08.a2 Tai Chi Course
Staff Report
Date of Meeting: February 21, 2023
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Brenda “Bee” Stignani, Office Assistant
Re: PRC Recommendation to offer a Tai Chi course
Issue: Resident Bill Jabas requests to offer an 8-week Tai Chi course over a 10-
week period, beginning May 3, 2023, in the Community Center.
Background: Jabas presented a Tai Chi Course proposal last month to the Parks and
Recreation Committee. Jabas submitted an updated proposal at the
February 6th PRC meeting after feedback from committee members and
staff. Jabas proposes the following:
• 8-week course
• 1 hour class time
• Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m.,
beginning May 3rd with no class
on May 10th or June 14th
• Class meets in the Community
Center
• No special equipment needed
• Offered to adults only
• 6 minimum participants, 15
maximum participants
• No new students after 2nd class
• City to process all registrations
and collection of fees
• City publicize the course (social
media and press release)
• $45 fee to participants, with
80/20 to Instructor/City, payable
to the instructor as a single
payment at the end of the class
• Participants sign a Health
Condition Waiver, provided by
Instructor
• Instructor provides proof of
liability insurance
Fiscal Impact: Provide the space in the Community Center.
Options: 1. Offer a Tai Chi Course in the Community Center as proposed by Jabas.
2. Do not offer a Tai Chi Course in the Community Center as proposed by Jabas.
Recommendation: Option #1, as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Committee
Proposal for a 1 hour, 8 week, Tai Chi Class to be held at the Scandia
Community Center.
Day and time – based on the current 2023 City of Scandia calendar it
appears Wednesday evening or Saturday morning are the ideal times.
Wednesday evening – 6:30 to 7:30.
Saturday morning – 9:30 to 10:30.
Class title – Tai Chi for Health, AKA Tai Chi for Health and Fall
Prevention, AKA Tai Chi for Arthritis.
Tai Chi for Health is part of the Sun (pronounced soon) style of Tai
Chi.
Instructors personal qualifications - I am a certified instructor and am
certified to teach the above mentioned Tai Chi, levels One and two. I
was certified by Tai Chi Master Trainer Linda Ebeling who is a Master
Trainer with the Tai Chi for Health Institute out of Sidney, Australia.
Linda has her own Tai Chi school located in Inver Grove Heights.
I was a Tai Chi practitioner for approximately 7 years prior to my
recent certification as an instructor.
Note: I have documents to verify my qualifications if necessary.
The class will be an 8 week experience covering Tai Chi for Health 1.
Participants will learn to execute all of the various movements of Tai
Chi for Health 1 as well as the 6 principles that are incorporated into
this form of Tai Chi. Each week we will focus on one or two of the
movements and toward the end of the series we’ll also focus on
breathing/movement coordination.
Class fee - $45 per person with an 80/20 split between the City of
Scandia and the Instructor. Question (?) – Will payment, for the class,
be online and arranged by Scandia Parks and Recreation?
Maximum participants = 15
Minimum = 6
Wear loose fitting, comfortable clothing as well as comfortable shoes.
No admission to the class after the second week.
Occasional ‘drop in’ attendance will not be allowed.
Health Condition Waiver – Note: participants will be asked to sign a
health condition and liability waiver.
Note: I will have my own personal Liability insurance.
What is Tai Chi? A gentle Martial Art, moving meditation, because of
the numerous health benefits it has sometimes been called moving
medication.
Benefits of regularly practicing Tai Chi – improves strength, improves
balance, can improve mental focus, has been known to reduce the
impact of chronic pain, can improve self confidence and so much
more.
Who recommends Tai Chi practice - medical doctors, physical
therapists, rheumatologists, etc.
A recent statement from the American Heart Association suggests
that activities such as yoga and tai-chi may be beneficial for patients
with heart failure.
According to Peter M. Wayne, Assistant Professor of Medicine at
Harvard Medical School and Director for the Osher Center of
Integrative Medicine, Tai Chi produces "more vigor and energy,
greater flexibility, balance and mobility, and an improved sense of
well-being."