Letter from Our Executive Director

06.01.2023 by Ryan Libel

Dear Thousand Waves Community,

Summer is here, and we have a lot to be excited about! Our karate program continues to grow – our current membership is around 250 members, up from a pandemic low of just under 200. Our increased membership helped us succeed in our major annual fundraiser – Spirit Challenge 2023. We raised over $103,000, smashing through our $90,000 goal! Thank you so much for helping us get there.

On June 25, we’ll again march in the Chicago Pride Parade. It’s not too late to decide to join us - come show your TW spirit as we march and demonstrate our art. Friends and family supporters are welcome – we have a need for banner carriers, wagon pullers, and other important tasks. It’s also fun to just walk along with us and wave and smile at the festive crowd.

Sensei Lucia is excited to present another year of Camp Kokoro – our sessions, happening the last three weeks of July, are almost completely fully enrolled, with kids aged 5 and up preparing for days full of karate, beach training, and a water park excursion! Thousand Waves is all about creating community, and our annual summer day camp helps kids form new friendships and deepen their connections to existing training mates.

August brings a special training opportunity – many of our members will travel to the Detroit area to participate in the Mejishi Alliance Camp the weekend of August 4. Over 15 esteemed teachers will share from their widely varying arts in a spirit of inclusion and joy. We also have our own annual beach training opportunities for adults and kids to look forward to later in the month.

I hope your summer is off to a great start and that you can join us for some of these fun events.

Osu,

(signature)

Sensei Ryan
Executive Director/Branch Chief

Ten Questions for Arlene Limas

06.01.2023 by Thousand Waves

Arlene Limas is an Advanced Yellow Belt training member.

Briefly, how did you come to train in Seido Karate at Thousand Waves?
Having been a martial artist for nearly 52 years, and a Chicagoan, not crossing paths with the Thousand Waves founders, leaders, and members would have been impossible. Shuseki Shihan Nancy and TW have always had a great reputation and our professional and personal friendship has grown over the past 30+ years. When I made the decision to become a student again, there were only a few places that could have been a fit for me. The choice became clear.

Photo: Coach Arlene

What is one thing you’d like to change about the world?
I would love for the world to start having serious discussions around the impacts of violence. The generational trauma it creates and its impact on human potential are beyond measure.

What is one thing you do well?
I believe I have been blessed with persistence and thick skin. They both have served me well.

What is one thing you do not do so well?
I find myself quite often frustrated with the speed of change. Patience is not a skill I come by naturally. It takes real conscious effort for me.

Who from history do you admire, and why?
There are so many people in history that I admire and or have admired. There are sport heroes and sheroes, political leaders, teachers, coaches, students, and family members that I have found fascinating and inspiring. I am currently deep diving and being inspired by Anita Hill. Incredible strength and grit, partnered with knowledge and passion.

Other than Chicago, where have you most enjoyed spending time?
This question is tough. I have been very fortunate to travel to many places and have so many wonderful experiences. I guess I can generally say that I love places that I can enjoy by being out and in them. Does that make sense? The Canadian Rockies on horseback, wonderful; the beauty of Toledo Spain, the energy and wonder of Peru, and my family’s connections to Mexico and Poland have all created so many memories and left changes on my body on a cellular level.

What quotation have you found inspiring or interesting?
I find myself inspired by people’s words all the time, but I guess I fall quite often on something my dad shared: “Better alone than in bad company.” I’ve used this to guide many decisions I have made and it continues to guide me.

What foods do you like best?
I am a self-proclaimed foodie.  I love flavor, spice, heat-filled dishes. I guess I could eat Thai food and/or good thin crust pizza every day!

What is a book that has been significant to you?
There have been several books that have and continue to conjure thought, emotion, and inspiration. These few for different reasons, stick with me. “A Lesson Before Dying” by Earnest Gaines, “The One Minute Manager” by Blanchard and Johnson, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” by Kristine and Richard Carlson, and “Conversations With God” by Walsch.

What are your musical favorites?
My music covers many genres. If it’s on shuffle, I could hear music from “Cats” the musical, Gal Costa, Helen Reddy, Lizzo, Brandi Carlile, Simon & Garfunkel, Jim Croce, Jon Batiste, Mariachi music, and more. Currently obsessed with Dionne Warwick, Chris Stapleton, and the Kooks.

“Thousand Waves Member Spotlight: Ten Questions for…” is a regular feature of Kiai!
In the next issue, Senpai Bill Kouis will answer these same ten questions.

Congratulations to our Spring 2023 Promotees

06.01.2023 by Thousand Waves

Over 75 Thousand Waves students were promoted to new ranks during March, April and May!

New Jun Shihan, Kyoshi and Sensei promotees

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April 2, 2023

To 6th Dan
Kari Rokudan

Jun Shihan Marla Cohen
Jun Shihan Wai Kwong Kwok

To 5th Dan
Godan

Kyoshi Jean Petersen

To 4th Dan
Yondan

Sensei Margarita Saona
Sensei Lucia Frisancho
Sensei Mattie Greenblatt

See everyone who promoted in Spring 2023.

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New Nidan promotees

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March 25, 2023

To 2nd Dan
Nidan

Senpai Kumiko Muro
Senpai Willa Marie O’Donnell

Senpai Zak Shearn, also pictured, came to support the testing group.

New Adult Black Belts

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April 29, 2023

To 1st Dan
Shodan

Senpai Cely Garcia
Senpai Michael Washington

See more photos from this test in our Facebook photo album; part 2; and part 3.

Adult Color Belts

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March 24, 2023

To 3rd Kyu
Advanced Green Belt

Rebecca Bishop
Hara Iakovidou

To 4th Kyu
Green Belt

Jacob Bates

To 5th Kyu
Advanced Yellow Belt

Brian Montana
Abby Rodgers
Ian Zeitlin

To 7th Kyu
Advanced Blue Belt

Marzia Castelpietra
Diane Fields
Mary Foley
Halena Kays

To 8th Kyu
Blue Belt

Marnie Baylouny
Jeff Buttram
Aiga Dzhumanazarova
Angela Moreno

See more photos from this test in our Facebook photo album; part 2.

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May 19, 2023

To 5th Kyu
Advanced Yellow Belt

Arlene Limas

To 6th Kyu
Yellow Belt

Mary Foley
Caleigh Ryan

To 7th Kyu
Advanced Blue Belt

Michelle Nordmeyer
Jessica Wynne

To 8th Kyu
Blue Belt

Eric Hernandez

See more photos and videos from Facebook here and here.

Youth & Teen Color Belts

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May 20, 2023

To 2nd Kyu
Brown Belt

Destiny and Quinn

To 3rd Kyu
Advanced Green Belt

Chloe

To 4th Kyu
Green Belt

KJ

To 5th Kyu
Advanced Yellow Belt

Leo, William, and Emmett

To 6th Kyu
Yellow Belt

Grant

To 7th Kyu
Advanced Blue Belt

Leora, Levi, Lilly, Piers, and Zoe

To 8th Kyu
Blue Belt

Isabella, Sebi, Sloane, and Leonard

See more photos and videos from Facebook here.

(Photo of March 2023 group unavailable)

March 25, 2023

To 1st Kyu
AdvancedBrown Belt

Rory, Mina, Veronica, and Ravi

To 4th Kyu
Green Belt

Diego and Matilda

To 5th Kyu
Advanced Yellow Belt

Emmet and Ayelet

To 6th Kyu
Yellow Belt

Sam, Ethan, James, Erin, Chris, Addison, and Tristan

To 7th Kyu
Advanced Blue Belt

Van, Harper, Lincoln, Penelope, Rhysa, Henry, and Vikram

To 8th Kyu
Blue Belt

Claire and Piers

Junior Color Belts

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March 24, 2023

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May 2023

Senior Black Belt Promotion Reflections

06.01.2023 by Thousand Waves

Congratulations to all those who traveled to New York for their Spring 2023 promotion exams with Kaicho and Nidaime!

Jun Shihan Wai: I had a difficult time preparing for this test, following some recent shoulder injuries. However, I was driven by my fellow karatekas’ spirit and Shuseki Shihan Nancy’s tireless support in preparing each of us for the test and, particularly, in reminding me that we do what we can, and we set our own high bars for success. One of the test highlights and a special treat was to have Shuseki Shihan Nancy’s presence during the first half of our test at Joshin Honzan. Presenting your karate to Kaicho, Nidaime, your teacher, and colleagues is a humbling but empowering experience. For me, each promotion test brings a renewed commitment to karate and karate-do. I feel like I prepare and remember almost everything up to the test and then forget almost everything the next day to begin the reconstitution with a deeper understanding of karate. It’s like completing a Lego model and finding some left-over blocks, and then dismantling and reconstructing it with all the pieces. I believe that each promotion test helps us look deeper into the art and to appreciate its profound beauty. As in the natural sciences, the more I learn, the more I realize how little I know!

Read more Senior Black Belt reflections.

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Jun Shihan Marla: My recent rank promotion to Jun Shihan was fulfilling in so many ways. The special practices with Shuseki Shihan Nancy and the guidance and support in black belt classes helped keep my preparation process on track. Taking classes at the new Honbu space was so special after watching many classes on the mobile dojo from Chicago. Testing with so many wonderful candidates, both local and international, creates a bond that never ceases to touch your heart; sharing my art at Joshin Honzan with Kaicho and Nidaime is an experience that is always unforgettable—including a culinary treat of Mrs. Nakamura’s delicious homemade miso soup! Being back in New York, seeing, and reconnecting with other Seido Senpai from years past always reminds me of what our Seido family is all about. And, as always, being hosted in New York City by Jun Shihan Wai and his partner Kathy made it feel like I never left home. I am deeply honored and touched to have had this experience. Osu!

Kyoshi Jean: One of my wonderful memories from my Godan test was the overnight portion at Johshin Honzan. We started our test at 4:00 PM on Saturday and continued through the night (with two breaks: one to eat a meal, and one to sleep) until 6:00 AM Sunday morning. While this was my second overnight experience, it was still special because it was just the candidates sharing our karate—and ourselves—with Kaicho, Nidaime, and Shuseki Shihan Nancy. Staying at the dojo meant I could forget about the outside world, focus on being a karateka, and bond with the other candidates. Still, the test was challenging and vigorous, so I just lay awake during the second break. After a long, sleepless night, I was packing to leave Joshin Honzan and reminded myself to put my sai in my suitcase. Despite this, my carry-on was pulled aside at security. An agent found my sai in it! I explained how I thought I put them in my suitcase because weapons are not allowed on planes. The guard walked away, and returned with a tall, burly guard; I thought I would be arrested. I explained that I hadn’t slept in 24 hours because of my karate test, and he told me I could check the sai or he could confiscate them. Because they are special to me, I checked my sai.

Sensei Margarita: As a fifty-seven-year-old survivor of heart transplantation— with several physical ailments including osteopenia— whose training was severely impacted by trying to stay healthy during the pandemic, I was not confident I could train in a way that I could present for promotion. However, I knew that Shuseki Shihan Nancy would only invite me to test if she could believe I could do it. With her invitation also came her offer to support us all the way in our preparation for the test. In addition to that, I was really excited about the opportunity to test with my daughter, now Sensei Lucía, and a group of exceptional and determined fellow karateka, so I embraced the challenge. Shuseki Shihan advised me on how to study and train, and held special sessions devoted to reviewing the hardest parts of our material along with challenges such as performing forms with different combinations of added difficulties—eyes closed plus ura, ura, migi-hajime, and similar permutations— which were both demanding and inspiring. By the time we were heading to New York, I knew that I had prepared as much as I could and that I just needed to stay in the moment and give it my best.

Sensei Lucia: It’s hard to believe that when Shuseki Shihan Nancy and Sensei Ryan first approached me about testing back in January, my initial instinct was to respectfully turn down the invitation. I felt that, given my recent break from training, there was no way I would be able to prepare to a degree that I would be happy presenting to Kaicho and Nidaime. When I was eventually convinced to accept the invitation, the preparation process became an exercise in letting go of my ego. I made a concentrated effort to accept my limitations, and in doing so found that my art had strengthened beyond what I thought possible. Despite the challenges and setbacks I had to deal with while training and during the test itself (ruined gis, flight delays, doing the whole first hour of my test in combat boots…), I found joy in committing myself to my Seido practice and felt spiritually connected to the art in a way I have never experienced before. I can honestly say I am so thankful that I trusted my teachers’ judgment and chose to take on this challenge. This experience is something I will treasure for the rest of my life.

Sensei Mattie: Testing for Yondan and above means sleeping over at Joshin Honzan, largely separated from the teachers that brought you to that point. It’s a good metaphor, because a senior in Seido is expected to relate to the organization more broadly than just their home dojo. As is common for groups of Thousand Waves students, we adopted a few delightful singletons from other schools. The camaraderie formed during promotions holds strong for years even without seeing one another (even if you’re not always great with names, I promise). Seido students definitely know how to make each other feel supported. As for me, I’ve never felt more calm heading into a promotion. Logistically, it was hectic; I wasn’t in New York for even 48 hours before I was heading straight back to exams. But I was so happy with my art, and grateful to be back in that space with people I had missed. I had actually never been to Joshin Honzan before, but in many ways a promotion is always in the same “space”. Overall, the theme of this testing season really has been joy. It came from LONG preparation and the support of my teachers, cohort, and my dojo. Gassho.

Senpai Willa: Something that struck me the most about my testing experience in New York was the deeply-rooted nature of Seido within every person there. It was amazing to go through such an intense experience with people from all over the world who were all doing the exact same material. I had never met any of my fellow testers before in my life, but I was still able to form easy, free-flowing partnerships with them. There was even a couple from Germany who were entirely self-trained, and I was so excited to do all of our katas together. It wasn’t only the feeling of community that I got from doing our material together that was so impactful; it was also the feeling of genuine support and respect from every member of Seido that was present both at the test and the classes I took beforehand. Before the test, I wasn’t planning on sharing anything incredibly personal during my essay portion, but after I went through part of the test alongside so many Seido members and felt nothing but encouragement from them —and the other seniors present, I felt more than comfortable enough to share something very personal that I wrote in my essay. I have always felt supported and loved by the Thousand Waves community, but after this testing experience, I feel that same support from the broader Seido community as well.

Senpai Kumiko: One of my favorite memories from my testing experience was having three days to devote myself wholeheartedly to karate. While this may seem like something small, it made all the difference for me; yes, I spent some time annotating The Great Gatsby, but I was able to focus the majority of my attention on preparation instead of the other way around. Whether that was practicing kata in a hotel room, taking classes at Honbu and Johshin Honzan, or the test itself, it was refreshing for me to put karate before school work instead of the other way around. Of course, I brought schoolwork with me on the trip, but whereas I usually have to give up going to most weekday karate classes during the school year, I was able to put karate above my schoolwork in light of the occasion. In addition, being able to put karate over schoolwork let me be more focused during class or the test. While I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to put karate over schoolwork (for once), I also could not have gone through this process without immense support from Shuseki Shihan Nancy, Sensei Ryan, my teachers, classmates, and family. Osu!