Pytt Geddes Explained
Gerda ("Pytt") Geddes (born Gerda Meyer Bruun; 17 July 1917 - 4 March 2006) was responsible for bringing tai chi to the UK. She taught classes at The Place in London.[1]
She was born in Bergen, Norway, the daughter of a successful businessman and politician who served in the Norwegian government as Minister of Trade. During World War II, she joined the Norwegian resistance movement.
After she and David Geddes married in 1948, they moved to Shanghai, where she discovered tai chi. Soon after, the People's Liberation Army took power there. Around 1951, they were able to move to Hong Kong, where she studied tai chi with Choy Hawk Pang, and then with his son Choy Kam Man.[2]
She became a friend of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears.
She studied psychology in the US and underwent Reichian analysis in Oslo.
Selected publications
- Book: Geddes, Gerda . Looking for the Golden Needle: An Allegorical Journey. MannaMedia . 1991 . 978-1872606019.
Further reading
- Book: Woods, Frank . Dancer in the Light: The Life of Gerda Pytt Geddes . 978-0955918100 . psi books . 2008.
External links
- Web site: Gerda 'Pytt' Geddes 1917-2006 . T'ai Chi Holidays . 16 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070824125958/http://www.taichiholidays.com/background/pyttgeddes.html . 24 August 2007.
- Web site: Robinson . Ronnie . Gerda Geddes - 2006 . Tai Chi Union for Great Britain . 16 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160412181423/http://www.taichiunion.co.uk/tculog/archives/archive_2006-m03.php . 12 April 2016 . 6 March 2006.
- News: Gerda Geddes - Tai Chi Pioneer . 16 January 2020 . Connections Magazine Scotland . 3 August 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070922061132/http://www.connections-magazine.co.uk/articles/gerdageddes.html . 22 September 2007. Interview with Gerda Geddes
- Web site: Extracts from Tai Chi Chuan Magazine . Tai Chi Aberdeenshire. 2006 . 16 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20081121202133/http://www.belindarose.net/taichigrampian/gg.htm . 21 November 2008. Tributes to Geddes
Notes and References
- Web site: Frank . Woods . The Woman . Gerda 'Pytt' Geddes, Dancer in the Light. 16 January 2020.
- News: Pytt Geddes (obituary) . 16 January 2020 . The Telegraph . 21 March 2006 . https://web.archive.org/web/20071204075831/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2006%2F03%2F21%2Fdb2101.xml . 4 December 2007 . dead .
