Featuring Lana Spraker
Lana Spraker has been teaching Tai Chi since 1972 — over 50 years — and practices Yang style, one of the gentler, slow-moving forms of the art. She began her study at UCLA in 1969 under master teacher June Euer, who paired the physical movements with the Chinese philosophy behind them. Lana also teaches the Alexander Method, and has spent decades working with students of all ages and abilities, including patients recovering from breast cancer surgery.
Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/PYGy44AggOg?si=6MnN7jaYfKvcp8JR
How did you get into Tai Chi, and what has your journey been like?
Lana came to UCLA in 1969 to study dance. A friend invited her to see a demonstration, and having been drawn to Chinese philosophy and Daoism since she was 16, she went along. Watching a teacher move gracefully yet athletically — deep in the knees, upright, flowing like water and clouds — she knew immediately she had to learn it. She began studying under June Euer, a master who also taught Chinese calligraphy and interpreted the philosophy and spiritual meaning behind each movement. Lana has been teaching since 1972.
What is Tai Chi, and what’s the philosophy behind it?
Lana describes Tai Chi as a moving meditation — a form of movement that engages every muscle and bone in the body while tuning and calming the nervous system. It’s derived from ancient Daoist movements. Lana teaches Yang style, named for the man who developed this particular stylization, which has been popular for the last 200 years. Beyond being a demanding physical exercise that keeps the joints supple, Tai Chi asks practitioners to move from their center — the dantian — a skill that takes years to develop. Because it requires being fully present in the moment, it’s also excellent for mental acuity, cognition, and vision, since practitioners are watching their own movements. Tai Chi calms the nervous system and offers a daily respite from worry, which is part of why Lana practices every day. It can be done solo or, as seen in China, by large synchronized groups of people moving together.
Is Tai Chi choreographed, or is it led moment-to-moment by the teacher?
Yes, it’s choreographed. There are several forms of Tai Chi — Yang style is the most popular, though others exist as well. Some forms have 28 moves, others 44. The form Lana teaches has 108 moves and takes about 30 minutes to complete, longer with warm-ups. She compares it to a series of martial arts katas linked together, meant to be performed like pulling a single thread of silk from a silkworm cocoon — slow and continuous, with just one fast movement near the end. Practitioners focus on their breathing and on flowing from one move into the next, often described as moving like water. Even the hands are meant to stay relaxed — referred to as “beautiful lady hand,” a cue used for men and women alike.
How does Tai Chi help with joint stability, mobility, and balance as we age?
It’s easy on the joints, but Lana cautions against pushing too hard — she recalls a student who tore ligaments in his knee by overexerting himself. She encourages students to work within their own “circle of ability” and to honor where they are in their own life. While more athletic styles of Tai Chi exist, such as Chen style with its splits and leaping movements, Lana recommends gentler, slower-moving forms like Yang or Wu style for older practitioners. The way practitioners step — heel, ball, toe, then reversing — creates a natural tripod on the ground, which trains balance not just during Tai Chi but in everyday walking.
How does posture and head position factor into all of this?
Lana connects this directly to the Alexander Method, which she also teaches. The head should balance lightly on top of the spine, with length running from the pubic bone to the sternum and up behind the ears — not pushed or forced, which creates tension in the neck. Since the head weighs roughly 10 pounds, carrying it forward (as many of us do looking down at cell phones) leads to shrinking, backaches, and neck pain over time. When the head is balanced over one’s center, the body doesn’t fall, because it’s the head’s position that pulls the rest of the body off balance. Lana recommends bringing the phone up to your head rather than dropping your head down to the phone.
What has Tai Chi shown you in your work with breast cancer patients specifically?
Lana worked with a doctor who ran a group for breast cancer patients who had undergone mastectomies. One woman, afraid to move because she had lost one side of her body, found that the movement relaxed her and helped her feel whole again. Lana explains that Tai Chi balances what the brain experiences in terms of proprioception — the sense of the body in space — restoring a sense of continuity between a person’s dominant and non-dominant sides, and between the front and back of the body.
What would you say to someone who’s intimidated by Tai Chi or worried they won’t be able to do it?
Start by observing a class before joining. Lana recommends watching how a teacher treats their students — with patience and care, not harshness — since corrections often involve touch, and a student should feel comfortable with that dynamic before committing. Beyond that, her advice is simple: give it a try, start with a beginner class, and be patient and loving with yourself rather than expecting perfection. Some of Lana’s students never advanced far in the form but loved every session. Space isn’t a barrier either — Tai Chi can be adapted to fit a small area at home, and video instruction is also available for those without local access to a class.
Tai Chi is a reminder that exercise after 50 doesn’t have to mean pushing harder — sometimes it means slowing down enough to actually notice your own body. If you’re curious about finding a class near you, Lana’s advice is simple: go watch one first, and trust how it feels.
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