Two residents from Han and Kazak groups performed Tai Chi Sword at a party held in Karamay in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on Jan 16.

Played alongside music, Wang Arong and Geside Abulaizi showed off the essence, force and flexibility of this traditional Chinese sport and received rapturous applause from the audience.

"There few people of ethnic minorities that learn Tai Chi and Geside is one of them. I hope her story can encourage more people to carry forward this traditional Chinese culture", said Chen Ping, director of the neighborhood committee of Dongcai residential community.

Wang organized a Tai Chi club shortly after she moved to Dongcai residential community in 2011. Its members would perform Tai Chi in the yard in front of the neighborhood committee every morning.

Geside was attracted by their performance when she passed by and wanted to join them, but felt deterred by her ethnic group.

It wasn't until 2013 that Geside summoned enough courage to speak with Wang and expressed her desire to learn Tai Chi. Wang readily agreed and asked her to join them immediately.

When Geside's husband and daughter learned that she was going to practice Tai Chi in public, they were worried at first. But after watching her performance, they decided to give her their full support.

After one-month's training, Geside and her partners began to take part in Tai Chi contests organized by the Karamay Tai Chi Association; they have since won prizes.

"Under my encouragement, some of my female friends have agreed to practice Tai Chi when the weather gets warmer", said happily Geside.