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-   -   Open Invitation to Dan Harden (http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10287)

Jim Sorrentino 10-03-2006 03:02 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
1 Attachment(s)
Greetings All,

I had an interesting experience last weekend that has led me to resurrect this thread: I attended one day of a two-day seminar on Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu with Roy Goldberg-sensei. Goldberg-sensei is a 6th dan and a member/representative of the Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu Kodo Kai. The seminar was hosted by the Kim Studio, a tae kwon do school founded in 1964 by Ki Whang Kim (see http://www.kim-studio.com/). The studio has hosted Goldberg-sensei many times, and on one occasion, has hosted Goldberg-sensei's teacher, Kiyama-sensei.

The day I attended, practice ran from 12:00 to 4:00, with a short break around 2:00. There were about 30 participants, ranging from tae kwon do beginners to seasoned jujutsuka from Virginia, New York, an Massachusetts. Tim Anderson and Steve Kotev also attended, so I wasn't the only aikidoka there. Goldberg-sensei brought one of his students, Gino, who took most of the ukemi.

The practice environment was somewhat challenging. The mat was the roll-up wrestling kind, and it covered only about a quarter of the well-polished wooden floor. There would not be a lot of rolling and falling that day. Everyone worked together well, and trained with attention, intensity, and appropriate care for their training partners.

Goldberg-sensei focused on breaking balance at the moment of contact, mostly in response to katate-dori. He also did a few techniques from kata-dori and kosa-dori, as well as mune-tsuki and ushiro-katate-dori.

I took ukemi for him several times over the day. He is an excellent technician, with clear and powerful movement. His balance-breaking skills were first-rate. Just as important, he was thoroughly attentive to all the participants, no matter how inexperienced, and he was a gentleman. In fact, he began the seminar by introducing his student Gino, thanking him for coming, and presenting him with a hand-made knife by Bud Nealy. It was quite moving to see his care and concern for his student.

During the course of the afternoon, someone (not me) asked Goldberg-sensei about Dan Harden. Goldberg-sensei's first response was. "If you come to tomorrow's session, you will have spent as many hours on the mat with me as Dan has." And he recommended that when Dan posts on aikido Internet forums, we should ask Dan: 1) what is his rank in Daito Ryu? 2) who gave him that rank? and 3) what is his present relationship to the Kodokai? Dan, if you're out there, I'm asking.

We hope to host Goldberg-sensei in the DC-MD-VA are in 2007. He is an accessible and generous teacher. If you have a chance to train with him, you should do so!

Sincerely,

Jim Sorrentino

Kevin Leavitt 10-04-2006 01:01 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
getting a little grey in your beard there Jimmy! :)

Ron Tisdale 10-04-2006 01:10 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Quote:

And he recommended that when Dan posts on aikido Internet forums, we should ask Dan: 1) what is his rank in Daito Ryu? 2) who gave him that rank? and 3) what is his present relationship to the Kodokai? Dan, if you're out there, I'm asking.
Hmmm...as a qualifier of his words? Context? Or as an absolute qualifier to even enter the conversation? There is a thread out there somewhere about asking peoples "qualifications to post". It was good reading...

Best,
Ron (I haven't been able to go see Dan due to an injury...but I expect I'll be back on the mat sooner or later, and will get up there. I probably won't ask about his rank...I'll just see what he has to show on the mat)

Jim Sorrentino 10-04-2006 02:00 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Hi Kevin, Hi Ron,

Since the gist of many of Dan's posts seems to be that DRAJJ has what aikido lacks, it seems fair to ask Dan his DRAJJ rank and experience --- especially since he does not seem willing (these days, anyway) to meet with aikidoka outside his own backyard.

Mike Sigman drove five hours to Glenwood Springs to watch Ushiro-sensei's class and meet with George Ledyard and several other aikidoka. Dan, on the other hand, is not willing to do to anything like that. So why should aikidoka take him seriously?

Yes, my beard has a bit more grey in it --- and my daughter is only 3 1/2!

I look forward to seeing both of you on the mat eventually!

Jim

gdandscompserv 10-04-2006 03:20 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Quote:

Kevin Leavitt wrote:
getting a little grey in your beard there Jimmy! :)

Most of the really good aikidoka are grey. :cool:

Ron Tisdale 10-06-2006 07:55 AM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Or bald.... :(

Best, Ron (ok, ok, so I'm not particularly good either...)

MM 10-06-2006 08:29 AM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Hmmm ... if it just takes grey and bald ... heck, I'm over halfway there! Got the bald down and starting on the grey. Can I just sit back and wait to be a good aikidoka now? ;)

Mike Sigman 10-06-2006 09:03 AM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Quote:

Ron Tisdale wrote:
Hmmm...as a qualifier of his words? Context? Or as an absolute qualifier to even enter the conversation? There is a thread out there somewhere about asking peoples "qualifications to post". It was good reading...

The bit about limited exposure to Daito Ryu piques my curiosity, mainly for the reason that Dan has indicated that he has "secrets" that can't be revealed without breaking some form of oath or whatever to the Ryu. If the D.R. affiliation is tenuous, there goes the whole need for "secrecy" that has been one of the purported hold-ups for so long. What gives, Dan?

FWIW

Mike

ChrisMoses 10-06-2006 09:14 AM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Quote:

Ron Tisdale wrote:
Or bald.... :(

Best, Ron (ok, ok, so I'm not particularly good either...)

I'm not going bald, my hair's just migrating south. :drool:

Michael Neal 11-30-2006 02:10 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
I would be willing to wager that Dan is scared of Jim Sorrentino, and he should be :)

Mike Sigman 11-30-2006 02:26 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Quote:

Michael Neal wrote:
I would be willing to wager that Dan is scared of Jim Sorrentino, and he should be :)

Dan said he could whup your butt, Michael. :p


Hey! Isn't this the kind of useless little-boy stuff we did in grammar school???? ;)

Mike

Cady Goldfield 11-30-2006 03:10 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Quote:

Mike Sigman wrote:
Hey! Isn't this the kind of useless little-boy stuff we did in grammar school???? ;)

Mike

What you're posting now? Absolutely. ;)

James Davis 11-30-2006 03:56 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Quote:

Mike Sigman wrote:
Dan said he could whup your butt, Michael. :p


Hey! Isn't this the kind of useless little-boy stuff we did in grammar school???? ;)

Mike

Dan's probably pretty tough, but I'm not gonna give him my lunch money. :)

Cady Goldfield 11-30-2006 03:58 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Dan's a total sweetie, and he'd probably BUY you lunch. And, you'd have a blast training with him. :)

James Davis 12-01-2006 10:01 AM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Quote:

Cady Goldfield wrote:
Dan's a total sweetie, and he'd probably BUY you lunch. And, you'd have a blast training with him. :)

I'm sure I would. :) From what I've read, Dan seems pretty knowledgeable and pretty passionate about what he does.

Actually, I'd settle for a chance at a road trip to train with just about anybody new right now! I'm looking at going to a seminar in a couple months if the circumstances allow it; Wish me luck! :D

Michael Neal 12-01-2006 01:38 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
oops

tomreynolds99 02-26-2010 03:37 PM

In Support of
 
Hello everyone. I am not well known in this forum, nor do I really expect to be. I started practicing Aikido in 1992 while in Law School in Boston at New England Aikikai with Mitsunari Kanai. This is where I met Dan Harden. It seemed as though we became friends immediately as I think that we both knew that we were kindred spirits.

Having known Dan now for some 18 years and having trained with him early on in our friendship, I belive that I have a particular insight into the man. I consider Dan a dear friend although we have been in and out of touch during those 18 years. I know that many of you do not know Dan but I can personally attest to the fact that he is a gentleman, he is trustworthy, he is a man of honor and integrity, he is in my opinion a very humble man, and a very generous man who gives of himself and his time freely for the betterment of his students expecting nothing in return except your hard work and attentiveness to what he has to offer.

I just had lunch with Dan today and prior to doing so, I googled him on the web just to see what was going on in his life at this moment. I came upon this string of posts in AikiWeb, and quite honestly, I found the tone to be somewhat dissapointing, confrontational, and bitter. It did not seem to be consistent with what my personal interaction with Aikidoka had been over the years and it made me sad to see the (in my humble opinion) egos and passive agressive behavior flare up in these posts.

I bellieve that Dan has nothing to prove, either to himself or to anyone else, consequently, he feels no pressing need to put himself on display. He would rather do what he loves best -- to teach a small hand chosen group of students with which he feels a special connection, without asking for anything in return but one's enthusiastic participation in what he has to offer.

So, in closing, I wish you all peace and harmony in your lives and in your Aikido, and hope that you can make some space for that same peace and harmony in which to hold others.

Domo Arigato Gozaimashita,
Tom Reynolds

DH 02-26-2010 04:29 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
Hello Tom
I appreciate the sentiment, but one thing I should have discussed with you today was that this is all wrapped up and long over with. As I predicted would happen when this all began; Roy has apologized, Jim has apologized, and I am just continuing to do what I did before. I never really needed to defend myself.
Anyway, it's all water under the bridge. Everyone who mattered to me, already knew the truth, everyone else who was interested- for one reason or another- found out the truth in due time. It was best to be a gentleman and simply wait.
Our understanding-is in our own hands; teachers and students alike. Our own hard work should speak loud and clear. It's transparent, there's really nothing anyone can add or take away from you...in person.

Great seeing you again and catching up on the old days. Hope to see you on the mat soon.
Cheers
Dan

akiy 02-26-2010 09:25 PM

Re: Open Invitation to Dan Harden
 
I think enough has been said on this topic. Thread closed.

-- Jun


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