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Dear parents and students, What a lovely Winter it has been. The flowers in our garden have already begun to emerge. It was 15 degrees Celsius when we arrived at Vancouver International Airport on the 11th of January! Aikido classes began the very next day, on the 12th, which we were grateful for. It was good to get back to practising once again, this time at our new venue, the Bert Richmann Building. We have a Pro-D Aikido Workshop coming up: Friday 19 February, from 9am to 12noon, at the Gordon Head Middle School Dance Studio. The fee for this half-day workshop is $34. Unfortunately, the trip to Aikikai Hombu Dojo with my Sensei may not materialize after all. He will still be making the trip, but we won’t be able to meet up with him as a group. Perhaps we could work toward to the next one in 2012. That will give us two years to improve ourselves and our technique, and to save up for the costs. Our next Grading Tests will be held on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 February. Ganbatte Kudasai! Do your best! Students, please fill in the forms and pass it back to us as soon as you can. Just a reminder to please register for each new cycle at least one week in advance. If there are no registrants, or the numbers are below 5, the Gordon Head Recreation Centre management reserves the right to cancel the class. As such, our proposed Womens' Class on Wednesday nights, Family Class on Saturday mornings, and the Senior Class on Thursday mornings have been cancelled for this cycle. However, if there is an interested group after the start date of each cycle, do let me know. We are allowed to request that the class be re-instated. As always, you are welcome to contact me, or you may approach me if you have any questions, or if you have anything to share. The learning goes both ways. And as I improve on the path of Aiki, it is my hope that you will too. Thank you, once again, for journeying with me. See you in the Dojo. With peace and harmony, Rafael Oei Sensei. Ueshiba Aikido (Victoria)

in this issue November Grading Results Pro-D Aikido Workshops Class Schedules Ueshiba Aikido Golf/Polo shirts Quick Links: Ueshiba Aikido Website The Glossary Page Back Issues Essentials Books Grading Structure   Founder of Aikido     Morihei Ueshiba O Sensei

November Grading Results

Congratulations to students who Graded in November!

Gordon Head Recreation Centre Aikido Classes

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Pro-D Aikido Workshops

The next Pro-D Day Aikido Workshop will be on Friday, 23 October.
The fee for each workshop is $34.

If you wish to sign up for the workshops, do register at the Gordon Head Recreation Centre reception counter, or online at http://recreation.saanich.ca/reconline/Start/

Other workshops will be:

ToPics for each workshop are subject to change. If you have your own weapons, please bring them along; especially for the Jo & Bokken workshops.

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Class Schedules

Aikido for kids and for families

Family Classes are held on Saturdays, from 10am to 11am.
Aikido classes for the 5 to 7 year olds, on Saturdays, from 11:15am to 12noon.

Classes will be at the Gordon Head Middle School Dance Studio.
As space is limited, do sign up soon if you are interested. Classes will be limited to only 10 students.

Winter Cycle I

Family classes: Code no: 358027 (8 classes/$160)
Aikido for kids: Code no: 358012 (8 classes/$58)

Winter Cycle II

Family classes: Code no: 358029 (8 classes/$160)
Aikido for kids: Code no: 358013 (8 classes/$58)

Please Note : No class on April 10 - Easter Saturday

Do register at the Gordon Head Recreation Centre reception counter,
or online at http://recreation.saanich.ca/reconline/Start/.

If you have any queries, feel free to contact me at 250-818-0284, or email me at rafoei@shaw.ca.

Gordon Head Rec Ctr

Scheduled classes at the Gordon Head Recreation Centre - Bert Richmann Building:

Winter Cycle I

Children's classes (8/$75)
Code no: 358004 : Thu 4pm
Code no: 358005 : Thu 5pm
Code no: 358006 : Fri 4pm
Code no: 358007 : Fri 5pm

Adult's classes (8/$85)
Code no: 359454 : Tue 6pm
Code no: 358032 : Thu 6pm
Women's only class: Code no: 358031 : Wed 7:10pm

Highlighted blocks : Grading Week

Winter Cycle II

Classes will be Gordon Head Middle School, Dance Studio

Children's classes (8/$75)
Code no: 358008 : Thu 4pm
Code no: 358009 : Thu 5pm
Code no: 358010 : Fri 4pm
Code no: 358011 : Fri 5pm

Adult's classes (8/$85)
Code no: 359504 : Tue 6pm
Code no: 358034 : Thu 6pm
Women's only class: Code no: 358033 : Wed 7:10pm

Shaded blocks : Holy Week - No Classes

Students who are in the following grade levels may enrol in the corresponding class(es).

If you are unable to make it for that class, do contact me and provisions will be made.
As far as possible, do try to enrol in the appropriate class to reap the best benefit from that class:

If you are 16 years and above, do consider enrolling in the Tuesday and/or Thursday Adult classes.

If you wish to also enrol in the 4pm classes to continue improving on your basic techniques, you are more than welcome to join us then.

Gordon Head Middle School

Aikido classes at Gordon Head Middle School are on Mondays, 12:15 to 12:45pm.
Grateful thanks to Gordon Head Principal, Mr Kelly,
for his continued support of providing this programme for his students.

The recreation centre requires that all students be accounted for from the first lesson of each cycle.

As our Aikido programme is on-going, members of our dojo are encouraged to pre-registered for each new cycle.

Currently, students are reminded to register for each new cycle two weeks before the end of each cycle.
Typically, a cycle lasts two months. This year, there will only be three Grading Tests.

Post-dated cheques may be submitted to me or Mrs. Oei (Kathy).
The cheques are to be made payable to "Corporation of the District of Saanich".

Register at the Gordon Head Recreation Centre reception counter, or online at http://recreation.saanich.ca/reconline/Start/

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Grading Tests

This year, there will be four Grading Tests;
in November, February, May, and August.

Please Note:

Students are required to practice at least:
20hours for 12kyu to 9kyu,
30hours for 8kyu to 6kyu,
40hours for 5kyu,
50hours for 4kyu and 3kyu,
60hours for 2kyu
70hours for 1kyu.

Practice hours, ideally, should be continuous uninterrupted practice. Hours are not cumulative over weeks or months of inactivity. This is necessary, as with all skills, to enable the student to refine and develop fluency in his/her knowledge, balance and technique in the art. If a student is absent for six months or more, the student will revert back to the level of white belt until the student demonstrates the ability to perform at his/her previous level.

Only students who are ready and eligible for grading will be invited to apply to be graded.

No video recording or photography will be allowed during Grading Tests.

Click here for the syllabus: Grading Structure.

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Ueshiba Aikido Golf/Polo t-shirts

A series of shirts, jackets and hoodies are available.
During our trip to Hombu Dojo, Japan, we will be putting the polo shirt and/or hoodies on for uniformity.

These are in black with the (kanji) characters "Aikido" embroidered in gold on the left or right chest, and the words "Ueshiba Aikido, Victoria BC" embroidered on the sleeve.

Adults:
Golf/polo shirt: $30.
Hoodie: $48.
Jacket is $70.

Youth:
Golf/polo shirt: $28.
Hoodie: $40.

You may view the shirts, jackets and hoodies on the website, or catch those who have already purchased their own.

If you are interested to order, please see Mrs Oei or send me an email.

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