEW ZEALAND FOUNDATION

2nd International Taijiquan Invitational Tournament

Dear New Zealand Kung-Fu Wushu Federation Members and Friends.

The ‘Hong Kong Wushu Union Organizing Committee of the upcoming 2nd International Taijiquan Invitational Tournament cum 1st International Taiji Push Hands Championships is seeking participation.

Please advise a.s.a.p. if anyone is interested in attending this event, which is scheduled between 28th February to 1st March, 2009 in Hong Kong. For further information please visit http://www.hkwushuu.com.hk.

The New Zealand Kung-Fu Wushu Federation is happy to act as a central coordination point for those wishing to attend. Please email me at president AT wushu DOT org DOT nz if you are interested.

Yours in wushu,
Glen Keith

RED DRAGON TAI CHI

Mike Penter started up a Sunday 10 o'clock class in June 2008 to fill the void created when Loo Chi Hu resigned from public teaching at the end of 2006.

Mike reports that this has been successful and a few of his students attend regularly but wishes to point out the opportunity exits to anyone who is proficient at the Yang style long form.

A few Sundays ago we played the form in Somerfield Park as the conditions were right.

If you think this might suit you, just turn up at the Somerfield Community Hall, in Studholme Street, Somerfield, Christchurch.

The Festival of Tai Chi.

The Festival of Tai Chi is organised by the New Zealand National T’ai Chi Ch’uan Association Incorporated.

It is an annual event, the purpose of which, is to showcase all aspects of Tai Chi and Qi gong to the public and to provide opportunities for further learning and networking.

The Festival takes place on the last Saturday of November in Christchurch, and evolved with the establishment of the Association in 1988 as part of its aims to promote Tai Chi as an exercise for health and wellbeing. Over that time its name has changed also to reflect the mood of the time. It has been the Tai Chi workshops. The Tai Chi Gathering and is now the Festival of Tai Chi.

It brings together Tai Chi and Qi gong teachers and practitioners from all over New Zealand and occasionally attracts teachers from overseas. It also presents an opportunity to share knowledge and to see first hand the many different facets of these ancient Chinese art forms played out over a six hour window of time. The dynamics change each year as well as new practitoners are woven into the mix.

For further information please contact the Secretary.New Zealand National T’ai Chi Ch’uan Association Incorporated.164 Condell Avenue, Papanui, Christchurch 8053