Dan Testing Cutoff

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[aikidoc]

I am curious and maybe this has been addressed before.

What rank level do the various organizations cut off dan testing? In other words, at which point is the rank awarded without a test? Mine tests through yondan.

[Jim ashby]

Our organisation tests to Nidan. It takes upwards of eight years to get there though. There have been nasty rumours that there will be a Sandan test but I'm not even ging to think about that.

Have fun

[rachmass]

I've seen tests up to yondan (younger folks only), but sandan seems to be the norm within our organization.

[akiy]

The last test people take at our dojo is for 4th dan as well. Students who have received higher rankings than 4th dan have received it without a testing examination.

-- Jun

[Bogeyman]

Sandan is the highest test in any of the organizations that I have been affiliated with.

E

[deepsoup]

The JAA has a syllabus all the way up to 7th dan. (It would probably be naive to think that technical ability is the only thing that gets looked at in the more senior grades, but nevertheless the syllabus is there.)

Sean

x

[Paul Sanderson-Cimino]

I believe that Yoshokai Aikido (AYANA) has tests for all the way up to ... well. Hachidan, I suppose. As far as I can tell, there is always some test. They get insanely hard and are judged very exactingly, of course.

[Alan Mung]

The senior instructor at the club I attend did a 4th dan grading yesterday and I have the bruises to show for it. I think that is the last offical mat grading in our clubs.

My sensei had a full 5th dan mat grading though. He had to do the whole thing whilst holding two baloons. I would have liked to have seen that.

[Bronson]

Seidokan doesn't formally test past sandan. I believe after sandan they base promotions on your students, and recommendations of other high level instructors. Or maybe it's just on how cute you look in a the skirt ;)

Bronson