Roliball

Tai chi soft ball at the Temple of Heaven, Beijing, May 2011 Players in matching yellow shirts swing shallow rackets in long arcs, each carrying a ball that never seems to leave the racket face. This is taiji rouliqiu, a young sport that dates from 1991 and blends tai chi's flowing movement with racket games such as badminton and table tennis. Instead of striking the ball, players absorb its momentum and circle it back out, so the rally is nearly silent. It adds a playful hand-eye challenge to tai chi's footwork for anyone who finds a bare form too abstract.