BIOGRAPHIES
Our Reference Teachers
Nobuyoshi Tamura Sensei was born in Osaka on March 2, 1933, son of a Kendo teacher. After his father's death, he decided to study aikido and in 1953 he was accepted by O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba into his dojo in Tokyo (nowadays the Aikikai Hombu Dojo) as an uchi deshi, practicing and living there.
He lived with the Ueshiba's family for over 10 years and was one favourite uke of O'Sensei. He was then chosen to be sent out in France to represent and teach Aikido outside Japan. He left in 1964, just after he was married to Rumiko who was as well a student of Ueshiba herself. Together they arrived in Marseilles.
From that moment on, Tamura Sensei has been teaching Aikido, letting the Art spread all over Europe.
He is ranked VIII Dan and has been designated Shihan by the Zaidan Hojin Aikikai of Tokyo. He is as well responsible for Aikido in Europe and in France he's been nominated Technical Director of the FFAB, the French Federation of aikido and Budo one of the largest aikido organization in the world. He teaches aikido in Bras - in the french Provençal region, at his dojo Shumeikan, close to where he lives.
He is author of various books on Aikido: "Aikido", "Tradition et étiquette" and "Méthode nationale".
He is active all around the world, directing various seminars.
[Tamura on Wikipedia  ]
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Renè Van Droogenbroeck took his first step into Aikido in 1964 at 24 years old and now is ranked VII Dan.
His first teacher was David Sensei, a piooner in Europe and student of Tadashi Abe who was sent by Ueshiba in the Western Countries at first. Thereafter VDB (as Van Droogenbroeck is fondly called by friends) has intensively studied with master teachers as Noro, Nakazono, Tada, Asai, traveling also to Japan to practice with Saito Sensei.
So far, he has been following Tamura Sensei for over 25 years.
For his experience and mastery in Budo, he is recognized as one of the most veritable budoka and expert teacher. His attitude makes an example of sincere practictioner in his mature age.
He studied also Kendo for over 20 years, Iaido, Jodo and experienced Karate.
His method of teaching is extremely adaptable to everyone, children, teens, adults, men or women, so that he is able to get the best out of everybody.
He lives in Le Havre, France, where he built up a traditional dojo with accomodation for uchi deshi practictioners.
[VDB ]
[VDB - IEF ] |
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Stephane Benedetti, whose actual ranking is VI Dan Aikikai so Hombu, has begun practicing Aikido in 1966.
He's an Orientalist and expert of History of Religions. He lived in Japan for 9 years: an opportunity which granted him to get profoundly into that culture and be acquainted with the different aspects of it. There he also learned the traditional Art of metal forging.
Once he came back to France, he settled in Aix-en-Provence where he started practicing with Tamura Sensei.
Thanks to their strict collaboration, it being one much far from the typical relation between teacher-and-student, Benedetti was able to transmit his own experience also throught writing: he translated Tamura's books and wrote his own "Le livre du Débutant".
As a teacher he is constantly on the road, even though he recently moved to Spain with his wife Mio Takada, just outside Barcellona.
His method in Aikido is characterized by an extraordinary personal approach: very precise, complete and comprehensive of biomechanics and physics principles. For such a reason he is a reference teacher for all Shumeikai Italia aikidoka in order to come closer to Tamura's example.
[Benedetti ] |
Malcolm Tiki Shewan, started the study of Aikido in 1970 with Tamura Sensei and now he's ranked VI Dan.
At the age of 6 years old, Tiki Shewan first began studying western fencing and later he accomplished proficient expertise in Aikiken, Kenjutsu, Iaijutsu and Iaido thanks to his studies with japanese master teachers of the different schools Muso Jikiden Eishin, Tenshin Sho Jigen, Muso Shinden. For his mastery he has been nominated Technical Director of the Iaido European Federation (IEF). He is also an expert of the traditional Art of forging japanese swords which he apprehended during a 15 months stay in Japan; that was the first of two journeys of apprenticeship and practice he made in that country.
In 1983 he wrote a book on the japanese sword - the katana. “L'art du sabre japonais - The art of japanese swordsmanship” was published by IEF.
In his teaching method, Tiki Shewan suggests the study of Aikido through the techniques of the sword. It is a highly technical approach nonetheless extremely usefull to everyone, from the beginner to the expert.
Tiki Shewan, who was born in the USA, has recent scottish roots; he lives in France since he was a student at the university. He holds seminars all around the world.
[Tiki Shewan - IEF]
[Tiki Shewan on Wikipedia ] |
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