Denver Tai chi classes
In-Person & Online
Learn and master the traditional Yang-style short form Tai chi in Denver, taught by Michael Takatsuno, a student of Benjamin Pang-jeng Lo in the Cheng Man-ch’ing lineage. We host in-person workshops in the Denver area, live classes on Zoom, and various meetups and retreats throughout the year.
Online Tai Chi Group Classes
Tuesdays
Beginners Tai chi 5:00-6:00pm
Intermediate 6:00-7:00pm
Advanced 7:00-8:00pm
All classes are MST
Thursdays
Beginners Tai chi 5:00-6:00pm
Intermediate 6:00-7:00pm
Advanced 7:00-8:00pm
All classes are MST
Denver Tai chi Workshops, Meetups, and Retreats
Once a month, we host a live, in-person Tai chi workshop in the Denver Highlands neighborhood – 3131 Osceola St., Denver, Colorado. This class is the perfect introduction to beginning Tai chi, offering a comprehensive overview of its principles and benefits. Join us for an immersive, hands-on experience suitable for all ages and fitness levels – that enhances your balance, posture, core strength– and everyday life. Throughout the year, we host area meetups and retreats in cities like Arvada and Broomfield. We can’t wait to meet you!
RooT Fx Tai chi
Our Tai chi classes focus on the principles of the Yang-style short form of t’ai chi ch’uan, commonly known as Tai chi or Tai Chi Chuan.
Our lineage traces back to Cheng-Man ch’ing and Benjamin Pang-jeng Lo.
Bri Watts, Lead Tai chi Instructor
What is Yang-style short form Tai chi?
Many students are surprised by the physical demands of studying the Yang-style short form Tai chi. The form comprises a sequence of stances, often referred to as “the 37 Postures”, practiced as a continuous flow from start to finish. This is why Tai chi training is sometimes misconceived as merely “relaxing” and “meditative.”
While the form appears fluid and graceful when performed well, and can be meditative, improving the form requires repeated practice of each stance by holding each stance and being adjusted by a trained instructor. Each stance demands core strength, precise postures, joint mobility, and muscle suppleness for continued development. Achieving mastery can take years of dedicated practice and even longer to seamlessly integrate the stances into one fluid form.
Beginners will learn the fundamentals and beginning of the Yang Style Short Form. Beginner-Intermediate students will practice form development and continue progressing with the form.
Michael Takatsuno
Lead Tai chi Instructor
Michael combines what he’s learned and studied with training exercise methods that are easy to learn and repeatable. The basic foundation and fundamentals of RooT Fx are strongly tied and rooted to these disciplines that have their origins in more ancient times.
- Studied Yang-style short form t’ai chi ch’uan from Benjamin Pang-jeng Lo. Ben taught the old ways of Tai chi training that requires intensive physical training, attention to detail, consistent practice and discipline.
- Studied Zazen, or Zen meditation and martial arts training under Tenshin Tanouye from Hawaii. Tanouye “Roshi” (Zen teacher) taught a deep understanding of how to develop the human body. From breath and posture training to cultivating the power within, he had no equal.
- Trained under Toshiro Oshiro in Matsubayashi-Ryu Okinawan Karate. Oshiro Sensei studied the old forms of movement and self-defense and has achieved levels of human movement that few will ever touch.
