Two months ago I received this message from Erika Persson, a student in Medical Anthropology at Amsterdam University College:

“Dear Monica, I am writing to you as you are listed as organizer in the Tai-Chi group here, and I have a question for you. Or rather a request. I am a student of Amsterdam University College who currently studies Medical Anthropology. As a part of the course we are conducting a visual anthropology project in which we are filming a chosen group/practice to answer a research question. Me and my research group are interested in knowing more about how the known health benefits of Tai-Chi are perceived in an urban areas, and to assess this we are looking for a practice that we could join for a meeting, and possible find people who would like to tell us about their experience regarding the activity. As it is a visual anthropology project, the aim is to film the meeting. However this will be done discretely, and not without consent will all practitioners! Please let me know what you think!”

I was very enthusiastic and so were my students. Erika came with two college mates and practiced with us. After the class there was an informal conversation about the benefits of Tai Chi in an urban area like Amsterdam.

Here you can enjoy the nicely edited video that Erika and her mates shot at “Space to be”, the place we meet at every week to practice Tai Chi.