Aiki Expo 2005 Reviews?

Ok Folks,

Since the much touted and much anticipated Aiki Expo 2005 has come and gone, it would be nice if those who attended could offer a little review of the happenings for those less fortunate of us (like me).

There was a lot of talk about Short Range Aikido etc. did anyone get to see the thing in action? Please don't be shy with the info. Let us know what you really thought about the Expo seminars, demos etc. etc.

Hopefully one day I'll be able to afford the airfare etc.

Yours.
LC

I was unable to attend due to a family emergency. (Grandmother had an "unsurvivial" heart attack last Tuesday night - she is actually still alive, not in pain, and resting. Not too much time left.)

Some of my friends were calling me at night and giving me updates. I heard that Christian Tessier was absolutely amazing. He showed things at one level, and then continued to show those things at increasingly difficult to grasp levels in a very helpful way. Pretty much my ideal.

I really wanted to me mean Shaun Ravens. I heard interesting things about one of your teacher's exploratory ikkyo class - something about trying to do it without any momentum. I like that idea very much. I would have loved to have felt that. (As an aside - I'm not sure how I feel about teaching what you are working on at seminars in general, but I think it is fair for an Expo - where the point it to get to know where people are at.)

One of my friends liked the systema class where one person put you in a head lock, and one or two other people tried to free the person in the head lock by punching you fairly hard where ever your body was really tight trying to keep the head lock. That would have been interesting (in a painful kind of way).

I also heard wonderful things about what George Ledyard sensei had to say during some of his classes. I've decided that I need to basically read everything he has ever written about aikido.

The only thing I heard about my teacher (Gleason sensei) from one of my friends was that they thought he had really good timing in choosing ukes during his demonstration, and that he attended Chritian Tessier sensei's class. That is awesome. It must have been really great to take that class and get Gleason sensei as a partner.

All of my information is second hand. I hope you all don't mind. It was such a nice distraction for me to hear it all, and I have to say I don't mind the distraction of reporting back waht I heard. Please fill in details and/or correct me if I got anything wrong in the telephone game.

Rob

Some more reviews on the seminar can be found here:
http://www.aikiweb.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7953

Rob Liberti wrote: The only thing I heard about my teacher (Gleason sensei) from one of my friends was that they thought he had really good timing in choosing ukes during his demonstration, and that he attended Chritian Tessier sensei's class. That is awesome. It must have been really great to take that class and get Gleason sensei as a partner.

Gleason Sensei's demo was a masterpiece! He was "in the zone". It was as if the spirit of Yamaguchi Sensei himself had posessed him. Seriously, I am not sure that many folks understood what they were looking at. So many folks filter what they think is good through the filters of the style they do. But this man was totally in control, completely relaxed, absolutely connected. I count Gleason Sensei as a friend as well as one of my inspirations and I was so proud to see him step up and show the larger community what he is capable of.

Hi folks,

I attended 5 classes with Ushiro sensei, 3 classes with Kondo sensei, and 3 classes with Matsuoka sensei at the Expo this year. It was great to see and train with everyone I knew including AikiWeb folks like George Ledyard, Lynn Seiser, and Don Modesto as well as meet new folks like Mike Hackett.

I don't have any time this morning to write a full review, but I will try to do so shortly. All in all, I had a good time.

Best,

-- Jun

I am still collecting my thoughts.
It was a great weekend.
Trained with Treadgill, Ikeda, Tissier, Phong, Jones, Kondo, Toribio, and Hale.
Will collect my thoughts and write more in an article.

Jun, Lynn,
I look forward to your reviews!

The Expo was an amazing experience. There was enough positive energy flowing in that place to levitate an aircraft carrier. I posted some of my impressions over on the AJ site. Please slide over and check it out.

I'm ready to go do it all over again!

The Expo was more than amazing to me. It was my first and what a tremendous experience for anyone. Three of us from our dojo attended, a nidan, a 3d kyu, and me, a 4th kyu. We all got something different from our training and experience and we all agreed that we got something alike as well. I treated the event like a buffet in that I wanted to see and train with a variety of sensei during the weekend. One of my first experiences was getting thrown by Jun Akiyama in Matusoka Sensei's class on Friday - neat way to make an introduction. What was of tremendous benefit to me was the chance to train as a partner with many of the sensei who were attending some of the classes as students. Ledyard Sensei was very patient working me through a technique that I just couldn't seem to grasp in one class and Nakiyama Sensei showed me how soft his movement was as he chucked me hard in another. I had heard about, read about, and viewed films of Ikeda Sensei's subtle and small movements before. Until I grasped his wrists in class and felt it, I had no clue of what I had seen and heard before. That doesn't imply that I can do it, but I can say that I felt it!

The Friendship Demonstration only seemed to last about 15 minutes. I was amazed that it was over so quickly - probably the shortest fours hours I've ever experienced.

Overall, a very valuable experience for me and I'm already planning to attend the next one.

Yes, and hopefully some pictures with the reviews.
Regards
Gabriel

Gabriel Arias wrote: Yes, and hopefully some pictures with the reviews.

Pictures and videos were, unfortunately, forbidden outside of the Aikido Journal staff members during the classes. I did take some pictures from the first half of the demonstrations which I will post a bit later.

-- Jun

Rob Liberti wrote: I was unable to attend due to a family emergency. (Grandmother had an "unsurvivial" heart attack last Tuesday night - she is actually still alive, not in pain, and resting. Not too much time left.)

Sorry to hear it. My condolences.

....Shaun Ravens. I heard interesting things about one of your teacher's exploratory ikkyo class - something about trying to do it without any momentum. I like that idea very much. I would have loved to have felt that. (As an aside - I'm not sure how I feel about teaching what you are working on at seminars in general, but I think it is fair for an Expo - where the point it to get to know where people are at.).)

The session I attended with Matsuoka was enjoyable and I greatly appreciated his enthusiasm and willingness to try something new and appear as less than the "perfect master" we see with so many folks so carefully choosing UKE (I really distrust demonstrators who don't flub once in a while; I've seen teachers intimidating UKE into submission). But I don't think he's where he needs to be to demonstrate what he was working on. I felt his technique and it isn't compelling yet. I think I saw Bruce Bookman doing what Matsuoka was trying (and no doubt WILL accomplish sometime) and I know from the UKEMI that Ushiro, Threadgill, and Ikeda do it, too.

I also heard wonderful things about what George Ledyard sensei had to say during some of his classes. I've decided that I need to basically read everything he has ever written about aikido.

Safe bet, that. I'd also take in Chris Li, Peter Goldsbury, Ellis Amdur, and Fred Little (and no doubt some others whose names will come to me immediately after the edit function disables.)

The only thing I heard about my teacher (Gleason sensei) from one of my friends was that they thought he had really good timing in choosing ukes during his demonstration, and that he attended Chritian Tessier sensei's class.

Check over at aikidojournal.com for more. I posted some glowing comments; someone else had some pretty vigorous criticisms.

The session I attended with Matsuoka was enjoyable and I greatly appreciated his enthusiasm and willingness to try something new and appear as less than the "perfect master" we see with so many folks so carefully choosing UKE (I really distrust demonstrators who don't flub once in a while; I've seen teachers intimidating UKE into submission). But I don't think he's where he needs to be to demonstrate what he was working on. I felt his technique and it isn't compelling yet. I think I saw Bruce Bookman doing what Matsuoka was trying (and no doubt WILL accomplish sometime) and I know from the UKEMI that Ushiro, Threadgill, and Ikeda do it, too.

I can't say this often enough... the teacher who has an active process going on has my highest respect. Not only is Matsuoka Sensei in the midst of a profound overhall of his Aikido (I gather it's making his seniors crazy as they now have to try to stay with him and relearn what they thought they knew) but he is willing to go out in a public forum and lay the whole process out there for you to see. He isn't sharing finished technique at this point, he's sharing the process and that includes all the rough edges and parts that aren't quite integrated and the places where it's close but not there yet. And he does so without hesitation in an atmosphere that can be quite unkind when the sharks get going (a la reviews of Gleason sensei's class).

For me, I loved it because he is working on precisely the same issues which I have been focusing on for the past five years. I had no doubt that I was looking at a teacher who is on the threshold of real mastery, if by that one meant fully integrating a set of principles to the point where they become part of yourself on a deep level. Taking ukemi from him was the closest thing to grabbing Ikeda Sensei that I've felt from anyone. Not quite there yet but really close to coming together.

I would heartily recommend training with this man! The fact that his process is not necessarily complete at this point should not keep anyone away because he is way ahead of most students of the art at this point and even if he stopped developing today, it would take many years before the average student was able to get to where he is now. I am very excited about staying in touch with Matsuoka Sensei and sharing in his process.

Rob Liberti wrote: I really wanted to me mean Shaun Ravens. I heard interesting things about one of your teacher's exploratory ikkyo class - something about trying to do it without any momentum. I like that idea very much. I would have loved to have felt that. (As an aside - I'm not sure how I feel about teaching what you are working on at seminars in general, but I think it is fair for an Expo - where the point it to get to know where people are at.)

Hi Rob,

I am very sorry that I missed you. Also sorry to hear about the family emergency, and I hope that everything will somehow find its way towards balance. In any case, I would hope the we could still find the time to move forward on the subject of our recent private e-mail. Please let me know. This is very important to me. Thanks.



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