Aikicommunications ...

Bill Witt Making 17th Visit to Virginia Oct. 29-30, 2011

RICHMOND, Va. (6-6-11)  - William Witt Shihan, 7th Dan and Morihiro Saito Shihan's senior student in the U.S., will be making his 17th visit to Richmond October 29-30.

The site will be the Brock Center at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland.

The fee is $80 flat rate for the entire seminar, with a reduced rate of $70 for early registration by Oct. 20, 2011. Click here for directions to the college, and here for a campus map. For further information, call Bryan Park Aikido Chief Instructor Tim Sheldon at 804-477-4533 or email him at tshel99@gmail.com.

Witt Shihan is primarily responsible for bringing the teaching of Saito Shihan to the United States. This is extremely important in the history of Aikido in the U.S., because Saito had a superior understanding of O Sensei's Aikido and the best understanding of O Sensei's weapons system.

O Sensei did not teach weapons to any great extent at the Hombu Dojo in Tokyo. He kept this training almost exclusively in Iwama. Weapons and Taijutsu go together in Aikido, as we've read, and if Bill Witt had not connected Saito Sensei with U.S. Aikido students, we might never have gained this understanding. See: The Man Who Built the Bridge to Iwama. For background on Saito Shihan, see Morihiro Saito Resources in Aikido Journal.

(Photos: Top left and right, Bill Witt Shihan at 2010 Gasshuku at Lake Tahoe. Lower left, at Seminar at Randolph-Macon College, Oct. 17, 2010.)

Schedule:

Saturday: 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Brock Center.
Lunch Saturday, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the college cafeteria or the restaurant of your choice in Ashland.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with breaks each hour, at the Brock Center. 

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Bill Witt Aikido Seminar Registration

Name: ____________________________________________________________

Birthdate: _________________________________________________________

Street:____________________________________________________________

City:______________________________________State:________Zip:__________________

E-Mail:_______________________________

Previous Aikido Experience - Years _________Dojo _________________________________ Rank_______________

Telephone Number ________________

Other martial art _______________________________ Rank ______________

Amount enclosed: $________________ ($80 flat rate for entire seminar, reduced rate of $70 for early registration by Oct. 20, 2011.)

Make checks payable to Tim Sheldon.

Mailing address:

Tim Sheldon
Bryan Park Aikido
7602 N. Pinehill Dr.
Richmond, VA 23228

Waiver

Aikido is a martial art similar to Judo or Karate. Aikido teaches self-defense and requires practicing with partners to learn Aikido techniques. Randolph-Macon College, Bryan Park Aikido and chief instructor Tim Sheldon, assume no liability for injury or damages arising from the practice of Aikido. Due to the strenuous nature of the practice, the participant is strongly advised to consult with a physician concerning his/her fitness to participate. All of the Aikido activities involve an element of risk, which the participant is urged to consider and which the participant assumes. If the participant feels unsure of his/her ability to take part in any of the Aikido activities, it is recommended that he/she not participate in these specific activities until he/she has mastered the more basic techniques.

I have read the above waiver and understand its contents.

Signed:__________________________________________ Date:_____________________

Signature of Parent

or Guardian:______________________________ Date_____________________