The First Annual USAF Yudansha Seminar

The Beginning of a New Tradition

Text by Kiyoshi Yasutake
Photographs by Art Wise
(Midwest Aikido Center)

The weekend of May 21st & 22nd 2005 initiated a unique event in the history of the USAF. The first Yudansha Seminar (including Ikkyu) was sponsored by the Midwest Aikido Center (MAC) in Chicago and organized by the USAF. The intent, as indicated by Yamada Shihan, was for "USAF Yudansha and instructors to make themselves available for a once-a-year seminar where we can conveniently gather and train in a traditional dojo setting."

The MAC was honored that our dojo was chosen as representing the "traditional dojo setting" of which Yamada Shihan had spoken. Our dojo is probably the largest Aikido dojo in the United States. We have an unobstructed mat space of 192 tatami (4,400 square feet) and have been able to build and maintain the traditional dojo setting that the late Tohei Shihan had envisioned.

The seminar officially began on Saturday but Yamada Shihan was gracious enough to teach a class for the MAC members (and guests already present) on Friday evening. This was particularly welcome since many of our kyu ranks who could not participate in the seminar itself were able to receive instruction from Yamada Shihan and train with guests in a seminar-like atmosphere.

As the MAC was sponsoring the event we handled all registration. Since this was the initial Yudansha seminar we had no idea of how many would participate. On the Thursday before the seminar we had approximately 100 who had pre-registered. Based on those numbers and the estimation of those who would register at the door we anticipated 120-140 for the seminar. When Saturday arrived and participants kept streaming into the dojo it became clear that we had grossly underestimated the numbers. In total 221 participated and came literally from each coast and Canada. My first thought was that we would need a lot more beer for the Saturday evening party!

Instruction for the classes was provided by Yamada, Konigsberg, and Berthiaume Shihan. Classes began at 9:30am each day with four classes on Saturday and three classes on Sunday. Instruction with weapons was provided by Berthiaume Shihan on Saturday and Dan tests were administered on Saturday before the party at the dojo in the evening.

Every inch of the mat space was occupied during the practices. The instruction (as expected) was first class and the energy on the mat was at a very high level. It was clear that everyone (including the Shihan) was feeding off the energy that was being generated.

The practices, while highly energetic and serious, were not without some levity. For example, if some were expecting the Sunday morning 9:30 am class to be a slightly more "relaxed" practice (after the Saturday evening "keiko" of sampling various alcoholic beverages) they were in for a rude awakening. Berthiaume Shihan began with and continued with koshinage throughout the class. It also was with partners only, no lines! When Konigsberg Shihan began the next class at 10:45am the first technique was koshinage! This immediately drew a collective laugh from the class especially when Konigsberg Shihan (with perfect comedic timing) stopped and looked at everyone with an expression of "What?"

Saturday evening gave everyone the opportunity to eat, drink, and socialize in an informal and pleasant atmosphere. There was plenty of food, sake, and the universal Aikido carbohydrate replacement drink, beer. People moved around freely socializing and it proved to be a very pleasant evening.

At the conclusion of the seminar Yamada Shihan expressed his happiness of the overwhelming success of the seminar. He also announced that next year's seminar would take place April 22nd & 23rd 2006 and that people should plan for it now.

Too many to name made this seminar a huge success. We would like to express our gratitude to Yamada Shihan for giving the MAC the opportunity of sponsoring this seminar. We want to thank Yamada, Konigsberg, and Berthiaume Shihan for providing the instruction for this historic annual event. We also want to thank all of those who participated and contributed to the seminar's success. Finally, our thanks is extended to all of the MAC members who helped in preparing for and running the seminar. In particular, those of kyu ranks gave a great deal of their time and effort, despite the fact that they could not participate. Without their help the running of the seminar would not have been half as smooth.