Tai Chi in New York City

Have you ever walked through a park early in the morning and seen a group of people in a meditative state performing slow, beautifully graceful movements in unison?  If you have, then what you were witnessing was the ancient Chinese martial arts form, Tai Chi Chuan, or Tai Chi for short.  There are Tai Chi studios in NYC, almost as ubiquitous as the yoga studio these days, as well as parks and gardens that offer classes outdoors, which tends to be the more traditional way that it is practiced.  Here is a short list of venues, both indoors and out, that offer classes if you want to learn this practice.  You could also just go to the parks and watch.  While it might not be as lovely as watching tai chi practioners on the beach at sunset, there is something very calm and soothing about seeing this beautiful art form in practice – even in a park in New York City.

Indoor Studios

Ahn Tai Chi Studio

15 East 30^th Street, #301

#212-213-1171

Chu Tai Chi

156 West 44^th Street

#212-221-7333

Tao Yoga & Tai Chi

2 Union Square West, #37

#212-691-7799

Outdoor Tai Chi Classes

Bryant Park – Thursday mornings, 7:30 to 8:30am, May through August, at the Fountain Terrace

40^th to 42^nd Streets between 5^th and 6^th Avenues

www.bryantpark.org

Central Park – Saturdays, 10 to 11:30am

North Meadow Recreation Center (mid-park at 97^th Street)

www.centralparknyc.org

Brooklyn Botanic Garden – Fridays, times vary

1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn

#718-623-7200

Photo credit: Rayko Swensson / Stock Xchng

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