Learning To Be Silent

By Maggie Schill

This Saturday I had the pleasure to attend a fundraiser seminar at Brevard Aikikai. Hosted by Grady Lane Sensei, the seminar featured several amazing instructors, including Peter Bernath Shihan. Each instructor seemed to have a varied style of teaching, and each focused on a particular aspect of their Aikido. This made for both an informative and nurturing learning experience, where the students could focus intently on the lessons.

There were two special morning classes. The first morning class started at 10:00 a.m. and was taught by Peter Bernath Sensei of Florida Aikikai. Bernath Sensei focused on body positioning and immediate, unreadable technique. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining your center, as well as keeping extension.

The second morning class was held by Penny Bernath Sensei, also of Florida Aikikai. Starting with deep entrances, and then jyu-waza, the class gradually turned into a dynamic randori lesson. It was structured to help the students build their skills, from the initial movement to the limitless possibilities of jyu-waza.

John Johnson Sensei of Orlando Aikikai began the afternoon session. Johnson Sensei demonstrated various techniques from ryote-tori yonkyo, including several kokyu-nage throws. I learned about the adaptability of yonkyo and the importance of extension. Especially interesting was an anecdote from summer camp thirty years ago, where an instructor, after leading a Shinto chant for several classes, required that the attendees clean the training hall. The significance was not lost on Johnson Sensei: the dojo was a place for serious, committed training.

Following Johnson Sensei, Ed Di Marco Sensei of Lake County Aikikai taught a vigorous and informative class. Demonstrating ushiro movements, Di Marco Sensei spoke about “worst case” scenarios, where uke flanks nage.  Again I learned about balance and extension, and how to turn difficult attacks to my advantage.

After a short break, Youssef Sadkane Sensei of Sadkane Aikido began his class. Demonstrating direct and efficient Aikido movement, Sadkane Sensei emphasized the importance of controlling uke’s center. I saw in his technique the rhythm and feel of swordplay. I really enjoyed it!

Dee Sensei of my school taught next. She opened her class with an ukemi exercise, and continued with ikkyo ura, from katate-tori. She asked nage not to break uke’s grip, which forced uke to maintain close connection. It was as much ukemi training as traditional technique. She then allowed us to train in jiu-waza, again without breaking uke’s hold. Finally, taking a cue from Sugano Sensei, she instructed the attendees to attack anyone on the mat, including her. It was great fun.

Fittingly, the seminar closed with the host, Lane Sensei. He led a high paced, high energy class, from morote-tori. Beginning with kokyu-ho, he demonstrated pins, kote-gaeshi, and finally juji-nage. I learned a great deal about the complexity and possibilities of the morote-tori attack.

In closing, the seminar was high paced and highly informative. I want to thank Lane Sensei, as well as the other instructors present. I learned a lot and had a great time!

Editors Note: This is the second in an eight part series discussing past seminars at our school. The videos can be found in our multimedia archive. The series can be found under the video tag.

In this next video, Bernath Sensei is executing various techniques from suwari-waza. Grady Lane Sensei is uke. I really want our students to see this video, especially those who haven’t yet tested for fourth kyu. (Our fourth kyu examination is the first rank which formally tests kneeling techniques, aside from kokyu-dosa.) 

For many students, suwari-waza is an entirely foreign concept. This video, I think, demonstrates exactly what Dee Sensei is looking for: clear attack, clear technique, pacing and control. That the test techniques are different is unimportant; what matters here are the principles that apply to all technique.

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I’m watching this next video the day after an incredible seminar at Brevard Aikikai. Bernath Sensei taught, as well as several other talented shidoin and fukushidoin. As you can probably guess, I’m a bit sore today. I mention this because after seeing the ukemi Neil took, I can almost feel it myself. This is dynamic technique.

Some more background. Those mats you see, the ones that look awfully thin? Well they are. Thankfully, we don’t have those anymore, but I’ve taken ukemi on them, and…well, let’s just say that Neil has much better ukemi than me.

Honestly, this is amazing stuff.

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Editors Note: This is the first in an eight part series discussing past seminars at our school. The videos can be found in our multimedia archive. The series can be found under the video tag.

We’ve been fortunate to host Peter Bernath Sensei several times over the years, most recently in January 2009.  It really is a privilege to observe his technique; our students are always grateful when he visits.  The videos and pictures below were taken from our seminar in March 1996.  Don’t worry if the location seems unfamiliar—at this point in our history we were training in a dance studio in the Mandarin area.  We’ve come a long way since then!

In the background you can see Chris Rozette, one of our early instructors, and Grady Lane Sensei, chief instructor of Brevard Aikikai.  Neil Bednar is uke.

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To me, what’s interesting about this technique is the throw itself; or more specifically, the cut and follow through.  Notice the connection Sensei makes with uke’s hips.  The throw, (really a cut to uke’s center), is a perpendicular strike which casts uke away.  It is as much a hip throw as shiho-nage.

It is also the type of throw Dee teaches—a perpendicular cut across uke’s center that redirects uke’s energy outwards.  You’ll see this hip movement throughout her waza.

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In this next video, Sensei is executing a direct kaiten-nage, soto variation.  Joey Turner is uke.  There is a lot going on here, but what I wanted to mention is Joey’s ukemi.  Dee learned what is sometimes referred to as soft or wide legged ukemi at New York Aikikai, which she then introduced to the Jacksonville area.  Although her primary influence here was Donovan Waite Sensei, she also trained with Joey, himself a former deshi.

Our students undoubtedly recognize this style of ukemi from our classes.  If there is one thing that distinguishes our school, I think it would be this—Dee’s emphasis on soft ukemi.

Below are two still shots of the seminar.

Comments?  Observations?  Fire away!

Earlier this month Sensei scheduled our first parents class. What is parents class, you ask? It’s simple, really: the kids in our children’s program invited their mom or dad on the mat, to experience Aikido first hand. By helping teach their parents simple technique, our kids could demonstrate how much they’ve learned. Our parents, meanwhile, received a painless introduction to the art through their childrens’ eyes.

Don’t think, however, that the class was easy.  Sensei demonstrated shikko (knee walking), as well as forward and back ukemi (rolling).  Our parents also learned sumi-otoshi (corner drop) and participated in some aiki games, including shikko dodgeball and an ukemi relay race.

As usual, we took plenty of pictures.  Enjoy!

This past Tuesday we were honored to host a special guest instructor. Ed Di Marco Sensei, 6th dan shidoin and chief instructor for Lake County Aikikai, happened to be in Jacksonville on business.  We were quick to ask that he teach both evening classes, and of course he graciously agreed.

During the first class, we saw several interesting tsuki variations, including a kokyu-nage I had not seen before.  The second class consisted of weapons work, including a paired jo and bokken kata I first encountered at New York Aikikai, in a class taught by Sugano Sensei. Which of course is not surprising since Di Marco Sensei trained in New York for twenty years.

We took lots of pictures, a few of which are posted below.  Enjoy!