Welcome to an intensive four-day workshop at the Nøsen Retreat Centre in the Norwegian mountains. Ann will guide participants through the basic principles of Tai Chi Grammar, an instrument that helps us become more fluent and fluid in our movement. The approach is systematic, but also playful and very interactive, giving participants tools and concepts they can use to enhance their practice. Expect to work in pairs and threes to test out ideas. The workshop is open for anyone who has learned the tai chi set, as well as experienced practitioners.
Tai Chi Grammar
In language, grammar is the underlying structure guiding and informing the way we speak. Once we speak a language, we no longer need the grammar. But while we are learning, grammar is a tool; it helps us along the way. Likewise, Tai Chi Grammar is an explanatory framework that aims to give students, both veteran practitioners and people newer to the art, a way to deepen their understanding of the movement, to gain autonomy in their own practice, and to connect to the spine.
A resident of Norway since 1996, Ann Danaiya Usher began her practice of tai chi in the style of Moy Lin Shin in the early 1980s in Montréal. She has taught classes and workshops in Canada, Sweden, England and Norway. Over the last decade, she has been investigating the internal structures of tai chi, in search of a methodology to inform her own practice and to ground her teaching. This pursuit has resulted in the development of a set of principles – a “grammar” of tai chi.
Along with her teacher Philippe Gagnon, Ann presented this grammar for the first time as a systematic whole at Nøsen in the fall of 2024. Philippe describes Tai Chi Grammar this way: “it methodically offers instructors a way to introduce students to a central, yet often elusive, feature of internal movement which involves stretching the lower spine … addressing one of the cornerstones of internal movement in a structured way.” Here’s what participants from Canada and several countries in Europe have said about the grammar: “It changed the understanding of my tai chi practice … the newest perspective of tai chi that I have come across so far … it transformed my understanding of sitting and dropping … very important in my journey and my learning of tai chi.”
This workshop will take place over four days. It is both for people who have just learned the set and for experienced practitioners. We will go step by step through the first principles of Tai Chi Grammar, finding applications in the set and making concepts relevant to each student’s practice and individual challenges. The workshop will consist of six 3-hour sessions with the possibility for exchange, free practice, play, and discussion in the evenings. Each day, there will be a long break for lunch and rest, with time to explore the spectacular surroundings. July is the height of the Norwegian summer; the days are long and sunsets last well past 11 pm.
Logistics
Nøsen is located about 3-4 hours northwest of Oslo. There are buses and trains from Oslo to
Fagernes and Gol, respectively, and transport to Nøsen for a fee. Details can be found here.
Lunch (included) will be available on arrival Thursday. I encourage you to consider arriving a day early to have a bit more time in this beautiful place. The area around Nøsen is filled with hiking trails and places to swim. Friends or family not attending the workshop are very welcome during the days of the workshop. There are discounts for smaller children. Read more about booking a stay without joining a retreat here.
Program
(Changes may occur)
Thursday, July 3, 2025
12:00 – 15:00 Arrival at Nøsen
13:00 - 14:00 Lunch (if you come later than 14:00 send an email to post@nosenyoga.no and they will preppare a plate for you)
15:00 Check-in
15:00 - 18:00 Introductions and first practice
18:00 - 19:00 Dinner
20:00 Open evening practice, play, exchange (optional)
Friday, July 4, 2025
9:00 - Breakfast
10:00 – 13:00 Practice
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
15:00 – 18:00 Practice
18:00 - 19:00 Dinner
20:00 Open evening practice, play, exchange (optional)
Saturday, July 5, 2025
9:00 Breakfast
10:00 – 13:00 Practice
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch
15:00 – 18:00 Practice
18:00 - 19:00 Dinner
20:00 Open evening practice, play, exchange (optional)
Sunday, July 6, 2025
9:00 Breakfast
10:00 – 13:00 Practice
13.00 Lunch and check-out
Price
Shared room (3 or 4 per room): NOK 5,800 per person
Shared room (2 per room): NOK 6,250 per person
Single room: NOK 7,900 per person
Doublebed room from: NOK 8,200 per 1 person /13,550 for 2 person
The price includes:
3 nights in single, double or shared room
Bedding and towels
The full workshop programme
3 beautiful vegetarian meals per day with lunch included on both the first and last days
Other:
Speciality teas and coffees and snacks are available from the barista. Payment by credit card.
For questions regarding accommodation, transport to Nøsen from Gol or Fagernes, and other logistics, please contact: post@nosenyoga.no. For questions about the workshop, please contact Ann here: ann_danaiyausher@hotmail.com