Thank you all for responding so quickly. I really appreciate all of the responses, even those I am not quoting (I am note quoting some due to the overlap in view points).
Martial Development
Regardless, you should check at least 3 different schools before making a decision.
There is, or should be, no harm in joining a class 1-2 weeks late, if it comes to that.
Stigweard
Master Moy, the founder of Taoist Tai Chi Society, was very upfront in saying he changed the Yang family form to suit his needs. He removed all the martial arts out of the practice and has diluted it quite a bit.
Not that I am saying that you wont get benefits, you just have to keep in mind why you want to train. If you just want an introduction to Tai Chi then by all means go for it. But if you are interested in discovering the depths of Tai Chi then you have to keep in mind that you may have to eventually seek elsewhere. Of course the question then is, "Why don't you find the real deal to start with?"
Even I have to admit that in my community class I have reduced the traditional 20min plus Zhan Zhuang (Standing Qigong) down to 10min and I have given much more emphasis on Fang Song Gung because that is what my students need ... loosening and coordination.
I did decide to broaden my search and found another group offering the real Tai Chi ( Chinese Shao-Lin Center). They offered a month free trial and offer classes 3 times a week (Tai Chi and Kung Fu 2x and Kung Fu one extra time). I attended a class last night. Having no background at all, I, of course, was terrible at it, but that is to be expected. I thought it was interesting that you could start with the Kung Fu (lower levels) at the same time. This does appeal to me. It occurs to me that I am not limber enough to appreciate this practice at this time, and that my time would be better spent doing Hatha Yoga to increase my range of motion and flexibility.
I think I will follow my instincts on this one (that is the Taoist way listening to the heart). After practicing my micro-orbit meditation, I noticed a yearning to stretch more so I started doing yoga and I noticed better meditation after a yoga session. I an still really tight in a lot of areas but I am making progress even after a few sessions. I always know where I can go for Tai Chi in the future.
RobB
I spent 18 months with the TTCS a while back. My advice would be avoid, avoid, avoid.
If there is absolutely no-one else in your area then you'd be better off spending your time practicing some of the material available on TTB than going to their classes.
Thanks for sharing your personal experience. But just for the sake of open mindedness, I might try to call them and see if I can sit-in on a session. I would at least be able to compare the two approaches. My inclination is to go with the traditional approach at some point in the future.
I think it would be best to attend another class at the Chinese Shao-Lin Center and inform them that I appreciated there class, but I am not ready for it (but maybe ready in the near future).
