Every Wednesday morning at 10 a.m., a group of retirees in matching red T-shirts files into the Tracy Gee Community Center. Their energy is infectious. Through their laughter, I hear conversations about their spouses, kids, and hobbies.
Ranging from their 50s to their 90s, they told me they owe their family dynamic to Jennifer Hua — their Tai Chi and Wellness teacher and self-proclaimed mother since she started the class in 2016.
“I love them more than my own kids,” Jennifer tells me, laughing along with a few of her students. “My kids talk back to me, and (the class) never talks back to me. That’s the difference.”
She’s right. Any newcomer could tell that every person in the class holds a deep respect for Jennifer. As she switched on the music and the class began, everyone fell into their positions.
An uncoordinated writer’s experience
Nearly 250 million people worldwide practice tai chi, with the majority of practitioners being older adults. As someone in her 20s, I thought my age would be an advantage. I was wrong.
The class begins with qigong, a practice which mixes breathing, movements, and meditation meant to cultivate and balance one’s lifeforce, or qi. For those who have never done tai chi, qigong is akin to stretching before running. With little knowledge of tai chi, I thought these movements were the extent of the class. I was wrong, again.
As the movements picked up, I fell behind. The regulars ran circles around me. The moves are quick, deliberate, and graceful. Once I felt I was getting the hang of one move, Jennifer and the class switched to the next, gracefully moving their feet, arms, and hands into a new position.
Many in the class, like me, were following along by watching Jennifer closely, but those who have been doing the class for years, like Candice Faure-Anderson, know the moves by heart.
“I started tai chi 55 or 60 years ago in Hawaii,” Candice said. “I had a teacher there that was unbelievable...but Jennifer is the best teacher I’ve ever had. You should ask her history – how she learned it and who she learned it from.”
The short answer: Monks
Jennifer first started learning tai chi when she was 50 after her doctor told her she needed to make a lifestyle change and find an exercise that worked for her.
Her path eventually led her to tai chi. When she was able to find a class, the teacher welcomed her, and her moves quickly improved. But she began to excel when a monk at a temple she was visiting offered to teach her tai chi himself.
“My tai chi improved so much from the monk,” Jennifer tells me. “He said, ‘You have talent, do you know that? It’s in your blood.’”
She continued to learn the practice from everyone she could, and eventually, her original teacher asked her to try leading the class. The rest is history.
Improving health and relationships
Many participants attend Tai Chi and Wellness because of the health benefits. Candice credits her quick recovery from knee surgery to the class. Another regular, Pam Sheahan, started going because walking seven days a week had become too hard on her body. But what keeps them coming back is Jennifer and the community she has built at Tracy Gee.
“I really like the group of people,” said Pam. “It’s a nice, interesting group. I feel like I’m always learning something here.”
Many groups describe themselves as family, but I could easily see for myself that this class meant it. Last year, they got together to celebrate Christmas at a local Chinese restaurant in Bellaire. This year, Jennifer is planning a Lunar New Year celebration to share her culture with the class. Everyone in class – including me – was invited to bring snacks, games, and any traditional clothing they own.
While it can feel like a challenge to integrate with a group as tight knit as this, Jennifer welcomes all new visitors. Anyone interested in tai chi is welcome to join the class every Wednesday at 10 a.m. at Tracy Gee Community Center. All she asks is to bring an open mind, a willingness to learn, and maybe some snacks to share with the group.