Aikido of Dallas Fall Seminar

With Skip Chapman Sensei, Guest Instructor

By Aikido of Dallas
dallas@aikido.org

Aikido of Dallas recently had the pleasure of hosting a seminar led by Skip Chapman Sensei, the Chief Instructor of Jersey Shore Aikikai (www.jsadojo.com). This was the first seminar led by Chapman Sensei, and his enthusiasm was as expansive as the Texas prairie.

During nearly eight hours of practice from Friday evening through Sunday morning Chapman Sensei demonstrated a consistently energetic and involved teaching style. The standard fare of ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo, yonkyo, irimi nage and tenchi nage were invigorated with a protean melange of entries, throws and pins. Classes were as large as fifty students and everyone from the kids to the grizzled yudansha found something new to practice and test them.

Chapman Sensei has spent many years traveling with and taking ukemi for Yamada Sensei, and so it was a special treat to have him emphasize his approach to ukemi and uke waza. The importance of posture, movement, commitment and preparation was presented with insights into physiology and psychology and often punctuated with allegory. Most memorable was the description of uke leaning like a tree being pushed by the wind, stretching to retain its form and connection to the earth. With clear demonstrations and practice exercises Chapman Sensei made even the most aeronautical falls seem feasible to the feckless among us.

Accompanying Chapman Sensei from New Jersey were Ted Banta, Marty Panariello and Ann Lorenc. We were particularly grateful for their attendance and willingness to demonstrate ukemi in real time.

The seminar was enjoyably challenging, always with a sense of optimism and encouragement that new things can be learned and are worth learning. We look forward to future visits from Chapman Sensei and the students of Jersey Shore Aikikai.