The Old Pueblo Practice Community

Welcome to the Old Pueblo community forum!

We're testing this out as an easy way to stay connected outside of class.

Say hello below with your name, what form you're currently exploring, and what brought you to practice.

Since this is brand new, your feedback is a big help. Share any thoughts here or email dan@oldpueblotaichi.com.

Tai Chi naturally brings good people together, and practice doesn't have to end at the studio door.

This board is an open space for anyone in our group to organize casual get-togethers, coordinate practice outdoors, or share interesting things happening around Tucson and beyond.

A few things you can share or organize here:

• Park Practice: Heading out for morning practice under the mesquites at Himmel Park, Reid Park, Fort Lowell, or a favorite neighborhood spot? Post your plan so others can join you.
• Practice Partners: Want to meet up with a classmate to walk through a form together at a relaxed pace? Put out a friendly invite.
• Coffee, Tea & Socials: Grabbing tea after morning class or planning an informal studio get-together.
• Local Happenings: Sharing community wellness events, cultural festivals, or workshops of interest.

If you're proposing a meetup, just share a few basics:
- What: (e.g., 30-minute gentle Sun StyleSun Style Tai Chi (Sūn Shì Tàijíquán)Sun Style is a major style of Tai Chi founded by Sun Lutang. It is known for relatively upright postures, agile stepping, and a characterist...Single Whip (Dān Biān)Single Whip is a well-known Tai Chi postureBaihui (Crown Suspension Point) (Bǎihuì)An acupuncture point at the crown of your head. In Tai Chi, we imagine a gentle silk thread lifting this point straight toward the sky. found in several major styles. The details vary by style. Typically, the movement combines a ste... run-through, standing practice, or tea & chat)
- When & Where: Date, time, and where to find shade and easy parking.
- What to bring: (e.g., flat shoes, water, a folding camp chair)

Start a thread anytime you'd like to get folks together!

Hi everyone,

After practicing  the Five Animal Frolics QigongQigong (Qìgōng)Qigong is a broad family of Chinese practices combining movement, postureBaihui (Crown Suspension Point) (Bǎihuì)An acupuncture point at the crown of your head. In Tai Chi, we imagine a gentle silk thread lifting this point straight toward the sky.Kua (Kuà)Kua is a Chinese Tai Chi term referring broadly to the hip and groin region where the legs connect with the pelvis. You may hear an instruct...Song (Sōng)Song is usually translated as relax, release, or loosen. It does not mean becoming limp. It means letting go of unnecessary muscular tension..., breathing, and attention. Tai Chi and Qigong overlap in many ways..., I thought this would be a fun outing for our Old Pueblo Tai Chi community!

Pathway to Asia opens at Reid Park Zoo on Friday, November 13, 2026, with celebrations continuing through November 14–15. I’d love for some of us to go, enjoy the cultural performances, and explore the new habitats together.

After practicing out Frolics,  we can now we can look forward to seeing how these animals stretch, settle, and move to give us some fresh inspiration for our practice.

What’s planned?

The new area draws inspiration from ancient Khmer architecture in Angkor, Cambodia, with stone facades, pillars, and a large archway creating the feeling of wandering through ancient ruins. Behind that scenery are modern habitats designed around the animals’ needs.

Friday, November 13:

• 7:30 a.m. — Peace blessing offered by monks from Wat Buddhametta.

• 8:30 a.m. — Ribbon cutting and opening ceremony.

• 10 a.m. — Public opening.

• Local Asian groups will perform throughout the morning.

Saturday and Sunday, November 14–15:

• Asian cultural performances throughout the weekend.

• Sunday at 2 p.m. — A talk by tiger conservationist Tara Harris.

You can also visit the Tucson Buddhist CenterDantian (Dāntián)Dantian is a traditional Chinese term meaning “elixir field.” In Tai Chi, teachers usually mean the lower Dantian, the lower-abdominal area ... website to learn more about Wat Buddhametta.

Mark October 27 for tickets

Timed tickets become available October 27, and advance reservations will be required during the first weeks after opening. Head to Reid Park Zoo for ticket information and updates. Check the Zoo’s announcements for access details for the early blessing and ceremony, since the public opening is at 10 a.m.

Interested in going? Leave a comment with the day you’d prefer! We can see who’s interested and work out a time to meet.

For now: mark your calendar, check tickets on October 27, and let us know if you’d like to join us. It sounds like a lovely way to enjoy a little animal inspiration outside class.

—Dan

Good morning everyone,

We are coordinating our next informal outdoor practice under the shady mesquites at Gene C. Reid Park (near the Rose Garden and duck pond).

Here are the details for our upcoming gathering:

• When: Saturday morning, 8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
• Where: Reid Park (Randolph Park) — look for us on the grass under the large shade trees west of the Rose Garden.
• What we'll practice: Gentle warm-ups, Five Animal Frolics, and a relaxed run-through of Sun StyleSun Style Tai Chi (Sūn Shì Tàijíquán)Sun Style is a major style of Tai Chi founded by Sun Lutang. It is known for relatively upright postures, agile stepping, and a characterist...Single Whip (Dān Biān)Single Whip is a well-known Tai Chi postureBaihui (Crown Suspension Point) (Bǎihuì)An acupuncture point at the crown of your head. In Tai Chi, we imagine a gentle silk thread lifting this point straight toward the sky. found in several major styles. The details vary by style. Typically, the movement combines a ste... 73 and Yang forms.
• What to bring: Comfortable flat shoes, water bottle, and a folding camp chair or blanket if you’d like to sit and have tea with us afterwards.

All students, family, and beginners are warmly invited to join in or just sit in the shade and enjoy the morning breeze.

Click I'll Be There below to RSVP so we know how much hot tea water to bring!

—Dan

It’s one thing to follow along together in class; it’s another to step onto the floor at home and try to piece a movement back together.

This board is our shared space to break down movements, ask about tricky spots, and talk through the practical details that don't always fit into class time.

Feel free to jump in with questions on:

• Footwork, balanceYin & Yang (Dynamic Complementarity) (Yīn Yáng)The complementary opposites that make up all natural phenomena: soft and firm, empty and full, resting and active., and weight transitions (like agile steppingBrush Knee and Twist Step (Lǒu Xī Ào Bù)Often shortened to Brush Knee, this movement combines stepping, turning, and coordinated arm actions. One hand passes near the front leg whi...Single Whip (Dān Biān)Single Whip is a well-known Tai Chi postureBaihui (Crown Suspension Point) (Bǎihuì)An acupuncture point at the crown of your head. In Tai Chi, we imagine a gentle silk thread lifting this point straight toward the sky. found in several major styles. The details vary by style. Typically, the movement combines a ste...Kua (Kuà)Kua is a Chinese Tai Chi term referring broadly to the hip and groin region where the legs connect with the pelvis. You may hear an instruct... in Sun StyleSun Style Tai Chi (Sūn Shì Tàijíquán)Sun Style is a major style of Tai Chi founded by Sun Lutang. It is known for relatively upright postures, agile stepping, and a characterist... or finding depth in Yang StyleYang Style Tai Chi (Yáng Shì Tàijíquán)Yang Style is one of the major family styles of Tai Chi. It is generally recognized for smooth, continuous movement and includes forms rangi...).
• Hand patterns, structurePeng — Ward-Off (Péng)Peng is usually translated as Ward-Off and is one of the traditional Eight EnergiesAn (Push / Grounded Release) (Àn)A downward-and-forward wave motion from the palms, rooted in the legs and moving through a relaxed spine.Ji (Press / Squeeze) (Jǐ)Focusing power forward into a single concentrated point, often by bringing the rear hand or wrist to touch the forward arm.Rollback (Lǚ)Rollback is one of the traditional Eight Energies of Tai Chi. It expresses the idea of receiving and redirecting force rather than meeting i... of Tai Chi. It describes a gently expanded, resilient qu..., and opening/closing.
• Breath pacing, Silk Reeling, and alignmentYongquan (Bubbling Well Point) (Yǒngquán)The energetic center on the sole of your foot, located in the soft hollow just behind the ball of the foot.Song (Sōng)Song is usually translated as relax, release, or loosen. It does not mean becoming limp. It means letting go of unnecessary muscular tension... during standing meditationZhan Zhuang (Standing Like a Tree) (Zhàn Zhuāng)Standing meditation holding your arms in front of your chest as if embracing a wide, ancient tree..
• Helpful cues that made a movement click for you, or thoughtful modifications when a joint needs a gentler option.

Whether you started last month or have been practicing for years, feel free to start a topic whenever a question comes up during your week.