DVD: New York Aikikai 2002: Past, Present, and Future

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[AikiWeb System]

1/05/2003 10:49pm [from Jun Akiyama (akiy@aikiweb.com)]
Website: http://www.filmatika.com/aikido/

A new 90 minuite DVD entitled, "New York Aikikai: Past, Present, and Future" (http://www.filmatika.com/aikido/) has just been released by MindfulGroup. The DVD chronicles "the history of Aikido and how it relates to the New York Aikikai (http://www.nyaikikai.com) [including] vintage films and phototgraphs of the original dojo and its early members, as well as never before seen footage of Yamada sensei and Sugano sensei." The DVD also includes demonstration and interviews with Yamada sensei, Sugano sensei, Harvey Konigsberg, Mike Abrams, Donovan Waite, Steve Pimsler, Jane Ozeki, Butch Chernofsky, Hal Lehrman, Robert Workoff, Tina Shepard, Douglas Firestone, and Ruth Peyser. To purchase this DVD, please contact the producers at (212) 677-7363 or beto@mindfulgroup.com . Quicktime preview available here (http://www.filmatika.com/aikido/).

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A good effort with some decent material. Unfortunately, NOT a full history of the NY Aikikai. Neglects The NY Aikikai history prior to the arrival of Yamada Sensei in 1964. The dojo was operating for some years prior to that...the most prominent name probably being Virginia Mayhew. I believe Mike Abrams (On this DVD) is the only link on this film between the Pre 1964 Aikikai and post 1964 Aikikai. It would of been nice to see more about the early days of the dojo leading up to the arrival of Yamada Sensei since there is a wealth of information about it still existing with some of the older members in the dojo.

[Erik]

A good effort with some decent material. Unfortunately, NOT a full history of the NY Aikikai. Neglects The NY Aikikai history prior to the arrival of Yamada Sensei in 1964. The dojo was operating for some years prior to that...the most prominent name probably being Virginia Mayhew. I believe Mike Abrams (On this DVD) is the only link on this film between the Pre 1964 Aikikai and post 1964 Aikikai. It would of been nice to see more about the early days of the dojo leading up to the arrival of Yamada Sensei since there is a wealth of information about it still existing with some of the older members in the dojo.
I noticed that from the promotional clip. Rick Rowell, who is in the Bay Area, goes back that far and is still active as a teacher as well.