aikido and dance/movement therapy

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[Tamar]

Hi All,

I am looking for some help to get information about aikido and children.
I've just finished my studies in Dance/Movement Therapy, and I intend to write my final
paper about aikido and DMT, based upon my (field work) experience with "therapeutic aikido" to children.
In this paper, I'd like to propose a model for combining the two disciplines.
(I've worked with children with learning disabilities, adolescents with social problems and
just a little with adults with mental health problems).

I would like to know about teaching aikido to children in general, and children with special
needs in particular; references to litterature, or to other people who may provide any help.

Thank you in advance,

Domo Arigato Gozaimashita
Tamar

[tedehara]

One web site you should check out is Aiki Extensions (http://www.aiki-extensions.org/affiliates/). Many of their affiliates work on children's programs, as you can see from the remarks next to their names.

Another source would be the book Children and the Martial Arts: An Aikido Point of View (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1556431392/qid=1027894534/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/103-5358925-8043841) by Gaku Homma Sensei.

Good luck on your paper,

Ted Ehara

[Kevin Leavitt]

I am currently teaching martial arts to children ages 6-12 in a public housing communtiy in Northern Virginia. It is a combination of Karate and Aikido, but really not much of either in the traditional sense.

I am about 2 months into the project. It is going well, but not necessarily how I envisioned it.

In a traditional dojo/commercial environment you have a selection process that attracts and retains certain personalities and dispositions that are easy to work with.

With disadvantaged and emotionally handicapped kids etc....it is real interesting and requires a different approach and innovative/creative thinking.

I work with a social worker and several certified educators and it is really an evolving work in progress.

I would love to converse with you on this issue.

I don't see much difference in dance therapy and martial arts with these kids...with the exception that you may improve their esteem differently in dealing with bullies/drugs/etc with Martial Arts. I think the two are ,MA and Dance Therapy, are very compatible...and I would be interested in knowing more about dance therapy since probably more work in out there on it than on martial arts as therapy.

[SeiserL]

Yep, check out Aiki-Extensions. They have people who combine Aikido with other disciplines.

Until again,

Lynn