July 3rd - 7th ASU Aikido Summer Camp in DC

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[George S. Ledyard]

Wednesday, July 03, 2013 - Sunday, July 07, 2013
ASU Aikido Summer Camp in DC

This event features the "A" Team of ASU instructors:
Mitsugi Saotome Shihan and Hiroshi ikeda Shihan will both teach as usual. Additional featured instructors will be Raso Hultgren Sensei and William Gleason Sensei.

This event traditionally has a strong orientation on weapons training and daily weapons classes will be offered by Saotome Sensei's direct students including Wendy Whited, Josh Messores, George Ledyard, David Goldberg, Robert Deppe and more.

While this event is hosted by the ASU, it is open to students off all affiliations. For those folks who have encountered instructors like Hiroshi Ikeda, Bill Gleason, George Ledyard, Raso Hultgren, John Messores, etc who are teaching internationally, this event is a great way to work with them again and encounter other teachers workig with the same principles in their Aikido.

On-line info and Registration (http://www.aikido-shobukan.org/seminars/?seminarid=94)

Class Schedule in pdf (http://www.aikieast.com/pdf%20Files/2013%20-%2007%20-%20DC%20Summer%20Camp%20-%20Schedule.pdf)

[Cliff Judge]

If you register for the entire week of ASU's DC Summer Camp by this coming monday, May 27th, the price is $275. After the 27th full week price goes up to $320, or $340 at the door.

That's still a pretty good value for over 30 hours of training time, including 5 hours with Saotome Sensei, 5 hours with Ikeda Sensei, and two seperate two-hours sessions with Gleason Sensei.

Also Raso Hultgren, George Ledyard, John Messores, and classes with the senior Aikido Shobukan Dojo instructors.

AND beginner workshops on ASU weapons.

AND for the second year David Goldberg and Jim Alvarez will be bringing swords and mats and for a very small extra fee, anyone who wants to will get a chance to do some tameshigiri. If you've never done that before, it is well worth your time. If you have done it before, you can show off! :D

There will also be a party on the 4th.

[Cliff Judge]

Here is another thought: full-day registration is $80.

if you happen to be in town, and wanted to fit in a nice full day of training, particularly good days for that would be Friday, July5th, and/or Saturday, July 6th. Check out our schedule, Ledyard Sensei posted it in the original post.

Saturday, July 6th, get up early, get yourself some coffee, head on down to the DuFour Athletic Center at Catholic University. It's a 20 minute walk from the Brookland-CUA metro stop (sorry, can't be helped), OR plenty of parking is available. You show up, our efficient and courteous volunteers register you quickly, you change into your gi, and you are on the mat by 9am.

You get a three-hour class split in half between Saotome Sensei and Ikeda Sensei. You are like "wow" and "ohhhh...."

There is a two-hour break, there is plenty of room to work on some things you just saw. There are beautiful swords for sale from Gold Mountain Forge. You find someone to help you find a light lunch.

Then at 2pm there is an hour-long block of breakout weapons classes. If you are interested in the basics of ASU weapons katas you have your choice of four different groups to work with, and one of them is being led by none other than George Ledyard Sensei himself.

At 3pm on Saturday the 6th, a two-hour class commences with Robert Deppe Sensei, resident weapons expert of Aikido Shobukan Dojo. On the billet is Saotome Sensei's sword kumitachi 6-12. If you didn't know them before, you will by the end of the class. If you thought you knew them before, you will know them better by the end!

At 5pm there is a one-hour break, maybe you take a rest, maybe you go back to the Gold Mountain Forge table to look at swords, maybe you practice what you've been working on all day. Maybe you find a senior practitioner and ask them to work with you on something.

But then at 6pm, it is time for ANOTHER class. Saturday the 6th, the mat is Bill Gleason Sensei's. You are physically and mentally exhausted at this point, and Gleason Sensei hits you like a freight train with ideas and knowledge that are thrilling and exciting! You forget how tired you are and have the best class of the year. You leave the "I'm too tired" and "I don't understand this" on the mat. What you take with you changes your practice forever!

[phitruong]

i don't see any mention of free coffee and donuts. you can't attract serious budo folks without coffee and donuts! :)

[Cliff Judge]

i don't see any mention of free coffee and donuts. you can't attract serious budo folks without coffee and donuts! :)

Are you volunteering to bring coffee and donuts for everyone?? :)