St. Louis dojos

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[Jory Boling]

Hi, I will be working in St. Louis this Monday and Tuesday. I am just wondering if anyone here can recommend any of the following dojos (I found them on the dojo search):

Irene Wellington at West End Aikikai, ASU
Elliot Freeman at Three Rivers Aikido
Mark Rubbert at St. Louis Ki Society
David Brown at Aikigym Aikido Club
Richard Harnack at Aikido Institute of Mid-America
Andy Washbrook, Andrew Ishmael at St. Louis Aikikai

I train at an ASU school and a Fugakukai school (if it helps in your recommendations).

thanks!
Jory

[Kevin Leavitt]

I have trained with Irene Wellington. She is a wonderful instructor! and ASU as you have listed. I am good friends with one of her students named Duke Crieghton. Say Hi if you go there and run into him there!

She also studies with a Taji master there named Teuy. If you can workout with him, it is well worth the experience!

[Adman]

Jory,

From what I've seen of Irene (a demo), you can't go wrong. I train at the St. Louis Ki society. If you wanted to take a class from our head instructor, Mark Rubbert, you'd be out of luck. He doesn't teach (at this time, anyway) the Monday night class, and will be out of town this Tuesday, heading for Ki Society USA's National Conference. I'm not sure who is teaching in his place, but you're still welcome to drop by, if your schedule permits. Click here for our class schedule (http://www.stlki.org/locations.shtml).

The only other instructor you've mentioned, that I've trained with -- and that would be only once during a seminar -- was Elliot Freeman. My brief summary would be that he's intense, and that his style has the reputation of being "harder," if that's your cup of tea.

Enjoy your stay in St. Louis!

thanks,
Adam

[Nathan Gusdorf]

I train with Richard Harnack at the Aikido Institute of Mid-America. It's Seidokan Aikido and I can highly reccomend it. Monday to Thursday theres a beginner class from 6:30 to 7:30. Monday theres an intermediate/advanced class from 7:30 to 9 and Tuesday theres an open workout from 7:30 to 9. Richard is a Godan and trained under Kobayashi Sensei. Its very close to Three Rivers Aikido. Classes normally have at most around 6 people.