How to Set Up the Mar Vista LA Public Library Tai Chi Class Videos for Groups (2026)

Welcome to our SECOIAS Tai Chi class in Mar Vista library (Los Angeles, CA).

Our group is moderated by volunteers who may use this tutorial on how to set up our group exercises.

The warm up video shown here is provided by a collaboration with a senior librarian (Ramin) and a local Tai Chi teacher who provided warm ups. A short description of this warm up is provided below to help people who may want to practice this at home.

These warm ups begin with the typical hand over fist salute as shared in most martial arts training to show respect.

Here are the parts of the body that are then used for warm ups:

1) fingers (palm up, wiggling)

2) thumbs (rotations, then up and down)

3) wrists (rotations)

4) Hands clasped together and rolling shoulders above the head (rotations)

5) neck (turning left, right, up, and down, then careful rotations)

6) hips (horse stance, left, front, right, back, then rotations with arms counterbalanced)

7) knees (rubbing the knees to relax them, then tapping to wake them, squats)

8) waist (bend at the waist, straightening the knees, folding like a table top, breathing and going deeper)

waist twist (staying bent turning to the left, then breathing and going deeper, repeating again for the right)

9) Reaching up (in a wide stance, reaching up and out like a starfish 8x, repeat this on your toes)

10) Ankles (rotations first on the ground, then up in the air balanced in front, arms out to counterbalance)

For our volunteers at Mar Vista library, the monitor is touchscreen and set up with two videos, the warmup described in the introduction and a hoopla video which has been downloaded for each class.

You may want a Hoopla account to watch the video(s) from home, which is what we use at the library:

Here's our standard tai chi video by David Dorian Ross for those over 50-

https://www.hoopladigital.com/movie/tai-chi-fit-over-50-david-dorian-ross/13803027

And here are two alternatives for this video:

Tai Chi Fit for Women

Seated Tai Chi Fit for Healthy Back

Keep in mind any of these exercises can be modified for those who are unfit to stand, and we highly recommend this for beginners who are at risk of falling.

The first step on any given day as a volunteer is to alert the support desk of your arrival. You may also request the attendance book for the group (especially if no other volunteer has yet arrived).

Flip to the front of the book and make sure the dates and sign in pages are in order for people to check off their attendance. Add a new blank page(s) as needed.

Note: If this ever becomes a hybrid/ online group, perhaps a digital sign in sheet?

Ask for support with the room and the TV if it is not yet set up.

This is step is not normally needed. Please skip this step if Cassandra or the attending librarian has already supported.

Let's say that there is no librarian today to support with setting up the class.

Make sure that there is a flash drive docked in the TV (right side of screen when facing the monitor). This is the drive with the warm up video labeled img_2334.mov which should be at the "Backstage" area ready to play.

The other file ready to go should be one of the David Dorian Ross Tai Chi films (usually 40m) such as "Tai Chi Fit Over 50". Just make sure it's been downloaded from Hoopla for easy playback without buffering. If there is any problem connecting, check the WIFI connection.

If you notice new members, make sure to answer any questions from them, and help them sign in for the first time.

If possible give them a spot closer to the screen, one without obstruction, and ask them if they prefer to perform standing or sitting. Recommend sitting if balance is an issue, and offer to introduce them to others after the group at 4.

Allow members to continue to gather while allowing preparing to share videos at roughly 3:15pm and when the time feels right ask members if they are ready to begin warmups.

See if you can adjust the temperature in the room with the thermostat at the front of the classroom, adjusting for number of people in the room and judging how best to regulate body temperature while exercising. Ideally no one will have a request for changes to temperature mid group, but keep an eye on the temperature after the exercise group has ended in case it needs further adjustment during the social hour.

Additionally the volume of the sound for the warmup will likely need to be adjusted all the way up while the sound will need to be reduced to midway for the hoopla video. Please make sure you understand how to get there and try to make adjustments prior to use of each video.

In the above pictures, it will be obvious that there are two tabs to be aware of for control of the volume. The bottom tab which allow for access to "home" and "backstage" also provides a "more..." tab button to allow you to access the volume.

It's possible to play the hoopla video without downloading it, but often using the download will provided better uninterrupted play for the group for 40 mins.

You can find the video with the lower of the two tabs on the right or left of the screen and use "Backstage" button to find other open windows. If it is not obvious where it is, you can always open it from the Hoopla app from the Desktop Homepage button. The button will say "request" and you may have to press it about five times before the app takes any action towards playing the downloaded file.

Don't forget to decrease the volume button to accommodate for the sound levels for the group as needed. When the video is over, you can just allow the screen to stay idle in the background during social hour to await the support of a librarian.

We hope this tutorial is of support to you in times of need. If more instructions are needed, feel free to contact sandra.cheng@gmail.com or approach me at the end of groups during social hour.

If you're able to go over the attendance book and recall who may have forgotten to sign in, you can probably guestimate an accurate account of how many people showed up. Return the attendance book, and share the total count encircled with the reference librarian on a slip of paper showing also the date.

Encourage people to stay late to do some of the socializing if they like, engaging people with tea and any snacks people may have brought to share.