I teach Tai Chi in the Li style tradition and belong to the Taoist Arts Organisation.
The Li style is a very traditional form of T’ai Chi similar in its size and frame to the Wu style. The various T’ai Chi styles evolved in the different Chinese families that developed them to suit the physical characteristics and lifestyle of the family. However all styles of T’ai Chi embody certain basic principles which ensure effectiveness as a martial art and maximise the health benefits of the movement
All styles of Tai Chi adhere to a set of fundamental principles, which give the movement coherence, natural grace and power. When these principles are not integrated into practice, the movement lack substance and the health benefits are les.
In our teaching we aim to show the beauty, subtlety and power in the li-style system when students have been taught to integrate these principles in to their movement the benefits can be seen and felt.
The Taoist Arts Organisation (TAO) was established in 1995 by Tony Swanson, its Technical Director. Under his leadership and inspiration it is dedicated to preserving the quality, purity and completeness of the Li style Arts and providing teaching of the highest quality to students.
In the years since its inception, students from the TAO have clearly demonstrated the power and beauty of the Li style, winning medals at National, European and World-class level in both sparring and forms categories