On Friday 4th April Joseph Kennedy and Kieran Nipress gave a Demo of Takemusu Aikido and Katori Shinto Ryu to the Windgap Youth Club. There where about 40 kids present and several adults. When we arrived the kids where running all over the place and yelling. Just generally being kids. They did however in all fairness sit down and stay more or less quiet while we showed them what we do. I gave a brief talk about Aikido and why I do it, and the kids listened responsively. They where especially attentive when I took out my Iaito and showed the Iaijutsu of Katori Shinto Ryu. The demo concluded and we invited the children up two at a time to have a go at the shihonage throw. Me and Kieran must have taken ukemi 100 times on that cold hard floor. All part of training I supposed. We finished with everyone standing doing some Kiai’s. Hope fun was had by all and thanks to Liz Jackson for the invite.
Light Colour Sound: a new Festival with Aikido
This July a new Summer Festival will begin. In the beautiful location of Paulstown Castle Music will ring out for miles, tents will be pinched, Music, Dancing and a little bit of Aikido.
Ran by Arlie and Marie Croft who last year had a summer camp which included a few Aikido Classes given my our instructors. There will be some fantastic music over the weekend, including Cathy Davies, Wallis Bird, Kila, Jerry Fish, Jape, So I Watch From Afar and many more.
Takemusu Aikido Ireland will give at least one Demo, probably a few short taster classes also.
GET YOUR TICKETS SOON.
Takemusu Aikido Ireland Thanks Arlie and Marie for this wonderful opportunity to promote Aikido. THANK YOU.
more info www.lightcoloursoundfestival.com
LET US PUT THE ROLL IN YOUR ROCK N ROLL
Spring Course 2014 Photogallery
Spring Course 2014
Takemusu Aikido with Sensei Simone
Thomastown and Waterford
Photos taken and edited by Philip Cullen, Kilkenny based Artist and Musician
For complete album click here.
Kata
TAI Spring Course 2014 in Waterford & Thomastown
Takemusu Aikido Ireland Spring Course Thomastown and Waterford Sensei Simone Chierchini
Another weekend of throws, pins, cuts and rolls, some Kokyu breathing, then off to the pub.
Putting it so simply hardly gives it justice. This seminar was interesting on too many levels to mention. Sensei Simone’s ability to explain and demonstrate both technique and principle is remarkable. The adaptability of Takemusu Aikido and the sure scope of content could leave many confused. Fortunately for us Simone is able to put into words and show things in such a way that our beginners can understand and improve their own Aikido.
This seminar was held in 2 locations. We started on Friday with a short class in our Waterford Dojo. Sensei Simone emphasised flow and flexibility and covered about 4 techniques. He spoke about the important of being able to perform a technique from many different situations and the mental state required to do so.
The next day we trained in the beautiful hall of Camphill Jerpoint, Thomastown. Sensei Simone started a class with a Kokyu session. Kokyu exercises are a kind of breathing movement mediation similar to QiGong. We were also fortunate to be able to listen to Phillip Cullen playing the piano during this. After lunch we trained in Bukiwaza {weapons} , covering the sword katas of Iwama Ryu. This is a wonderful way to train. Not only are the katas interesting by themselves but also in relation to the Empty handed Aikido. Sensei Simone always likes to explain the close relation between armed and unarmed technique.
On Sunday we returned to our Waterford Dojo. There we continued with a simple series of technique in an almost kata like fashion. Focusing on flow and then returning to more basic kihon practice we were able to both capture the basic principle and to look into other possibilities. Our Bukiwaza was Jo {staff}. We learnt a short kata and went over the basic suburi exercises. Our course finished with a grading ceremony. The first students of Waterford Dojo received their 5th Kyu.
Thanks to Camphill Community Jerpoint and Black Belt Academy Waterford for hosting the event.
We hope to have Simone back this Summer.
AIKIDO MAYO 