Do you want to create your own marvelous Tai Chi gathering? Just take around 140 participants and guests, a group of qualified teachers from all over Europe and an even bigger group of friendly and enthusiastic helpers, preferably home-grown, and have a great time with Qigong, Tai Chi, music and dance. – Wait a moment, is it really so easy? – Maybe not, but that is how the 10th Tai Chi Cho went.
For 20 years now, Cornelia Gruber has been organizing the Swiss meeting in her chosen hometown of La Chaux-de-Fonds. Her work and dedication to the Chinese arts have made it one of the big events of the European Tai Chi scene. Every two years, the Maison du Peuple and some surrounding sports halls are filled with practitioners from Switzerland and from all over Europe. – It is a great experience to hear French, English, German and Italian, not to mention the other tongues, all over the halls. If you find out that you and your neighbour, in the workshop or at the dining table, do not share a common language, you will discover that some international words, a few underlining gestures and a smile will work astonishingly well as a base for communication. We feel that it is the shared love of the Chinese movement arts in any shading that have made practicing, celebrating and communicating at this meeting such a pleasure.
This year’s workshop offers ranged from Wushu and Tai Chi weapon forms over Pushing Hands to Still Qigong and connecting to one’s voice, to name but a few examples. This variety makes Tai Chi Cho a great place to make new Tai Chi experiences and widen one’s horizon.
It is the legacy of Cornelia’s work that styles and lineages do not matter, but humans and their dedication towards practice do. Therefore, to celebrate the 10th meeting, it was Cornelia’s choice to invite people that stand close to her as part of her Tai Chi family and companions on her Tai Chi way to teach at her farewell meeting. Her heart was filled with joy when she presented the big team which will take over the organization of the next meeting – at which she is looking forward to taking a place among the participants.
Thank you, Cornelia, for all your hard work and the big smile you carried into our hearts!
Thanks to all the voluntary workers for creating such a welcoming atmosphere!
– … and fingers crossed for your first meeting in charge! We are curious how it will look like!
