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So, since my last entry, I had officially tested in my own dojo and invited many friends to come and watch. I had never really needed to "show-off" Aikido.
To respond to the comments, thanks for the acknowledgements, I've since gained a commanding presence with confidence in what it is I know. I'm now responsible for what I know in Aikido and I'm loving it, because it just feels good to know, especially that people trust me to know what I know. Also the first experience was not videotaped, by the time someone realized we should be videotaping, it was already over.. oh well.
That was more nerve racking than the my experience with the senior examiner and many yudansha I've only met for the first time. Anyway, the space I'm in was much smaller and this time was videotaped, yet to be put digitally.
I do have my black belt officially now. I don't see it as anything but a decorative article of clothing to still hold my gi together. It's simple now, 2 colors instead of 3. From this point on, is just replacing pieces of my dogi and/or hakama. Only thing that really has changed is that I'm being referred to as Sensei now, instead of Sempai, which I'm still getting used to. I'm so informal with the students, I don't mind if they call me by my first name.
Right now, as part of my training, and a key point to achieving Nidan(in Ki Aikido, Nidan is representative to someone dedicated to teaching students, and Sandan is a rank dedicated for teaching "teachers"), is to help g
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It's been 4 years since my last post. I do ever so rarely come here anymore because of life. It is what it is, but now it's time to reflect.
4 years ago was when I started teaching dance. Since then, I've been coined the name Niko "Suave" and have made myself somewhat popular in the world of salsa, teaching and performing around the US, and in Puerto Rico just a month and a half ago. To see some of my work, partnerships, and involvements, check out youtube. Search Niko "Suave", SalSubZero or Minneapolis Salsa Movement.
With a profession like dance instruction, the time to commit to Aikido training was tougher since most my work is in the evening. It wasn't until my head instructor took seriously his involvement in my growth and development, that I gave it a chance as well. I've been doing Aikido for 12 years, on and off, A LOT. It was ridiculous how much lack of dedication I had to the actual practice, but every time I come back I'm always told because of my dancing that it's like I haven't missed much. My Ikkyu test was just last April.
What made a huge difference, and in Ki Society, Ikkyu is the exact same test as shodan, but it counts as a pretest for shodan. I spent over 9 months of more intensive training about 10-20 hours a week, and an additional 8 months prior to get back in the groove of commitment to the training.
Let me tell you what happened in my shodan test... it wasn't going so well for me at first, at least that's how I felt. I was failing the ki
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So, anyway, here's where I give my introduction. As the title says, new member, long participant. I've been browsing this site for several years now, although never really considered to be a part of until now. Why is that? I'm taking a break from college, and regathering my thoughts and goals so that I can pursue them without conflict.
I am 22 years old, and majoring in nursing, although it's been really tough financially, since I've paid my way so far without taking out any loans, and I plan to continue that way. I used to be a Computer Science, then Computer Engineering then Electrical Engineering major prior to this, but I was only focusing on the job market from there on and that's why I am now in nursing.
My hobbies include computer gaming, movies and dancing(ballroom, swing and salsa). It is through these that I have been sane over the years of schooling and highly involved with my social life.
I am a part of Minnesota Ki Aikido Society and have been studying for approximately 8 years. I am currently rank Nikyu as of October 8th, 2004. After 8 years, one would expect me to be at least shodan by now, but in times today, school is so demanding of time, that my involvement gets cut off by "more important" things. I started at the age of 14, seeking a new level of maturity and patience because on top of all the stresses were two brothers that knew how to annoy me very easily. Although in 8 years of practice I see things more clearly as far as simplifying our mov
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11-06-2008 03:21 PM 
