“Tai chi” at resorts or cruises etc

[everything]

Oh man I only get my news from RSF so have no idea (too lazy to Google too)

I know everyone else here won’t go on their cruise but hmmmm maybe I would attend who knows

[origami_itto]

Taijiquan on a cruise ship can be very interesting. You're constantly shifting so LOTS of stuff to play with.

[Steve James]

If I were on a cruise, I'd definitely go just to meet people. I'd take that over shuffleboard.

I'm sure someone has probably arranged for a tcc cruise/seminar with a famous master. But, I guess most are cruises where taichi is one of many passenger activities on the...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_wFEB4Oxlo

[everything]

I'd only go on this cruise if with extended family so any "tai chi" can just be "tai chi" light. .... like it should have appeal to broad spectrum of beginners. like the easiest possible yoga or dance or anything else.

[Giles]

In my opinion, tai chi really isn't suitable for a cruise ship or resort format if you're dealing with 'normal' customers/guests. The movements and body mechanics of even a 'simpler' form are just too difficult and hard to understand for anyone to draw any benefit on a drop-in basis. While they try to achieve a roughest approximation of the form sequence, their lower backs, shoulders and especially knees will be all over the place.
I think it's much better to offer something like the 18 moves taiji-qigong set (shibashi), and even here maybe do only a few of the moves. Most of the moves are in a simple parellel stance, there's less chance of confusion (not seeing the wood for the trees) and you might even be able to transmit a little of the body mechanics and the sense of flow. Or at least do less damage to people's knees.

You can even call it 'Taiji'/'Tai Chi' if you want. In terms of what the body and mind do at the beginner's level, it's just the same.

[Steve James]

A student will progress as much in a three-hour class on a cruise as they would in the same class on land. Ok, sea-sickness could become an issue. The venue isn't as much an issue as the instructor. I think it's safe to say that there's no one on RSF who doesn't know of a teacher they'd love to spend 3 hours with.

Sure, we're talking about casual tcc, but imo it'd be no different if the subject were tango or ballroom dancing.

[everything]

My mom doesn’t want to go to “TCC for Seniors”.

Her reasoning is learning choreography is too much memorization.

So there is a massive mismatch between what someone wants to “sell” and the benefits the buyer needs.

If we narrow it down just to seniors and balance and mindfulness,

There just is NO NEED for some long form for that group.

Maybe as a mind puzzle but there are other things for that.

So if this teacher just does say 5-10 moves, it’s enough and likely better.

Get them the balance and qigong benefits without being overwhelming.

That could be ok on a cruise or at a resort.

Heck I bet almost everyone here could give this class well if you wanted to

[yeniseri]

It apparently has its own audience but things have fallen off in the past 10 years or so! I have met a few 'seniors' but it depends on time of year and ship line.
I used to see yoga and human potential centres advertising about learning taiji / tai chi on a cruise ! Perhaps just the social connection of interaction, meeting fellow 'travellers' etc is, and has a positive influence on psychological health regardless of any mumbo jumbo secret exotic Asian art of any kind.

Praise be!

[everything]

Yeah just a tiny bit of mumbo jumbo, equivalent of one mention of Namaste.

But what am I saying, I’m not going on a cruise for a long, long time.

Maybe a resort with outdoor yoga and tai chi, though.

[Michael Babin]

In the 1990s, a German taiji colleague of mine did several sessions on cruise ships. The last one he did he took his family on the week-long event as partial payment for his two hours a day of teaching simplified taiji and qigong. Sadly, that was the year in which so many cruise ships came down with very virulent versions of the Norwalk virus. His laconic comment telling me about this "adventure" was "you haven't experienced misery till four of you are in a tiny cabin with stuff coming out both ends and the toilet has stopped working and everyone on the bloody ship seems to have the same thing!"

I've done dozens of short-terms courses and one day workshops on simplified taiji and qigong [though never on a cruise ship]. It becomes something different from yoga or a meditation class or a social occasion for the vast majority of those who want that kind of taiji. Such were rarely satisfying except perhaps in terms of the money earned at the time. Rarely, I would get a long-term student who would come to my Studio classes but most of the time those who attended were just passing the time.

Nothing wrong with that; but, as the instructor, you get to the point where you start to feel like the organ grinder's monkey when you do too many of those types of events.

[everything]

Ah yeah, I can understand why any more serious teachers wouldn't want to do it. That seems true of most arts, though.

Like maybe it's way more fun to teach jazz to great musicians, and boring to teach basics to newbs. But that's probably what the "cruise" class would have to be (for whatever it is). For the tai chi, maybe more in the wellness/spa area, not so much "entertainment" along the lines of trivia competition or dance class or something.

[Giles]

Like maybe it's way more fun to teach jazz to great musicians, and boring to teach basics to newbs. But that's probably what the "cruise" class would have to be (for whatever it is). For the tai chi, maybe more in the wellness/spa area, not so much "entertainment" along the lines of trivia competition or dance class or something.

I'm happy to teach basics to noobs as long as the noobs are in principle interested and motivated to find out what tai chi involves, and are prepared to invest a little of their own time and energy in this endeavour. I have no interest in, as Michael aptly puts it, playing the organ grinder's monkey for people whose attitude is: help me stave off boredom for an hour and/or instantly make me feel relaxed and harmonious without me putting any effort into it.
Unless maybe the money is REALLY good and I can do it for just a few weeks. Then I could be persuaded to leave my noble principles at the door...

[everything]

It seems like in this hypothetical scenario, you get paid well to teach the "easy 101" version, and you're on a nice, paid vacation aside from your few hours of class a day. So maybe worth the non-purist / non-sincere-interest deviation ?

[Steve James]

I'm assuming that most people who go on cruises don't go to learn tcc, anyway. A cruise line might hire someone to give tcc, yoga, or Pilates classes. So, the real question is who is going to be teaching. I'd guess that, if the price was right, they might attract a high-profile master. But, that's a stretch. Otoh, if CXW was taking a cruise, I think there might be some people willing to travel for him.

How much a really serious student who decides to go will learn is a separate question. But, hours are hours.

[Trip]

My tai chi cruise looks more like this

The "Dude"
Grew up to be "The Old Man"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDu1Q9r6HDo - Trailer