Instructor: Lynette Hunter, Department of Theatre & Dance, College of Letters and Science
Description: The course proposes to introduce students to the basics of traditional Chinese physical culture as taught by the Weihai Lishi Quan Fa system of Chinese Physical Culture (CPC). This system is based on Daoist philosophy and is widely used in north-eastern China and in many places in Europe. The exploration will involve discussion and exploration of the primary concepts informing the program, practical work in dance laboratory conditions, and integration of practice with project work and evaluation. Traditional CPC has been used for centuries for stress management: whether it be stress brought about by work, anger, violence, lifestyle or mental and emotional attitudes. The College of Chinese Physical Culture in the UK has been developing applications of these eastern systems in western locations such as business and industry, schools, hospitals, leisure centres, prisons and centres for people with differing abilities. I use this work with actors and dancers, but am interested in developing the material also for wider interdisciplinary and non-academic applications.
Format: The course will focus on using traditional Chinese physical culture to think through issues of stress, and begin to devise ways of reducing, alleviating and preventing stress buildup. It is taught using traditional knowledge practices and students learn new strategies for valuing a wide range of learning skills. They also get hands-on experience with applying this learning in practical situations in daily life, including education, health and well-being.
Practical elements will include: Tai Ch’i Ch’uan, Stances (movements), Kaimen (Chinese yoga), Dao Yin (breathing exercises), Pushing exercises, Chi expressions (energy work), partner work and some elements of Feng Shou (Hand of the Wind)
Grading: Students will need to keep a weekly journal of their learning (30%), to demonstrate appropriate familiarity with and expression of physical skills, to write one 1500 word essay on a topic agreed with me (30%) and participate (40%).
About the Instructor: Professor Lynette Hunter joined the department of Theatre and Dance in 2003. Having worked in various disciplines such as biochemistry, computing, publishing and printing history, philosophy, literature and cultural studies, she has written a number of books on the history of rhetoric within these areas. Her current interests lie both in the history of performance and in the contemporary applications of performance not only in the arts and humanities but also in health, education, sports, management, medicine and the law. She has trained in the Weihai Li Shi Quan Fa under Desmond Murray for ten years.