It was a great pleasure to participate in the Aikido of Santa Cruz Summer Retreat with Motomichi Anno Sensei. The gift of his spirit and calligraphy for my shomen, as well as being able to take falls for him, was a highlight of my aikido experience.
Hundreds of aikido practitioners descended this last week on the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium as opening act for the Scottish Fiddlers and bookend for Cheech and Chong. Under the leadership of Linda Holiday Sensei, Aikido of Santa Cruz has presented a Summer camp for 17 years. This year includes, for the second and possibly final time, Motomichi Anno Shihan, 8th Dan, Chief Instructor, Aikido Kumano Juku, Shingu, Japan, the successor to the late Michio Hikitsuchi Sensei, 10th dan.
Anno Sensei is one of the few direct students of the founder of aikido still teaching, and is particularly notable for what I would call (cultural paroxysms aside) Whole Enchilada Aikido.
It was a great pleasure to take falls for him, briefly, and receive a piece of his original calligraphy (as did EVERYONE else who participated).
Anno Sensei shared the teaching responsibilities with Senseis Mary Heiny, Linda Holiday, and Jack Wada.
Contra and Square Dancing was had not by all but by many...
and in the end, everyone had the opportunity to receive just their desserts.
gratitude to Larry Colen for the vast majority of these wonderful photographs
