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Old 02-11-2006, 05:26 AM   #43
Mark Freeman
Dojo: Dartington
Location: Devon
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,220
United Kingdom
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Re: Music in the Dojo?

Quote:
Brad Medling wrote:
Next thing you know, people will come in and see aikidoka doing movements that look like ballet to them with the accompanyment of music and get the vibe it must be a new age billy blanks aerobic, tai chi kind of place.
Heaven forbid, we wouldn't want that would we??

When I first asked the question at the head of this thread, I had absolutely no idea of the extent of the use of music in the dojo. As I said, I do not use it, and have not experienced it.

I am pleasantly surprised to find so much open-ness to it's use in the dojo, and the variety of ways that it can usefully be deployed.

I think those who do not like the idea of music being used in the 'martial arts - serious self defence' setting, are slightly missing the point and are not thinking of the history of the use of music and Martial/Military life.
Music has been used for centuries, throughout many different cultures to put warriors into the right frame of mind to go out and do the things that they have to do - kill or be killed. It has been used to put fear into the enemy - Scottish bag-pipers come to mind. It even served to provide a backdrop for the Vietnam war that somehow defined the 'madness' of it all.

Where I practice, we are on the first floor of a Community Centre, and occasionally during the evening class, there may be a band practicing downstairs or sometimes there's a disco (whoops that shows my age )). We just smile, and continue to practice as we always do.

Music is one of the great joys of life, it brings people together, I can't imagine that there wouldn't be a place for it in the world of Aikido.

Cheers

Mark,
p.s at the moment listening to Nils Petter Molvaer

Success is having what you want. Happiness is wanting what you have.
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