Martha Stewart and Mom do T’ai Chi Chih on TV

I actually got onto the program through a client of my husband (a stockbroker) who suggested we send info to the Martha Stewart TV people. Since she was prerecording pieces on Yoga, Pilates etc., T’ai Chi Chih fitted in with her health-related segments so they asked me to come for the day to Westport where she has a house solely for the purpose of filming her program. They sent a car to pick me up in the morning and when I arrived the producer of my segment told me that Martha wanted her 89-year-old mother to appear with us. Since she was suffering from acute aciatica after having both hips replaced, and was walking with a cane, I suggested that she should do it seated.

The producer explained that there would only be time for three movements as the segment in total would run for approximately six minutes. I would not be able to work with Martha in advance so I decided it would be easier to just do Rocking Motion, Bird Flaps Its Wings, and Passing Clouds. I felt the forward and backward movements need much more explanation and when done wrong can be injurious to hips, backs, etc. The Producer seemed very nervous of Martha and said I shouldn’t oppose her in any way!!!!

Martha was quite insistent that her mother try it standing, but I finally won out when I said it would be good for her audience to see that it can be done seated. Her mother told her that if she could stand she would but that she couldn’t!!! Martha is quite a Diva but once the camera rolls she completely changes and purrs like a kitten!! The voice softens and her whole demeanor transforms itself into this sweet, smiling person. She is a true professional!!

I was able to tell her before we went on air that she should refer to the form as T’ai Chi Chih, so apart from the beginning intro she did refer to it as that. We had to do several takes on the pronunciation!!

I had e-mails from people from all around the country asking me where they could purchase a video or find a teacher, and they seemed very impressed by the movements even though it was a limited example of TCC.

Altogether it was a fun experience as I am always happy to get as much exposure for TCC as possible and to make people aware that this simple form exists.