Uhuru / Uhura

Just found out in my latest etymological read (The Secret Life of Words by Henry Hitchens) that uhuru comes from Swahili and signifies an African nation's independence. If Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry knew this, and named his famous black female character for it, then he was even more forward-minded than we all thought. He also provided USA TV's first cross-racial kiss (between Kirk and Uhuru). I realise I may be becoming a bit of an anorak.

Anorak and Parka are, of course, both words for outer garments worn by tribes in the most northerly climes...

Tin Hut T'ai Chi -Class dates change

Just to remind folk, the class due next Wednesday 3 June will be brought forward to Monday 1st June as the hall is being used for elections.

Aberdeenshire Sunday classes

Sunday drop-in classes continue 2-5pm each week, usually at Paolo & Davina's. We'll work on whatever's appropriate depending on who turns up: any Great River student is welcome to attend. Bring your weapons in case we have the opportunity to work outside.
The class on 31st May will be at Jim & Betty's in Inverurie.
Get in touch if you need the address or directions.

Squirrel forestry

The squirrel that takes what it can from my birdfeeders has been giving something back recently in the form of buried acorns which have sprouted. These are now potted up in my greenhouse and are turning into fine little oak trees. I am pretty sure there'll be more to follow as I just saw the creature digging around a few minutes ago. I will tend them for a few years and pot them on until they are strong, but I am not up for bonsai (or tree-torture, as a guest on Gardener's World called it). So if you would like to grow an oak tree and have the room to do so, let me know sometime, no hurry. I will post some pictures later and keep you informed if the squirrel tries its paw at more forestry. It's not as good as having a cat (I still miss Deisel) but growing an oak from seed is something I have always wanted to do, and the feed costs are less.

Thursday Long Form class ...

... is at the Wyness Hall, Jackson Street, Inverurie today (21st May).

Summer 7 day workshop

I have just been checking-in with Mark. So that we can really do some great work this Summer and not be going over the basics, the minimum requirements of experience for the event are: familiarity with double pushing hands, at least 1/3 Short Form, both salutations, knowing the full warm up set and a good understanding of our approach as well as the principles. Preferably the student would know basic Talu, the steps of Wabu and have done a little figure-8 work, if not step 'fig-8 leap'. If my students have T'ai Chi friends, family or students they would like to come along, please get them familiar with double push hands and the 1st 1/3 Short Form, and the rest of what's listed above before the workshop. Any queries, let me know. With over 20 students all with between 2 - 15 years experience coming along, it'd be great to have a common pool of experience that we can rely on for leaping deeper in...

Taichifinder

I had had some problems with our Taichifinder.co.uk listings, as the format had been changed and none of my log in details seemed to work. The site owners helped me with this but I will take this opportunity to ask all the instructors (Scott, Ev, Davina, Paolo, Neil [if you want to]) to send me a little email with these items in:

1: Class town, 2: venue, 3: postcode of venue, 4: dates of terms, 5: time and day of week, 6: length of session, 7: price of class, 8: special feature / restriction of class (if any), 9: contact number for class info (instructor) and class booking (centre number) if different and 10: finally any other detail I would need to know.

Please could you do a separate list for each class you do, even if I've had the details in the past. I intend to revamp all the listing on Taichifinder very soon, as well as update all the workshops, as they seem to be missing since the site was redesigned. Thanks ever so much...

Gartly weekend sessions

Thanks to Ev for organising the Tin Hut at Gartly - what a lovely venue for T'ai Chi. Thanks too to Davina and Paolo for all their logistical help for me and Mark. It was a great pleasure to work with such a cohesive group of students. When Ev's two new students joined us for the Sunday afternoon session, the good energy of the group pulled them along too. I hope Dave's shoulder feels better soon and that everyone passes on all the new stuff from the weekend to him. Also, if you usually don't get along to sessions to practise partnerwork with the others, please try to make a few Thursday or Sunday visits during the Summer term while the nights are light and warmer. Then we'll have a great foundation for the Summer workshop. It is very important to keep the partner work fresh so that the solo Form does not become empty. Thanks again to all, we had a wonderful weekend.

Supertramp

This is the latest production from CSSD from the Devised and Collaborative Theatre students. I saw it in preview and it was great, very moving. The first year studnets of this course studied T'ai Chi with me all Spring Term, organised by Camille Litalien, who is directing this play.

Aberdeenshire Thursday class, May to July

The next "term" for Thursday class will run from 21st May to 23rd July. The price will be £15 or £2.50 per session. Here's who will lead the class each week.

21-May Sandy (Wyness Hall, Inverurie)
28-May Scott
4-June Alison
11-June Dave
18-June Ev
25-June Davina
2-July Janet
9-July Neil (Friendship Room, Kemnay)
16-July Paolo
23-July Sandy
30-July no class (Mark's week long workshop at Fetternear)

We're in the Masonic Hall every week, apart from this week (21st May) when we're at Wyness Hall. It's across the road from the Masonic Hall, on the left of Jackson Street on the way up to the Academy. We're in the smaller of the 2 halls: go down the right hand side of the building, in the door and it's the room on the left hand side.
The class on the 9th July has also had to be moved due to ongoing renovation at the Masonic Hall.

With John Kells in Wales last week.

Weeklong Summer Workshop

I have been looking up travel prices for those thinking of coming to the workshop this July. There are coaches which take 12hrs 10 mins from £15 each way from http://www.nationalexpress.com/ . Return journeys by train booked in the next few days can be obtained from £82.50, if you book it by buying two singles http://www.thetrainline.com/ . Easyjet have flights from Luton from £70.98 http://www.easyjet.com/ . Alternatively http://www.ba.com/ and http://www.flybmi.com/ have flights from £142 and £111 today.

Students who'd like to 'camp' indoors at the workshop venue, Fetternear Hall, are welcome to do so for £1 a night towards electricity. There are bathrooms, a kitchen and heaters but no showers. You'll be welcome to pop to students' houses for that. Bring sleep mats and sleeping bags and you'll be very comfortable.

For £5 a night you can stay at one of the Scottish students' houses. From £25 per night there are b&bs nearby. We hope as many southern students as possible can come for as many days as they can manage. Do get in touch with me with any queries and I will do what I can to help.

I'm not sure if I'd put these prices on the blog before, but the tuition fees this year are £30 full fee, £20 concessions, per day.

I have got rough numbers from the Aberdeenshire students already. It would be great if any of my or Mark's students who intend to come along this summer let me know roughly how many days they'll be coming, and where they want to stay. So far there are at least 18 signed up.

Gartly Directions

For those of us who are not good at maps, the directions to the Tin Hut are:

From Aberdeen direction: Turn left off A96 at Huntly roundabout onto A97 to Rhynie; after a few miles, turn 1st right at the signs for Gartly Community Hall.... Tillathrowie....Drumbulg Kennels... Corrylair trekking centre. There's also a bus stop at the junction. The hall is the big tin hut on the right.

Coming from Elgin direction, turn right off A96 at Huntly r'about and follow above.

Coming from Mossat, come up A97, past Gartly opening, pass Mytice, look for double exit sign on Left, and turn 2nd Left -signed as above.

Simples.

This weekend

After missing last month's visit, I am really looking forward to seeing all the Scottish students, studying with and teaching you this weekend during Mark's visit. Hopefully some new and returning beginners will be joining us on the Sunday Short Form session. Please remind your students that they are most welcome to that session, whatever their level of experience. More than anything, I am looking forward to doing more sword, staff and Dance (San Shou) with you all. It looks like the weather will be generally duff all over the UK this weekend, so it'll be nice to be cosy in the Tin Hut and also at Kemnay.

Several of the London students are hoping to come to the weeklong intensive in July, so let me know if you can put anyone up, and I'll start some sort of list soon.

Last weekend

This Saturday Hamid, Marli, David, Mark and myself went to see John Kells in Chepstow, along with some others of his students. It was an excellent day. I'll post some pictures soon. On Sunday we had a Weapons Day in Tooting, here's a shot of Mark uprooting David before we worked on staff. This was also a great day's T'ai Chi...

Weapons Days in London

Weapons days from September will be 13th September and 25th October, usual time and place. They will then resume in the New Year 2010.

Your Questionnaire

There's no space in your Questionnaire
to tell you how it felt rowing on the fjords

Where in your risk assessment
can I explain how it was to make love in
Florence

When will you ask me
about the Mayor of Stockholm's speech in
the Nobel Hall

Where do I tick the box
To say what it's like to run in the Troodos
Mountains

Will this psychometric test show you
the guts it took to climb Ayers Rock at age
five

Is this the interview
where I describe playing Frisbee for Ireland
at the world Championships

Is that the report
which records the first time I saw a play at
the National

Could that be the parole dossier
that outlines the weekends spent youth
hostelling with my dad

Just let me know
when you want to hear about me.

Poem by Malcom, HMP Wandsworth,
printed in the Anne Frank Prison Project Issue 1, reprinted with permission. www.annefrank.org.uk


My new flatmate Charlie is involved in working with offenders and ex-offenders in using the arts to promote transformation, forgiveness and learning. He produces a magazine called 'The A Word' and this week came second in national awards for prisoners projects. Through giving these people a voice he is actively encouraging people to change how they see themselves, and therefore open up a possibility for change and growth, and often for reconcillation with victims of crime, too. www.apcentre.org.uk/arts_on_the_out . He brought a magazine home last week with the above poem in, and I wanted to put it here. The magazines he brings back are full of incredible work, art, poetry, prose, all of it coming from a life 'inside'.

Aberdeenshire workshops 15-17th May

The next workshops with Mark are as follows. Each session costs £15 / £10 and as regulars will know, the end times are approximate !

Fri 15th 7-10pm: Ta Lu & stepping partnerwork. Main Hall, Kemnay Village Hall. Tea will be provided.
Sat 16th 2-5pm: Long Form
Sat 16th 6.30-9.30pm: Weapons training
Sun 17th 2-5pm: Short Form and partnerwork, beginners very welcome
Sun 17th 6.30-9.30pm: Dance (San Shou)

The Saturday and Sunday sessions are at the "Tin Hut" aka Gartly Hall. It's a lovely country community hall where Ev holds a class. You'll find it at the end of the Tillathrowie Road, about 2 miles south of Huntly on the A97 / Rhynie Road.
There's a map available here.

Please bring some food to share between the sessions.

Far North / Final Frontiers

This is Marcel Theroux's new book, Far North. Marcel is one of Mark's students and previously studied T'ai Chi with Michael Spinks, (until he passed away), another of John's good students. I cannot recommend this novel enough! It's straight into my top ten novels ever... I liked it as much as anything I've read by JG Ballard, Margaret Attwood or Russell Hoban. It's such a gripping story, and has so much depth of meaning, I read it in two days, and was late for class on Tuesday as I just had to finish it. Mark borrowed it two days ago and stayed up reading it all night in one sitting. Treat yourself to it for the weekend, get some good tea and cake in, and put your feet up. You will be transported.
Talking about being transported; I am off to see the new Star Trek prequel tonight with David. Nothing like a bit of SF to boost you at the end of a busy week. Can't wait to see Zachary Quinto as the young Spock. Goes without saying that Spock was a bit of a hero for me as a young kid. However, I think I'm over the logical thing now, mostly.

Weapons Days from September

The next days planned for Weapons study in London after the August break are Sunday 13th September and 25th October. There are no slots available in November and December, so we will resume in January 2010. These dates should be confirmed with Mark on Sunday.

Oldmeldrum class

I'm away this Monday (11th May) so Davina will be taking the class. Normal service will resume on the 18th of May.
Scott

Partner Work Days 2009

This is the first news of partnerwork practice mornings here in South London. As he does not have time in the near future to teach partner work days, Mark has encouraged me to organise these 3 hour sessions where all the folks who want to practise partnerwork of all kinds can gather. We will have a sand timer and will change partners every 10 minutes. There will be several senior students on hand to help anyone out if needed, and mostly we'll be improving by working with everyone and sharing what we know. Minimum level of experience is familiarity with all four 'sides' of single pushing hands. We can cover push hands, double push hands, Ta Lu, Wabu, The Dance, rooting and upooting, Heartwork exchanges, sticking, yielding and whatever else people want to look at. There will not be group teaching, and I will only be organising and helping the sessions run smoothly. This format worked wonderfully in Hannover at the Push Hands Festival.

Mark said that if we got something good going he might just turn up! I think he'd like to see everyone really comfortable with the 4 sides of double pushing hands, simple Ta Lu and Wabu before starting the days again, as then we can really cover some ground and do some good work, rather than cover the basics every time in the sessions. So, in the meantime, it'd be great if you could let me know if you'd like to come along to these days so that we can have partnerwork days again in the New Year, hopefully on Saturdays or alternating with Weapons Days on Sundays. I have provisionally booked the usual venue St Mary Magdalene Hall already. It costs £48 for the 3 hours. The cost will be £1 plus the share of the hall (£6 if 10 attend, much less if more attend). All Mark's, John's or my students are welcome, as well as students' students...

2009 Dates: (all times 10.30am-1.30pm, tea provided)
June 27th
September 12th
October 10th

Elgin Lunchtime Class

The lunchtime class in Elgin will restart on Wednesday 20th May and will be open to Moray Council staff and the public.

The class will be held in the Red Shoes Theatre, Elgin (opposite the old Safeway carpark & 2 mins from the council offices) and will run from 20th May for 6 weeks initially from 12 - 1 (approx times).

Sessions will be suitable for beginners and returners who wish to revise.

Food (soup/sandwiches) can be available in the Cafe Rouge.

Looking forward to seeing returning and new students!

John Kells

Mark, and a few of his students including myself, will be going to visit John on Saturday to study, before he moves to Ireland. There is a session early on Sunday too, but we have a weapons day here in London, so we will return.

London International Buddhist Film Festival

I am sad not to be free any evenings to go to some of the wonderful films at this great looking festival. It features: Dead Man, Stay, Wheel of Time and several others of my favourite films. http://barbican.org.uk/ibff/home

Weapons Day in London

This weekend sees the next Weapons Day, 1-7pm, Sunday 10th May, St Mary Magdalene Church Hall, Trinity Road, Wandsworth Common. Cost £25 / £15, tea provided, bring a snack.

Laptop

My laptop has been broken for a while, but is now mended again, thank goodness. Hence the extended lack of posts from me on the blog...

No class at Turriff 4th May

Just a reminder that there will be no class at Turriff on Monday 4th May as the Gateway Centre is closed for the Bank Holiday.