17th SMR Jodo seminar in Czech Republic

6ht - 7th April 2013

Our favorite day

For the seventeenth time, Fred Quant (Menkyo Kaiden) from the Netherlands lead the seminar of the traditional Jodo in Czech Republic. There were 34 participants from Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Germany and even from Ukraina and Switzerland. After two years, the seminar has returned back to Zlin where its tradition first begun in 2002. Consequently, it was fully organized by small but experienced Tenshin Dojo. The seminar was held on the weekend after Easter in the gym of the medical high school in Zlin. During the years Fred has been coming to Czech Republic, both the number and the level of participants has been increasing. Unlike the past, no complete beginners took part in the seminar and everyone had at least some previous experience with Jodo, although of course not everyone has a solid understanding of the methodics yet. Those, as well as the "eternal beginners", appreciated the usual kihon sotai practice in the first three hours of the seminar.
On the Saturday afternoon, we spent an hour with bokken practice and after that we continued with Omote waza (and more advanced Kage waza) in groups divided by level. I think on Saturday, people are most focused and trying to absorb as many informations as possible. Sunday's program was more aimed towards the advanced participants practicing Chudan, Ran-ai and further waza up to Samidare.
There were also exams held for a few kyu degree candidates at the end of the Sunday morning's block, while others continued to practice. All the examinees were successful.

The last two hours of the seminar on Sunday were devoted to learning new katas for those who needed them and to correcting their latest ones for others. Fred visited the participants, saw their last kata, corrected the mistakes and if suitable, taught a new kata. Even then there was barely enough time, and Fred spent further 40 minutes after the final bow out with the most advanced participants whom he could not visit during the regular training.

The seminar ended on Sunday before 5 p.m. We were again enthusiastic to accept the corrections from our favorite teacher and to be inspired by his precise and elegant movements and techniques. The kamiza consisted of the calligraphy by Sergio Dieci, who prepared it for us as a present to Fred. The message of the calligraphy was hibi kore kōjitsu - today is my favorite day.

The calligraphy was for Fred, but the day was ours. Both of them.

Patrik Orth (Translation Zdenek Dvorak, Photos Jana Štolfová)



Records


Fédération Européenne de Jodo / European Jodo Federation