In my own dojo, we do not call it 'black belt', we call it --dan. The shodan is intended to be the first of several.
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Randy Sexton wrote:
1. What was your experience like when you got your Black Belt?
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The examination was unannounced. When the diploma arrived from Japan, I received it from my instructor in a formal ceremony. It was read out in Japanese.
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Randy Sexton wrote:
2. Should Sensei take the effort to create a formal occasion for it?
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Yes.
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Randy Sexton wrote:
3. What would you imagine a really cool presentation to be like?
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The dojos I visit in Europe have various rules about kyu-grade students wearing hakama. However, when they receive their shodan diploma, students do not wear hakama. After I have read out the diploma in Japanese and presented it, the student takes off the white belt, puts on the new black belt and thens put on the hakama at the side of the mat, while everyone waits. (This is also a check whether the student can put on the hakama properly: senior students are available to assist, if necessary.) Then training begins, or continues.
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Randy Sexton wrote:
4. If your Dojo has a nice ceremony tell us about it?
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In my own dojo, the dojo supplies both the belt and the hakama, which are presented to the students, together with the diploma.
PAG