LINEAGE
There are a lot of different ways to do Aikido. At Ithaca Aikikai, we are learning the curriculum developed by T.K. Chiba Shihan, a direct student of the founder, as taught by Ryugan Savoca Shihan. Our Chief Instructor has also studied with other teachers, who have greatly influenced her technique and understanding of the art. You can learn more
O Sensei
Aikido is a Japanese martial art created in the 1920'a by Morihei Ueshiba, a devoted student of Japanese Budo, who is referred to as "O Sensei" by practitioners. The art evolved considerably from that time until Ueshiba's death in 1969, in large part because O Sensei's goal was not simply to create a form of self defense or combat, but a "way of harmony" that seeks victory over the self.
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We bow to a picture of O Sensei at the beginning of class in order to express gratitude for the art, and maintain an affiliation to Hombu dojo in Tokyo.
Ryugan Savoca Shihan, Brooklyn Aikikai
Deborah Fisher Sensei is a current student of Ryugan Savoca Shihan, rokudan, founder of Brooklyn Aikikai. Savoca Shihan's teaching of T.K. Chiba's Aikido curriculum is the primary basis of training at Ithaca Aikikai.