The Community was formed in 1992 by a group of local Tai Chi enthusiasts who got together and organised weekly classes. Also in May/June of 1992 the city Council as part of a year long programme of events named "Impact '92" invited Miss Wen hui, a Chinese Tai Chi Master, who was originally from the city of Shenyang, Lioaning province, NE china. She is currently resident in Lauven, near Brussels Belgium, where she teaches Tai Chi to locals in the city,
The Purpose of the visit was to train the locals who could then teach others. After a very successful number of weeks Wen Hui left the city, but she left with a promise to return again at Christmas that year. Since then Tai Chi has flourished in the city, and the community can now boast of having the largest membership on the island of Ireland. Wen Hui has returned to the city each year since 1992, and instructors of the Community have travelled to Brussels to receive ongoing instruction form her. A number from the Community instructors also spent long periods in China studying the various Tai Chi disciplines.
In fact in 1995, they studied in Shenyang Physical Culture Institute, and also in Beijing over a seven week period. In 1997, the group, lead by our chief instructor and organiser Charlie Morrison, studied in the city of Harbin, Heilongong Province, NE china for a period of eight weeks. Here Charlie received his teaching certification from the Chinese university. He is also an approved and certified instructor of the Tai Chi Union of Great Britain.
The Community holds classes twice weekly on Mondays and Saturdays at the Foyle Arts centre,with limited capacity classes, and have had to open up a waiting list for new people wishing to join. In addition a number of classes are undertaken around the city in other communities, such as University of the Third Age.
The Tai Chi Community in Derry is very vibrant, and is recognised as being the leader in providing authentic Tai Chi instruction through its instructors who are appropriately certified by the Community. The Community also organises weekend workshops over a variety of complimentary disciplines such as : Shen Dao, Qigong, various Tai Chi styles, and Meditation etc. Over the years the Community has invited people, appart from Wen Hui, to participate and lead events like Danny Conner (RIP), and various Chinese masters from mainland China, with a weekend at the ocean in County Donegal being the highlight of the courses.
The Community has also a very polished Tai Chi demonstrations team, which give many public performances, in particular each year at the city's Walled City Festival and the Mayor's Parade. The Community mostly teaches various Qigong routines, 24-step Tai Chi Chaun, and to the more advanced students 42-step Competition Form and Yang Style Sword Form. However the majority of our membership are happy to stick with the 24-step and Qigong. The "24 step" short Yang style contains 167 separate movements, and is based on continuous circular motion.
The Community logo on this web-site was developed and designed by our leader Charlie Morrison in 1992, and is specific to the identity of the community. It is featured on all our correspondence, and is also displayed on Comunity T-Shirts and sweatshirts. The logo is a design of a Tai Chi player in "The snake creeps down" position with a background of mother earth and the Yin/Yang symbol, all contained within a circle.
The Community took part in a weekend workshop of Tai Chi and Meditation in Gweedore, County Donegal, in early February 2001. This was also repeated when our Master Wen Hui came to town just before last easter.
The community also produces a Tai Chi newsletter each month, which is very popular with our membership. The monthly newsletter can be viewed on this site, along with a few previous months newsletters.
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View this months edition of the Foyle Arts Center Tai Chi community News.(May),
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last months edition (april),
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Or the previous months editions in the archives
If you want to get in touch with the Tai Chi Community in Derry write to:
The Tai Chi Community,
Foyle Disablity Resource Centre,
Glen Road,
L.Derry,
N. Ireland.
Or, contact Mr Charlie Morrison at:
Tel: +44 (0)28 71 266657
Fax: +44 (0)28 71 363166
