Aikido in Southern Europe: Part 1
by David Beauroy

David (2nd from left) and the restaurant crew

I have just returned from Europe after a seven-month absence from Toronto. I was in Italy, doing a cooking internship. Most of the time I was working, so I had little time left for other activities. I did take a gi, though, in the hope of practicing once in a while. Fortunately, I did end up practicing a bit in Europe (i.e. in the Naples area (at four dojos), in Rome (two dojos), in Sardinia (a week-long weapons seminar) and in Southern France (three days of a Chiba Shihan seminar).

The first dojo I went to was Pasquale Aiello's. Having called at various dojos near me I settled for his dojo as it was the first place where I got an answer. The Sensei sounded nice and welcoming. It was my third day in Italy.

Before class started, everyone sat around me in a semi-circle, all curious to find out how I had ended up there. I was still jet-lagged and my Italian was limited, but I was able to tell the tale via a senior student who was volunteered by Aiello Sensei to be my interpreter. Indeed he was at my side each time we lined up to relate Sensei's latest instructions.

At each turn, I could look straight down into the turquoise sea hundreds of feet below.

The class itself was a lot of fun. It was taught in Italian, but I was fine, watching and clarifying anything I could not understand with my interpreter. One thing that really impressed me was that his senior students always made sure I had a partner to work with — if not they would quickly step in with a bow. The class ended and I thanked the Sensei. Then, when I asked what I should pay he refused any money on the grounds that I would not be coming that much (i.e. no more than once a week). I was caught off guard a bit by his gracious offer, but thought it best to thank him again and promise to return.

In all, I went to ten of his classes at his dojos in Meta di Sorrento and Praiano. I particularly enjoyed going to Praiano, as the route was beautiful. The narrow and sinuous coastal road was not for the faint of heart. At each turn, I could look straight down into the turquoise sea hundreds of feet below. Along the way, I passed through several towns, one of them being Positano with its moorish houses piled atop one other and seeming to tumble all the way down to the sea.

Igor and Roland were both Russian, and they looked pretty strong — their forearms were the size of my calves.

Once in Praiano, I had to walk up a steep hill (at least 25º incline) to get to the dojo, which was at the back of a church. It was a large square room with brand new tatami. The windows were large and opened to allow in the delicious salt-laden air blowing off the Gulf of Salerno. The classes were well-attended (i.e. 20-25 students) by students of all levels. Throughout the two-hour-long class, Maestro Aiello kept up the intensity of the practice at a high level. That really helped to make the four-hour return trip worth it. Unfortunately, the classes ended in early June, and I had to wait another two months to practice again.

Chiba Sensei (right) and Chiesa Sensei (left) celebrating the 84th birthday of a student (middle) who started aikido at age 74 and now holds the rank of nidan.

Then there was the time I went to the seminar in Bagnols-Sur-Cóze (France), taught by Chiba Shihan and his Shidoin from England and France. I wondered what I had gotten myself into when I was met at the train station in Avignon by two soldiers of the French Foreign Legion. Igor and Roland were both Russian, and they looked pretty strong — their forearms were the size of my calves. They were friendly, though, and soon I was at ease practicing with them and others from France, Germany, Switzerland, England, the U.S. and a Canadian woman from Montreal Aikikai.

Chiba Sensei showing his gentle touch

Classes ran five hours a day, starting around 8 AM. I was only there for three days, as I was soon going to another seminar in Sardinia. Still, I was there long enough to appreciate the power of Chiba Shihan's seemingly flawless aikido. His mastery of weapons was at once frightening and breathtaking. I don't think I was the only one who feared for the safety of his ukes as the jos and bokkens went sizzling through the air aimed at their heads, necks and wrists. In fact, Chiba Shihan had a badly sprained wrist, but it didn't seem to slow him down one bit. What also amazed me was how gentle he was when working with beginners.

All in all, the seminar was a wonderful experience. I practiced with aikidoka of all sizes, abilities and ages, including an incredible man who had just been awarded his nidan at the tender age of 84. The organizers went out of their way to ensure that my getting there and back was not a great inconvenience. When I was leaving, they kindly drove me to the airport in Montpellier (1½ hours away). I was on my way back to Italy, first to visit friends in Tuscany, then to Sardinia for a week-long weapons camp.

To be continued in the next issue...


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