Shugyo seminar — a great success
by Hugh Stephens

On Sunday, November 2, over fifty enthusiastic aikidoka came together for five hours of intense practice under the inspired teaching of senseis Massimo di Villadorata of Montreal Aikikai and David Yates of Kanata Aikikai. Our students, joined by aikidoka from Kanata and other dojos, wholeheartedly threw themselves and each other into aikido exploration.

David Sensei simplified the challenge of dealing with a multiple attack.

In the first class of the seminar, David Yates, past president of the Ontario Aikido Federation and chief instructor and founder of Kanata Aikikai, introduced participants to a series of subtle and simple irimi techniques. Using these techniques as a base, he then led the students into a clear presentation on randori. By the end of the morning, all participants, from beginner to yondan, had gained greater proficiency in these simple yet highly effective randori techniques. It was amazing to watch David Sensei simplify the challenge of dealing with the free-flowing unpredictability of a multiple attack. David Sensei's enthusiasm, combined with his highly infectious sense of humour, enabled students to let go of self-consciousness and participate in the joy of aikido.

Massimo Sensei rendered the complexity of aikido into a single efficient pattern.

Massimo di Villadorata addressed the theme of rhythm and timing. He is the founder and chief instructor of Montreal Aikikai, founding president of the Aikido Federation of Quebec, international author and the man responsible for introducing aikido to Canada. Massimo Sensei's classes were an insightful and inspiring examination of movement in aikido. He taught a simple, efficient and precise pattern combining tenkan, irimi and tenshin movements, best described by the word "elegant." Students were led through a series of exercises that enabled them to learn this basic pattern. Then, Massimo Sensei demonstrated how this series of movements exists at the heart of many techniques that appear, at first glance, to be completely unrelated. Massimo Sensei thus managed to render the complexity of aikido into a single efficient pattern. This is the type of brilliant insight that marks a master teacher.

Then, suddenly, it was 3:00 PM — over 5 hours of truly inspiring teaching had really made time fly. As we thanked our senseis for their wonderful instruction, I found myself marveling at how fortunate we were to have in our midst these two brilliant teachers who so generously shared with us their fascinating insights into aikido.


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