from the May, 2013 issue of Kiai!

Upcoming Advanced Black Belt Testing in New York

 

by Jun Shihan Sarah,
Co-Executive Director

I am so happy to announce the upcoming black belt testing for 9 of our senior Thousand Waves students. Testing for sandan are Yesica Barrera, Carla Riggs and Joshua Keesecker; and for nidan, Bill Kouis, Pamela Robert, Sayira Khokhar, Matt Birnholz, Sam Boyer and Margarita Saona.  They will travel to Honbu for testing on Friday, May 31, and join many other black belts from around the world that weekend for black belt clinics with the grandmaster of our Seido system, Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura. 

These students have trained extensively for many years, prepared for this test with great discipline and commitment and are key teachers and volunteers at our dojo.  We are very grateful to them and very proud of them.  Good luck Senpai! 

I am also very happy to announce the promotion test of Jun Shihan Nancy earlier that same week!   She, after 7 years of being Jun Shihan, has been invited to Johshin Honzan, the new retreat center/ Seido dojo in Westchester County, to test, along with several other of Kaicho’s most senior teachers.  She will be promoted to the advanced level of 6th degree black belt and will be granted the title of Sei Shihan.  Others in this group will be promoted to Shuseki Shihan, 7th degree black belt.  They will test with Kaicho in his traditional 24 hour format of intensive instruction and evaluation.  Congratulations, Jun Shihan Nancy!

We look forward to hearing all about their promotion experiences and celebrating together Wednesday, June 5th, from 7:45 to 9:00 PM.  Please join us!