Tai Chi Private and Group Lessons

Where do we practice?

Live in Hanwell, West London, or per Zoom.

I usually teach in St. Mary's Church Hall in Hanwell (free parking, close to public transport).
If you have a large, empty space (such as a large living room or entry hall), I can also come to you (travel fees apply).
In summer, we may work outdoors if you wish.

Scheduling and costs

I teach private lessons Monday evenings and Tuesdays (3.30-9pm). If this does not suit you, we can discuss other times/locations.
Zoom classes are available on most days (until 10pm UK time). We serve global clients online - currently in the UK, Europe and the USA. We are used to working with time gaps and cultural differences.
£65 per lesson, or you can buy five for £300.

Tai Chi Chuan:
Private and Small Group lessons
(per Zoom or live in Hanwell, West London)

Private Lessons are customised to your needs and time preferences. You can either learn our full curriculum, or we can custom-design a Tai Chi inspired work-out for you. The core goal of all sessions is balance, flow, relaxation and joy. After some initial lessons to learn the basics, you can work on specific development goals, such as stress release, muscle strength, agility, coordination, focus and self confidence.
The intensity of the lessons is flexible based on your needs; even when we train hard, there will always be some time to have a chat and a good laugh.
Learning aids such as videos and handouts will be made available, so that you can practice in-between lessons. For frail people who are challenged with their balance or memory, we recommend that a friend or relative is present in the room.

The energy teachings of Tai Chi

When working with 'Chi' - inner energy - we select specific moves and sequences for you that enable you to:

raise your energy or calm it down
explore where you give your energy away and how you can take it back
guard and protect your space in a peaceful manner
balance and harmonise 'Chi' in all your body parts, your mind and your emotions
explore Yin and Yang aspects of energy, which allow you to shift from a hard and fast way of problem solving to a soft and flowing approach. This is useful for situations where you feel stuck or caught up in a conflict.
learn how to shift your emotions (using Shaolin animal styles). For example, you can shift from feeling like a focused, assertive Cobra to being a playful Butterfly (or the other way round).
energise the space around you; Tai Chi moves can revive stale rooms
learn more about yourself by visiting the place of your deepest essence - somewhere in between all energies... Tai Chi is a great moving meditation; for many people it is much easier to 'empty their brain' if they can focus on body movements.

We teach in a way that everybody can learn it.

Many people shy away from Tai Chi because they are intimidated by the continuous, complex-looking flow of the moves. Don't worry. We will take these sequences apart and show them to you move by move - once you feel confident with a set of moves, we put them together again and work on the flow.

These lessons are right for you if...

... you have always wanted to learn Tai Chi, but never had the time to attend a class
... you are overworked, stressed or anxious
... you feel insecure when walking, and want to maintain your balance and mobility
... you spend too much time at your desk, and your body feels stiff and weak
... you feel down or bored and need some new inspiration
... you would like to meditate and work on your mindfulness, but you can't sit still
... you are going through a life change or specific challenge and need more energy, focus and balance to make it work
... you practice a 'hard' martial art, such as Karate or Kung Fu, and would like to explore a more internal style.

Taster Session on Zoom is free.

If you like to explore Tai Chi, you can book a free, half-hour taster session on Zoom. We will discuss your needs, make a plan of what you will learn and how we will go about scheduling.

About Andrea

Andrea is a certified Tai Chi Chuan and Kung Fu instructor. One of her specialities is engaging older people; she has been running several 'over 50'-classes in Perivale and Ealing for ten years.
Andrea is also a leadership development consultant and executive coach. She has trained professionals and teams in an international context for over 30 years. Adult education - helping each person explore and develop their best potential - is one of her passions. Read more.

There are two Tai Chi tracks for you to choose

1) Full Curriculum - Tai Chi Chuan
This track involves regular sessions over a long period of time, where you explore our full curriculum - as if you were taking one of our classes. You will get a thorough training, using Tai Chi for health and self defence: Chi Gong warm-up, foundation exercises, stance work, free-style exercises, practice of forms, working with 'Chi', mindfulness and moving meditations. If you like to continue after the initial beginners level, we can explore Shaolin animal styles, sword, staff or iron fan. This track is great for your fitness, agility, balance and stress release. And you will have some fun - we work intensely, but we can also have a good laugh.

2) Tai Chi for Health and Development
This track contains custom-designed sessions that focus on your mental and physical wellbeing. You can also learn how to work with your energy (your 'Chi') to support a self-development goal or a deep change in your life. Tai Chi training will enable you to achieve a positive transformation, release stress and gain new insights, balance and motivation. Through relaxing and accessing the deeper wisdom of your body, you may find new ways of approaching your challenges. For example, if you feel a bit stuck in a conflict, you may find a way to change your mindset and behaviour and turn things around.

Who can participate?

We offer Tai Chi sessions for groups of friends or families (per Zoom, outdoors in West London, or at yours if you have a large meeting room (travel fees apply)
These sessions will give you a soft workout and will foster your balance, agility and muscle training. A great opportunity to 'see' friends and families if you are a bit bored with the usual video calls; learn something new together and have some fun.

Tai chi can be done until late in life. Several of our students are in their late eighties.
For group sessions/families: Kids usually enjoy Tai Chi from the age of about 13 - if you have younger kids, they may just want to follow along for a while in a Zoom lesson and then leave (no charge for kids under 13). We can add a few Kung Fu moves to keep them interested. If you have younger kids who you think would enjoy training with you, please contact us and we find a solution.
If you have any health problems (high blood pressure, chronic illness, joint problems, recovering from surgery, etc), you must talk to a medical professional before you join. Read more about Health and Safety below.

Health and Safety: Please read before you join.

If you join our lessons online or In-person, you agree to take full responsibility for your health and safety. You won't have insurance.
If you have any concerns about your ability to attend you may want to talk to your doctor first. This will be important if you have undergone recent surgery, or if you have joint problems, heart conditions, high blood pressure or any chronic illnesses. You will have to sign a "Physical activity readiness" confirmation when you sign up for the lessons.
For Zoom sessions: You need a safe, empty space in your home (no sharp edges of furniture in case you fall or bump into something). As a minimum, you should be able to take four steps forward and two to the sides.