The Isbourne Centre Demonstration

As promised, a full write up on our Isbourne Centre demonstration on the 3rd of December now that the excitement of the gradings are over!

The Isbourne Centre is a renowned holistic and alternative therapy centre situated in some beautiful Regency buildings in the heart of Cheltenham. They were having their Christmas event with stalls, performances and demonstrations of the healing arts and we at Wisewarrior were invited to show the spiritual connection and focused energy derived through Samurai sword work and the flow of Aikido training.
Our team consisted of Tim San, Richard San, Hayley San, Dohigh Kevin, Dohigh Tam, Dohigh Wayne and Dohigh Chris.

We started off with Hayley San and Dohigh Tam moving beautifully in an open hand Tai- Chi form, which was then performed with bokken. It had a lovely feel about it that came from some serious practicing by these two students. They made it look all so graceful and effortless, it was a great start!
From there Richard San led a display of Aikido with the rest of his team. They ran through some meditative partner aikido forms with Tim San narrating. We had a nine-attack flow form that we had practiced, ranging from wrist grabs, shoulder attacks and then descending attacks, all performed with a smooth slow deliberate pace that nicely demonstrated the concentration of the art.

The highlight of the Aikido for the team and I think the audience watching was when the partners flowed spontaneously from locks, holds and flow blocks, each pair adapting and flowing at will, even at one point demonstrated with eyes closed by Richard San and Dohigh Kevin when prompted by Tim San! This showed the audience the creative, flowing nature of the Aikido we teach.
The final highlight of the event was a demonstration of live blade sword work by Richard San; again this was spontaneous in nature and not rehearsed. Sen moved from floor patterns to standing forms showing the beauty and power of the weapon to a very appreciative audience. Finally the team were asked some great questions, making us overrun our time slot, but as some of the organizers were asking the questions too, we don’t think it mattered too much!

So a great mornings work by the team, and Richard San and Tim San offer again their thanks to the time given by the students who were part of this display team, especially as a few were grading the next day!
If any of you reading this would like to be part of a future display team and want to become involved in all the fun, then just speak to one of the Sen’s. Perhaps you may even know of a venue or an event where we may perform in the near future? Please just let us know and we will make it happen!