Against an unlikely backdrop of basketball hoops, the Tai Ji Group of Peters Park meets daily for an hour of harmonious, slowed meditative-like movements using hands, swords or fans.

The ancient martial art of Tai Ji is well known for its many health benefits, including overall flexibility and calming of the mind, which reduces stress and anxiety. Greeting the early morning with precise gestures of the art of T'ai chi ch'uan, often translated in English as 'Supreme Ultimate,' the ladies demonstrate a beautiful flowing strength with each snap of vermillion fan. Accompanied by traditional music, the Tai Ji ladies find their balance for life replenished between the marked lines of the basketball court, while commuter traffic rushes by on nearby Washington Street.