Taoist Tai Chi Tauranga is hosting the New Zealand's annual ‘Five Day International Workshop' for the first time in 23 years.

The workshop runs until Tuesday and has attracted more than 150 tai chi enthusiasts there – including 30 from around the world.

Merivale Community Centre general manager John Fletcher learning some moves from international director and instructor Tony Kwong. Photos: Tracy Hardy.

This year's draw card is Canadian instructor Tony Kwong.

Taoist Tai Chi Tauranga president Sue Lightfoot says having Tony in Tauranga is a big deal.

'Today we are having a workshop for the Taoist Tai Chi Society of New Zealand. It's being hosted by an international instructor from Canada, that's a really big deal for us. They only come about once a year.”

She says people from all over New Zealand and the world have gathered in Tauranga for the five day workshop.

'We have people from all over New Zealand, as far north as Warkworth and as far south as Nelson. In addition, we also have people from other parts of the world. We have women from Denver in America and more than forty people from Australia.

'We have more than 150 people here for the five day workshop. It's a really big event. Tonight we are holding a banquet which will be attended by 140 people.”

The Taoist Tai Chi Society has been in Tauranga for 23 years now and this is the first time they have hosted the international event.

'It's really exciting for us.”

Sue says the workshop encompasses a lot of learning.

'They do some moves, the international instructor watches and provides some advice if needed.

'Then we practice what he suggested while he walks around with other leaders and identifies how we are going.”

Taoist Tai Chi is an exercise form of t'ai chi ch'uan which is taught in more than 25.

It is a modified form of Yang-style t'ai chich'uan developed by Taoist monk Moy Lin-shin in Toronto, Canada.

Moy incorporated principles of Lok Hup Ba Fa and other internal arts to increase the health benefits of practising the form.