Promations and a Passing

 Well we are into 2022.. And some good news. And some sad. 

First to the good. Harry Concepcion has been promoted to 6th dan.

The above photo was taken in early 2014 when he was promoted to 5th dan. The promotion is more than deserving and let's all send him our heartiest congratulations. It is well earned.

And more good news. Betsy Hill has been promoted to 6th dan as well.

Here we are both pictured with Nadeau sensei when Betsy received her 5th dan some years ago. Congratulations Betsy sensei.

And finally Robert Frager has been promoted to 8th dan. I started with him in fall of 1969 when he started an Aikido club at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

He was my first Aikido teacher. And a direct student of Osensei. Both he and Nadeau sensei used to teach workshops together which laid a foundation and a direction for my then future training. In fact those times still impact by journey into Aikido's depth. Betsy was the first contact I had with anyone in Aikido. During the beginning of the Fall quarter 1969, Frager and Nadeau sensei's did a demo on the Cowell College quad. I arrived early and manning the Aikido booth was none other than Betsy Hill. The three of us are obviously pictured above. It is a connection, that, happily has endured.

And now for the sad. 2021 witnessed the passing of Richard Paredes. He started training with us during the mid-eighties at our dojo in Japantown. He headed a very successful children's program. Opened a branch school in Morgan Hill. He moved to Stockton because he was unable to afford housing in this area. This is a video from the very early 1990/s. I believe it was at an annual celebration of Osensei's Passing. In the video I had just re-established a connection with the Shingu dojo, and we were doing our ranking through Hikitsuchi, so my style really relfects that. It begins with with Harry Concepcion as uke. Richard follows. Then Lou Bermingham. Then it ends in multiple attack. Miss you, Richard....

Early 90's demo