How I Teach Around the Platter & Bass Drum

In the T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) teacher manual, Justin Stone suggested that a teacher could choose to “devise his or her own order of teaching movements.” I do not always begin by teaching Rocking Motion, especially if students have balance issues. It is important from the outset that students have an enjoyable experience.

I teach Bass Drum before Around the Platter because the hands move neither to the left nor right, but in a forward and back circle centered with the weight shift. It is easy for students to keep their eyes focused forward, which helps with balance and weight shift. Also, the circle happens in one direction only. Students are less likely to follow the hand movements with their eyes, possibly throwing off their weight shift or causing a turning with their upper body. Teachers might consider that the feeling of polarity in Bass Drum might attract new students.

I first establish a strong sense of forward-back before teaching Around the Platter, its variation, and Pulling in the Energy in the second lesson. If I do begin with Rocking Motion, I focus first and chiefly on feeling its forward and back weight shift.

In teaching Bass Drum, “the Platters,” and Pulling in the Energy, I begin by having students feel the circular path of the hands and wrists while standing in place with no weight shift, focusing on feeling a comfortably sized circle without stretching the arms and feeling looseness in the wrists. 

Then we do the weight shift only (hands remain in their starting position), focusing on remaining upright in the torso, gazing directly forward at eye level, and feeling how one knee bends as the other straightens. 

Lastly, we add the hands to the weight shift, and then feel the great difference in flow when the wrists move with the waist.

I remind them that in Around the Platter (and its variation) and Pulling in the Energy, the eyes must focus forward, and the torso and shoulders do not turn with the hand movement. Start with the basics and keep it simple. Students will learn more quickly and enjoy the movements more.