The Dance of Jyuwaza

By Reginald William (University of Iowa Aikikai)
ddwddick@yahoo.com

I have become a moderate Salsa dancer, having practiced regularly for the past five years. Salsa requires good footwork, familiarity with the dance patterns, control of tempo and speed, and an innate sense of rhythm. In their own way, all these components are present in Aikido techniques. We should not become good at any one, but attempt to master all aspects of our Aikido practice.

West Coast Salsa has a basic eight-count foundation; three forward steps, three backward steps, and rest on four and eight in the middle. This is the dance's foundation. Only when you learn it implicitly, can you deviate from it or do freestyle. The basic steps teach us movement and balance. If you cannot control your own steps, how can you intend to control the dance? The same is true for ukemi. We must learn how to fall and roll safely, before we can attempt to throw and pin. Learning good ukemi and kihon waza (ikkyo, nikkyo, sankyo, yonkyo, gokyo), allows us to develop our balance. If you cannot control your balance, how can you take another's? Good footwork is part of our Aikido foundation.

Once you have learned the basic salsa step, then you are ready for turning combinations and cross-body lead combinations. In West Coast Salsa you also learn to dance in the slot. This takes practice and familiarity. Repetition is the only way to get your steps down. When we have good ukemi and kihon waza, we will begin to have an understanding of kokyunage and iriminage. We begin to adapt to getting off the line during the attack. Again, repetition is the thing that will allow us to effectively apply techniques such as udegarame, kotagaeshi, jujinage, and kaitennage.

It is said that once you learn the cross-body lead, you are a Salsero. That is because you are becoming accustomed to the tempo and speed required to execute this and more complex dance steps. The cross-body lead is the core of many salsa combinations. It must be mastered, to keep the aesthetic integrity of this dance. You can see how our foundation has developed in Aikido so far as well. Adding techniques that encompass ushiro waza, hanmi handachi, and suwari waza require pacing, tempo and control of the speed of attack. I will admit my Sensei Diana Harris (3rd Dan, UI Aikikai,) has stayed on me about the speed at which I do techniques.

It was not until we practiced in groups of five, that I began to understand what she was telling me. On one particular day my group ran the gambit of ukes (tall, short, aggressive, and passive). The technique called out was yokomenuchi shihonage. Following this jyuwaza approach, we worked in a line with everyone in the dojo, doing the same technique. It was at this point that I also began to understand that the perceived critique was actually encouragement.

Finally, I realized that I did not have to match uke's speed to control the technique. All that was required was that I get offline to avoid the clash, and then blend with the attack. I now consider my response to attacks as I do the days of the week, with seven concepts - ki, kamae, ma ai, musubi, irimi, waza, and zanshin. Redefining our technique as dance may make it more rhythmic than linear. It is one way to go from blocky steps to flowing waza. This is just a thought, not a hard or fast rule. Rhythm can be inherent or learned. Those born with it are fortunate; the rest of us must practice our speed and timing regularly. Too early in the technique and you miss or clash. Too late a response usually means an almost certain strike by your opponent.

In Salsa, as in Aikido, the one who has the best speed and timing will typically end up leading the dance. Jyuwaza affords us the opportunity to practice with ukes of all body types, and skill levels. When dancing Salsa in a club setting, it is the same. If my Aikido becomes as proficient as my Salsa some day, I will truly be fortunate. I urge you to practice your steps regularly.