SUN STYLE tai chi, also called Sun 73--the youngest of the traditional tai chi systems--stresses health and balance.  It was created by martial artist Sun Lu Tang in the early 20th century in China; he wanted to emphasize the health side of tai chi more than the martial aspect.  This form can be done in both a "competition" form and a modified non-competition manner.

I teach the non-competition form, which reduces difficulty but maintains all the main characteristics.

We learn 73 movements, but many of these are repeats, so there are really 40 or so unique postures to master.  And there's no rush in learning them. We take our time, enjoying each movement, with each person working within his or her comfort zone.

You can explore the internet and find many videos of people performing Sun 73--some doing competition style, others doing the form in more relaxed ways.  As is true with all tai chi, you'll see that different individuals interpret the moves in somewhat different ways.

Right now, my Advanced Class at the Thompson Center in Woodstock is learning Sun 73 and enjoying its challenges. We meet at The Thompson from 10:45-11:45 on Wednesdays (see schedule page).Sun's gentle movements, the way it incorporates deep breathing, and its upright posture make it very accessible. But there are plenty of challenges too....