The Lighter Side (July 2005)

In Italy, during her three-day intensive, Sandy kept referring to the importance of the knees. She talked about the role of this body part in almost every movement. In the final day Agnese, one of my students who speaks some English and was trying to guess the meaning of Sandy’s words , asked (in Italian): “Excuse me, for three whole days I have been hearing Sandy talking about a girl who is not among us: Who in the world is this Denise?

– Cristina Minelli, Italy

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In Italy, during her three-day intensive, one day Pam got close to me and said: “Please notice that student. She is totally out of synch.” I answered puzzled: “She is in this room like everybody else! Why should she be in a sink?”

– Cristina Minelli, Italy

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During Holy Week, it seemed lots of people were uncharacteristically cranky, even among the students! Perhaps it was the full moon, but fangs were sharper and claws were longer! I open and close my classes with the Namaste Bow, with everyone turning and bowing to each other at the end of class. One lady annoyingly swiped the arm of a male student, saying, “You didn’t Namaste me!” Where did I go wrong?!

– Sher Dano, Surprise, AZ

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As everyone entered the room at the retirement center to get ready for TCC class, Lydia said, “Where are the men?” (The class is mostly women, but there are a few men). After a few minutes passed, it was time to get started for class. As always, I walked over to the switch to dim the overhead light. I jokingly said, “It’s time to get romantic,” and Lydia enthusiastically said, “I repeat, where are the men?!”

– Sharon Sirkus

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One day during class, I was talking a little bit about the chi. I said chi is the life force, it is what makes things grow. Elijah then rubbed his balding head, and said, “Then I need more chi.”

– Sharon Sirkus

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During seated TCC, I emphasized shifting from the center, forward and back. Bill, who likes to joke around, got me really good. He pressed a button on his fancy electric wheelchair that took him all the way back to a supine position! And then again forward, laughing at my surprise. Well, that certainly put a new spin on “joy thru movement!”

– Sharon Sirkus

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It was the last class before a month break. My parting comment to one of my long time students, who readily acknowledges that his practice could be slower, was “Slow Down, you move too fast.” To which the rest of his classmates responding (singing to the tune by Simon & Garfunkel) “You got to make the movements last now, stepping out with the Chi, oh so soft and feeling groovy.” We all started laughing and he promised to try and go a bit slower.

– Lisa A. Thorburn, CA