Great River T’ai Chi–since 1979!
Great River T’ai Chi Ch’uan offers classes in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Twin Cities area and online. For over forty-five years Great River has offered t’ai chi classes at all levels, year-round, with beginners starting quarterly. We focus on practical skills and movement principles that are useful for daily living, via study of Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing’s Yang-style short form.
Study and practice of t’ai chi and ch’i-kung (qigong) enhances health, mental focus, balance, leg strength, problem-solving, and more. Class time is spent on warmups, reviewing prior material, introducing new moves, working on principles, usage, and theory. Special classes include guest teacher workshops, t’ai chi sword, push hands (sensing hands), I Ching, Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing’s Eight Method’s qigong, and more. Classes are led by Barbara Davis and Cheryl Powers, who are assisted by advanced students.
WINTER 2026 Classes:
Open House Sunday, January 4, 7:00 p.m. Learn how t’ai chi can enhance your daily life: health, balance, awareness, mind-body connection and more! You’ll learn some exercises that you can easily practice on your own. No pre-registration needed. At Grace Episcopal Church, 4557 Colfax Ave S, lower level.
NEW ten-week Beginner’s class Sundays, January 11–March 15, 7:00–8:00 p.m.
Come and enjoy the quiet flow of t’ai chi. Learn the basics of t’ai chi and how it can improve your health and mind in this introductory series. Gain better awareness of your body and learn how t’ai chi improves your health and daily life. Whether you are new to t’ai chi or are returning to it, this class gives you a solid footing in t’ai chi principles of movement and the solo form. Register by contacting us on our contact page or first night of class. Please include your name, phone, email, and a few words about your t’ai chi experience and interests. This class incorporates Beginners I & II. Ten-week tuition $150.
• Sundays, T’ai Chi Intermediate. 6:00-7:00 p.m. Ongoing, in person. Intermediate students work on deepening their understanding of the solo form choreography via building a solid foundation in principles.
• Sundays, Email lesson, twice monthly, to current students. Articles and insights from Great River instructors into t’ai chi ideas and practice. Includes any schedule and news updates.
• Mondays, I Ching classes, 10:00–11:30 a.m. US Central Time. Online.
2026 offerings: Elements of the I Ching: A Survey of the Sixty-four Hexagrams (four ten-week classes)
The I Ching (Yijing), the Chinese Book of Changes, is an ancient book of insight, divination, philosophy, that has inspired people around the world for thousands of years. These live, online classes will give you a solid foundation in how to use and navigate the I Ching . You’ll get an understanding of its origins and ideas, and resources for further study. Book: Wilhelm/Baynes I Ching. Classes are led by Barbara Davis, M.A., who edits the Contemplating I Ching website, where you can get further information.
• Tuesdays, T’ai Chi Intermediate/Advanced, 10:00–12:00 noon. Ongoing, in person. Work on whole t’ai chi form with emphasis on principles, supplemented by t’ai chi and qigong exercises, fundamentals of two-person “push hands,” and sword form. This class meets at church (outdoors on Colfax as weather permits).
• Thursdays, T’ai Chi Principles Class, 7–8:00 p.m. US Central Time.
Ongoing, online.This class for advanced students concentrates on t’ai chi principles. This is an ongoing online class with students from around the world!
Contact us for further information or to register.
Tuition:
Beginners T’ai Chi 10-week class: $150
Unlimited classes flat rate $88 per month covers two or more hours per week
One-hour class per week $60 per month
Single classes $16
Private lessons minimum $35 for one-half hour
I Ching: $175 for five-week classes,’ $280 for eight-week classes.
Payments can also be made via Paypal with addition of 5% processing fees.
Class Policies: Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. (T’ai chi slippers and swords can be purchased at Rising Sun in St. Paul. Missed classes must be made up within the quarter. Consult with your physician and other health providers if you have questions about whether t’ai chi is appropriate for you.
COVID-19 INFORMATION
Great River T’ai Chi Ch’uan classes meet in person, except where indicated. In-person classes are meant for people who are vaccinated. Stay home anytime you are not feeling well, have any cold, flu, or COVID symptoms, or have been exposed to COVID. Students are not required to mask in class unless advised to by Minnesota Department of Health.
To register for classes, or to sign up for our mailing list go to the CONTACT page.
GENERAL CLASS INFORMATION
Location: All in-person regular classes meet at Grace Episcopal Church (formerly named St. Luke & St. James), 4557 Colfax Avenue South, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, just east of Lake Harriet. Accessibility: Wheelchair access from 46th Street school entrance. Please contact ahead of time. Car: West 3/4 mile towards Lake Harriet, from 46th Street exit off 35W. Ample street parking available; lot parking on Bryant. Bus and LRT: #46 (46th Street crosstown service connects to LRT and 35W station), #4 Lyndale (downtown / Uptown / Southtown). For schedules and information visit Metro Transit.. Bike: via Bryant Avenue, 46th Street.
Online Classes are held on Zoom platform. Students will receive link after registration.
Weather: Classes will be held online if driving and walking conditions are not safe (i.e. blizzard, heavy snow over 4″ or glare ice). Rule of thumb: any time Metro Transit cancels bus service due to weather, we will shift to online class. Schedule changes and Zoom link will be sent by email one hour before class time. When in doubt, call or email first.
GREAT RIVER T’AI CHI CH’UAN General Information:
• Beginners classes start quarterly in January, March, June, and September.
• Intermediate classes meet year-round and work on t’ai chi principles, form, and adjunct exercises.
• Advanced classes meet year-round. We work on principles, form, special exercises, push hands (sensing hands), sword form, text study, and related topics.
• Workshops are offered with highly experienced guest teachers. Past guest teachers have included Mr. Liu Hsi-heng, Ben Lo, Ed Young, Maggie Newman, Natasha Gorky Young, Jane & Bataan Faigao, Wolfe Lowenthal, Weiming Yuan, Ken Van Sickle, Judyth Weaver, Sarah Wells & Michael Puryear, John Lad, Lorie Reinstein, Nathan Menaged, and others.
Contact us for further information or call 612–822–5760.
PAST SPECIAL EVENTS:
• 45th Anniversary 2024 Open House with food, demos, new tee-shirts.
• Eight Methods Workshops, 2022, 2024, 2025
• Minneapolis Institute of Arts Tours led by experts in Chinese art.
• Special Form Review Workshop 2019
Concentrated workshop! Review Professor Cheng’s Yang-style short form choreography and principles.
• Our T’ai Chi Legacy 2019: In honor of our 40th anniversary, we held a “T’ai Chi Legacy” series including talks, videos, and practice exploring the teachings of our lineage founder, Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing and his direct students with whom we’ve studied.
* Online Guest Teacher Workshops with Natasha Gorky Young, 2021-2025.
Great River Tai Chi Ch'uan 