2nd stay in Ukraine
April 28th to May 2nd
To be precise, the 2nd Jo seminar in Ukraine was held in Crimea, simultaneously together with Aikido and Iaido. More than 150 participants attended the seminar and were initiated into the practice of Jodo. Among them, some people from the group already established in Kiev (see picture below) also participated and I was able to continue with them kihon until maki otoshi. This time, I took particularly care of Vadim Puzanov (including a 2-hour training session on the parking area of the Kiev airport) who will be in future the “group leader” in Ukraine (standing at left on the picture).
We have practised together all 12 kihon tandoku and sotai as well as the 1st omote kata. His sound experience in Aikido and Iaido (method of Nishio sensei) allowed him to acquire the basics of Jodo rapidly and to have the competence of transmitting them. He will probably be with us during our Vercorin gasshuku this summer. His passion for Budo in general and for Jodo in particular is probably the reason for the enthusiasm of the Ukrainian group for this discipline. I have to admit that I admired their constancy, their assiduousness and their seriousness.
I also met a Russion kendoka, Andrei Arefiev (kneeling at my left on the picture) who practises Seite Iai (3rd dan) and Seite Jo (2ième dan) and who wants to enter the Ryu. It may, therefore, be possible that a new group will be formed in Russia.
What I did not know when I arrived was that during this gasshuku a demonstration of martial arts was organized by the municipality. This was the opportunity for me to demonstrate not only Aikido and Iaido, but also Jo with Andrei with whom I could show some movements from Seite Jo, including ran-ai. This was also the chance for me to show kasari and to introduce him to the Ryu. He will also be with us in Vercorin.
Daniel Leclerc
Fédération Européenne de Jodo / European Jodo Federation