Year: 2024

United in Song in St Ives

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It was a fabulous evening with a lovely audience at our gig in the St Ives festival.

 

Songbird Anna (Anna) and I met at a music night a few years ago and decided to collaborate (each doing our own set) for a gig at the St Ives September Festival. Our styles are different but we both  share a love of music and write our own original material.

We hoped our performance would  entertain and inspire the audience with stories of love and the things that have shaped our lives. The venue in the Western Hotel was intimate, the sound was good, we sold tickets  and the feedback was positive. We both look forward to being invited back next year!

For me, St Ives was the highlight of a very eventful two week road trip. It began with the Somerset Jazz festival (see the Tai Chi news), and continued into apples falling from trees in Glastonbury, to an encounter with the Highwayman on Dartmoor, and real-life smugglers in Penzance.

The journey home was relatively uneventful but did include an overnight stop reflecting on the bridge over troubled water!

Tai Chi and Jazz

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The first Tai Chi workshops to be held at the Somerset Jazz festival in September this year were really enjoyable. It’s a wonderful mix!

Even though the weather was damp and dismal on the Friday evening, about 15 people attended the session under the cover of the marquee. We began with stretching and loosening up, then some Qigong exercises and also managed to practise the first movements in Yang short-form sequence.We ended with White Crane Spreads its Wings.

Sunday’s session was also well-attended and we completed the first movement and were able to move on to the second – up to Playing the Lute. I feel that this was a positive accomplishment as the participants had no previous experience of Tai Chi, but were able to join in and enjoy the session. I look forward to next year!

 

 

Reminiscing on Past Events

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I came across photographs from 2003 -2005, when I had the idea of organising World Tai Chi Day in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. I know that it’s along time ago, but it is lovely, even now, to see so many people together, learning about and practising Tai Chi.

World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (WTCQD), is an annual event, held since 1999 in around 80 countries all over the world on the last Saturday of April. The aim is that everyone, everywhere, is doing Tai Chi at the same time,  to promote the practice of Tai Chi and Qigong and also the principles of harmony, balance and peace.

When I first proposed doing this on the island, I was told that it would be impossible to find people  from different schools who practised different styles,  willing to get together and provide workshops and demonstrations for the general public.

It worked, and I even managed to obtain sponsorship and funding (a little!) for the event.

Sadly some of my students in the photographs are no longer with us. But I hope that everyone else, like myself, in spite of ups and downs, continues to promote the development of wellbeing and physical and mental health in the community, through the practice of Tai Chi.

Hitting A High Peak

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A good time was had by all last weekend at the Peak District Weekender festival, near Buxton (hosted by the Greyhound Inn, Warslow).

This small, friendly festival is only in its second year and the organisers are keen to keep it going. It definitely has a future and I hope to be back next year!

My one hour set was on Saturday afternoon, and although there were a few “tech” issues, there were a lot of positive comments afterwards.

Sunday was sunny, and the day was spent chilling, sitting on haystacks, drinking cider and watching other acts.

 

 

 

Festival Tai Chi

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It was lovely to lead the first ever Tai Chi workshops at the Tangled Roots Festival earlier in June.

It is a perfect setting, and although there was still a slight chill in the air, the soothing background sounds from the rippling stream just added to the relaxed atmosphere. We spent well over an hour under the marquee, doing breathing exercises (from the Eight Pieces of Brocade QiGong routine) and learning and practising the first movements of the simple Yang form sequence.      

The session on Sunday morning was on the grass in the sunshine. There was a mix of people among the group, and we warmed up, stretched, breathed and practised the “Grasp the Sparrow’s Tail” sequence.

The feedback was very positive and a few participants were keen to find somewhere to continue learning on a regular basis.

“What a lovely way to start a Sunday!”

“This is so relaxing. I’m really happy I can do this here!”

There was a photographer – if I do get any photographs I’ll share them here.
But there’s also the next festival in the same place, Tangled up in Blues, in August. Perhaps I’ll see you there….?

New Look Web Pages

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Things are looking a little bit different here at Kokoro-Arte.

These pages now provide a window on all aspects of Kokoro – Tai Chi and Communication, as well as a showcase of what I do as a singer/songwriter.
The environment for performers is very different to when I launched my CD (Wild and Free). 2019 seems so long ago now – it was a time when I felt positive and enthusiastic about performing at small festivals and local events!

Creativity is needed now more than ever before – and I am determined to keep this alive. I will be writing some new songs and sharing them and the stories behind them, with you. Perhaps you’ll be able to catch me at a gig, event or festival sometime soon.

Check out my CD here, on Bandcamp

Tai Chi Workshops

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Feel the fresh air, move, loosen up and breathe!
Workshops, courses, sessions and events to experience what it feels like to practise the gentle, yet powerful movements of Tai Chi.

Half-Day Workshop Sessions

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Why not have a workshop session with Kokoro-Arte as an event in your venue?

Availability from September 2024 for one off or monthly half-day workshop sessions for small groups.

Pre-booked participants would learn a short sequence of flowing Tai Chi movements, combined with relaxing breathing techniques of QiGong.
The half-day workshop would begin with one hour of Tai Chi movement (with QiGong and warm up). After light refreshments, this would be followed by a 45 minute talk on the history, cultural tradition and philosophy behind the practice of Internal Martial Arts. There would be a further practice time (50 minutes), before a light lunch or snacks.

For more information, send me an email at: KokoroCultura@gmail.com