Hello Portland Aikido Community. As you may know, our friends at Two Rivers Aikikai are making a leadership transition with Spiros Sensei and Lynn Sensei retiring from their long and dedicated devotion to the dojo and handing the reins to Teri Sensei and Michael Sensei.

To honor this transition we’re hosting a friendship style seminar at Multnomah Aikikai on Saturday December 14th from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with guest teaching by all four Two Rivers Aikikai instructors. We invite participants to join us for lunch after classes at a nearby restaurant (details on the registration form).

“Did you know? The enduring format of our Portland Area Aikido Friendship seminars was conceived by Spiros Koyanis and Lynn Marshall and first hosted by them at Two Rivers Aikikai in 2006. Since that time participating dojos have taken turns to host the event. This year Multnomah Aikikai hosts the event with a theme: honoring Two Rivers Aikikai on their historical milestone.” - Suzane Van Amburgh, Multnomah Aikikai

“We started practicing at New England Aikikai in the early 1980s. Between the two of us we have enjoyed 80 years of training and nearly 70 of teaching! It has been an enormous privilege for us to transmit Aikido and Iaido as we learned it from our teacher, the late Mitsunari Kanai Shihan. We are honored to have the opportunity to teach the principles and fundamentals of techniques and ukemi that Kanai Sensei refined from his days as an uchi deshi at Hombu dojo, as well as his own extensive martial arts background. Teaching and training in these beautiful arts has enriched our lives in countless ways. However, while we are still relatively young and healthy, we would like to open space for new opportunities and activities. We therefore have reached a decision to retire from teaching and training in Aikido and Iaido."

-Spiros and Lynn

Schedule

The event is Dec 14th, 2024, 10:30am - 12:30pm

In honor of the leadership transition at Two Rivers, the seminar will be taught by the two outgoing and two incoming Senseis from Two Rivers Aikikai

• 10:30am - 10:45 warm ups

• 10:45 - 11:15 Lynn Marshall

• 11:15 - 11:45 Spiros Koyanis

• 11:45 - 11:50 water break

• 11:50 - 12:10 Michael Boeder

• 12:10 - 12:30pm Teri Pierson

Register

Please register ahead. Through the simple Google form you can let us know you plan to participate, whether you will join us for lunch (we need a headcount to reserve tables), sign the waiver, provide photo consent, and there’s a handy link to donate to the non-profit org we are supporting this year. Please preregister:

https://bit.ly/2024-Friendship-Reg

Donate

This year we are supporting Transition Projects. This local non-profit organization helps people experiencing homelessness transition to housing. You can donate any amount. If you’d like to let them know your donation is associated with this “Aikido Friendship Seminar,” you may indicate this in the field under “Tribute Gift.” Learn the story of Transition Projects here: https://www.tprojects.org/story

Make your donation of any amount here:
https://www.tprojects.org/donate/#Donate-Funds

Location

The seminar is hosted by Multnomah Aikikai, 6415 S Macadam Ave. Portland OR 97239. Free street parking is usually readily available on the side streets. Best bets: S. Dakota Street and S Virginia Ave.