Tag: Ichiro Shibata

Interview with Longtime Aikidoka George Ledyard: The Past and the Future of Aikido, Part I

~ Antonio Aloia ~ Leave a comment

During a time of anti-violent movements, George Ledyard stumbled upon an aikido demonstration while living in Washington DC. After watching the demonstration and talking with the leader of the group, Mitsugi Saotome, Ledyard was convinced to try out a class. From that moment, he was hooked. As the years went by, Ledyard trained in other … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Aikidoka George Ledyard: The Past and the Future of Aikido, Part I

Interview with Aikido of Kohala Founders Rikko and Kristina Varjan: Aikido, Hawaii, and Kazuo Chiba Legacy, Part I

~ Antonio Aloia ~ Leave a comment

Kristina Varjan found aikido after watching Koichi Tohei Sensei at a Manhattan high school while Rikko assumed the role as uke during his first-ever aikido demonstration. By the late 1980s, they found Kazuo Chiba Sensei, and enrolled in his Kenshusei teacher program. After four intensive years of aikido, iaido, and zazen, the couple emerged as … Continue reading Interview with Aikido of Kohala Founders Rikko and Kristina Varjan: Aikido, Hawaii, and Kazuo Chiba Legacy, Part I

Interview with Aikido of San Leandro Founder Patricia Hendricks: Morihiro Saito, Iwama, and the Legacy, Part II

~ Antonio Aloia ~ Leave a comment

Patricia Hendricks Sensei stumbled into an aikido class led by Mary Heiny in the San Francisco Bay area in 1974, quickly finding a teacher and lifelong friend in Stanley Pranin. They eventually moved to train at the Oakland Dojo – Aikido Institute – that focused on Iwama-ryu, propagated by Morihiro Saito Sensei. After a handful … Continue reading Interview with Aikido of San Leandro Founder Patricia Hendricks: Morihiro Saito, Iwama, and the Legacy, Part II

Interview with Canadian Aikidoka Kali Hewitt-Blackie: Aikido, the Coalition, and Beyond, Part II

~ Antonio Aloia ~ Leave a comment

Kali Hewitt-Blackie first saw aikido above a burger shop in California in 1987. At that time, because of her schooling and being a single mom, she could not commit. Upon returning to Canada, she met Yumi Nakamura at Aikido Tendokai in Toronto. She trained diligently there for nineteen years, and because of a number of … Continue reading Interview with Canadian Aikidoka Kali Hewitt-Blackie: Aikido, the Coalition, and Beyond, Part II

Interview with San Diego Aikikai Chief Instructor Deena Drake: Kazuo Chiba’s Legacy

~ Antonio Aloia ~ 1 Comment

Deena Drake discovered aikido while driving to and from work, happening to stop in one day. Immediately, she was hooked. She trained under Michael Flynn for a number of years until moving to San Diego to train under Kazuo Chiba. As Chiba’s health declined, he approached Drake in 2007 to assume operations of San Diego … Continue reading Interview with San Diego Aikikai Chief Instructor Deena Drake: Kazuo Chiba’s Legacy