Contact Us FAQ

CONTACT OPTIONS FOR DETAILS:

  • CONTACT EMAIL:  WINNIPEG@CANADIANTAICHIACADEMY.ORG   

Canadian Tai Chi Academy FAQ

Uniform? There is no uniform. Wear comfortable loose-fitting clothes. T-shirts with the CTCA Academy logo are frequently available for purchase.


Health Concerns? The first resource you should check with is your family doctor. Your doctor can advise you based on your medical history. In general, if you can manage a brisk walk then you should be able to do the Tai Chi set. If you need to take a break to rest during the class, we encourage you to do so. If you have any other concerns please speak with your instructor and together you can find a way to adapt the Tai Chi to your needs.


Footwear? Comfortable shoes, preferably with no or low heels, should be worn. Bare feet is okay on safe grassy areas but is not recommended for indoor tai chi.


Home Practice? Practising at home is recommended but not mandatory. Practising what you learned in the previous class will help reinforce your learning and accentuates the health benefits of tai chi. There is Youtube support. Ask instructors.


Class Cancellations? Only extreme weather conditions will cause a class cancellation. If the city buses are not running, we will cancel classes. You will be contacted if a cancellation is necessary.


Winnipeg/SPLC Area Rates for Monthly Membership:

Winnipeg/SPLC Area Rates

Beginner Tai Chi Course (BTCC)

Monthly Membership

BTCC Special Promotion - First Time Students only.

Special Promotion First Time Students only. BTTCs runs about 4 months with twice / week classes. Attend once per week and utilize online support. Lots of review. Lots of repetition too.

  • Pay 3 months and 4 Month free or pay monthly as rated below

After BTCC you are invited to join the Academy as a member and attend Continuing Classes and pay as below:

  • Adults $40/month, $400 Annual

  • Seniors & Full Time Students $30/month, $300 Annual

Membership entitles access to all classes, events, and Zoom classes with membership reductions when available.

Fixed incomes? We do not want anyone to go without instruction or tai chi classes due to financial hardship. Please submit a letter indicating what level of BTCC Fee or Membership Dues you can afford.



Locations: https://www.canadiantaichiacademy.org/location_mb_winnipeg.html

Frequency of Practice? BTCC is structured around a twice per week curriculum. If you can only make class once per week, there is online support to make up for the missed class, starting the course late or for extra practice. However, many can suffice with once per week especially if they are good at copying physical movements. Like any form of exercise regular practice is encouraged. Playing Tai Chi as often as you can fit into your personal schedule is highly recommended. In each class, we review the previous class lesson. So, it will be possible to get up to speed on what was missed. There is Youtube support. Ask Instructors. Review is an important part of learning. Also, there may be introduction classes at other locations that you can attend. Attending other classes will help your learning progress.


Adaptive Tai Chi? In a sense, all Tai Chi classes can be considered health recovery classes. Official Tai Chi for Health classes are currently at Oakbank United Church Mondays 10:00am to 11:30am. There is nothing wrong with taking a seat during a class to rest and you may continue to do tai chi sitting and still progress very well.


Breathing Techniques? The Canadian Tai Chi Academy highly recommends breathing, just kidding. Master Moy was a Chi Kung Master and focused on having the body breathe naturally as it was intended to do. Engaging the mind to focus on breathing can disrupt the natural flow of energy and was not recommended by Master Moy.




Chi Kung, Qi Gong or Nei Gong? Please note that Master Moy modified the Yang Style 108 Move Set to emphasize turning, stretching, rising and falling, expanding and contracting, borrowing principles from the internal martial arts and Chi Kung. Continuing Classes introduce exercises that incorporate Chi Kung principles.


Benefits of Membership? Members can attend any Academy class. Please note that some special event classes are held as fund raisers with a nominal participation fee. The participation fee is published with the event poster. Some Zoom sessions available to members.


Rank or Belt System? There are no belts and all members have the same rank. Members that are new to Tai Chi will attend an Introduction to Tai Chi class before moving on to Continuing Classes. Members who express an interest are invited to train to become instructors.


Certified Instructors? The training of instructors is a continuous process. One of the principle goals of the Canadian Tai Chi Academy is to provide training for members who are interested in learning and sharing with others their understanding of Tai Chi and related arts.


Beginners and Events? Yes, Academy (CTCA) members can attend any class or special event but please note that some events may be fundraisers and some events may have a prerequisite of having learned the art.


Sparring? There is no sparring. Martial arts and the martial origin of moves may be referred to in order to improve or expand understanding.


Additional Instruction? Members are welcome to attend any class at the BTCC. There may be a class concurrent to yours that will give you the additional instruction you seek. In general, personal/private instruction is not available. All instructors are willing to answer questions and provide feedback on request. The Introduction to Tai Chi class is structured as a group class. Instruction is not personalized but offered to the entire group. The Continuing Class is intended for both group and personalized instruction.


Correct Tai Chi? There is no incorrect tai chi. Your instructor will assist you in expanding your tai chi, making it a more productive tool to increase or regain your health. Your instructor will provide you with feedback that will help you progress relative to your experience, age, flexibility and understanding.

Causing pain is not good tai chi and your instructor can help.


Tai Chi For Stress? Stress is a common complaint for many people who are attracted to Tai Chi. The physical work of doing the Tai Chi movements simultaneously works on the mind and the emotions. Tai Chi is well known by the western medical community and is recommended for reducing stress. Movement alleviates tightness while strengthening the body.


After BTCC? Having completed the introduction to Tai Chi course you are encouraged to attend as many classes as you like. Members are encouraged to attend Continuing Classes but attending more Introduction to Tai Chi classes is also an option. Continuing Classes are usually held after BTTC. They focus on building on the tai chi moves you already know by reviewing them or if the 108 move set has not been completed fully, finish instructing the moves that are left.


Continuing Class Curriculum? Continuing members receive instruction to reach a deeper understanding of the Tai Chi set including revisiting movements to discover additional details. Also, two jong exercises as well as three foundation exercises will be learned, if not already done: the don yu, the tor yu and the snake. Regular practice is generally more important than instruction as our body's require transformation to be able to reach a deeper understanding.


Trouble With Set Sequence? The goal of the introduction to Tai Chi class is to teach the 108 moves of the Tai Chi set. The expectation of the course is that the student will be able to complete the 108 moves surrounded by experienced members who know the set. There is no obligation for a new person to have memorized the entire sequence while taking the Introduction course. Becoming familiar with the moves to the point that you can do the sequence by yourself requires only repetition and some hints from your instructor. Generally, the more you do the set with the group, the more familiar you become with the sequence.


Observe a Class? You are welcome to come and observe a class. New students should look for an Introduction to Tai Chi class. Students that already know the Tai Chi set should look for a Continuing Tai Chi Class. It is recommended that you introduce yourself to the instructor so that your questions can be answered.


Visiting Oakbank United Church, Mulvey School Gym  or St Peter's Lutheran Church? Membership or paid up BTCC? You may participate in any of the classes at your level, no extra charge.

Non-members are asked to pay a guest fee of $10 per class.