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Yoshinkan Aikido Dojo in Indianapolis, Indiana
Aikido & Tai Chi of Indianapolis
1550 Broad Ripple Avenue
Indianapolis, In. 46220
(317) 721 5129
aikido@aikiconcepts.org
Protect the Individual : Enhance the Community
Indianapolis web design by Dan Finney Design
Webscribe: Adam Herbst
Special Events
Aikido class times for January:
The only January class on Monday will be Jan. 30. The Wednesday classes will be Jan. 4, Jan. 18 and Jan. 25
New T’ai Chi Time and Location
For the moment, T’ai Chi will be holding classes at:
Arthur Murray Dance Studio (Broad Ripple)
2361 E. 62nd St.
Indianapolis, IN 46220 (Directions Here)
The intermediate Tai Chi class is 9-10am, and the two beginning classes are from 10-11am, and 11-noon, all on Saturday.
Aikido is changing location and class times
We will be moving into the Broad Ripple Park Family Center, located at: 1550 Broad Ripple Avenue (Directions Here) (the building on the left as one enters the park from E. 62nd Street)
New class times (Monday and Wednesday): Children’s class will be meeting from 6-7pm, Mondays. The adult Aikido class will meet from 7 – 8:30pm, Mondays and Wednesdays.
Also, Each evening we will be setting up and removing some velcro folding mats that the Center has, so please plan to be at class, ready to go, 10 minutes early, so we can accomplish this. The bathrooms, just inside the entry door, can be used as changing rooms.
(All of these changes will start November 2nd)
Check the blog for more in depth info on the move, and Class times.
The Indianapolis Star Marks Evelyn’s Promotion
(The following is an article that appeared in the Feb. 6 edition of the newspaper.)
Dr. Evelyn Dysarz, 65, Indianapolis, chiropractor, Wellspring Wholistic Health
I was looking for a good form of exercise in 1974 when I met Christopher Howey, who later became my husband. He had just started practicing aikido, a defensive type of Japanese martial art, so he started to teach me.
I’ve been practicing it ever since. In late January, I was awarded a sixth-degree black belt, and I became the first woman with that ranking outside of Japan in the yoshinkan style of aikido. It’s quite an honor.
At Aikido and T’ai Chi of Indianapolis, where I am manager and senior instructor, you practice through the fifth degree of black belt. Someone with a higher level belt decides whether to pass you after watching you take a test. For the sixth level, though, there isn’t a physical test. The Japanese career aikido teachers at our home school in Tokyo look at how you help spread the practice of aikido.
I run the school’s day-to-day business and also serve as chairman and treasurer of the board of directors. It’s all voluntary. Instructors don’t get paid at the school. We also teach Zumba, yoga, t’ai chi and belly dancing. We’re trying to make the school into a community center.
After receiving my first- and second-degree belts in Detroit, I went to Chicago to get my chiropractic degree. Then I came to Indianapolis and worked up to my fifth-degree belt. When I turned 50, my daughter suggested I run the Indianapolis Mini-Marathon. So I did that for years, but it got boring.
Aikido, though, is always fascinating. There is always something to learn. It is a lesser-known martial art with no competition, so that changes the dynamics. You have partners — one person is the attacker; the other is the defender.
The defender does the techniques, engaging the other person physically and redirecting his energy to try to cause him to lose his balance so you can pin him. There are no kicks or punches.
We practice being in the present and aware of what is happening. The priority is not to injure the other person, but to neutralize him. Police and corrections officers or those who work with emotionally violent people can use it.
The practice is physiologically sound. The body mechanics are sound, so people don’t get injured. It emphasizes core strength, effectively using the whole body as a unit, so we can do techniques without too much effort.
You’re learning excellent ways to move your body, while you’re keeping your mind calm and being very aware of what you and the other person are doing. It is a form of moving meditation.
As told to Barb Berggoetz at barb.berggoetz@indystar.com.
Senior aikido instructor honored - Evelyn Dysarz learned Jan. 22 that she has been promoted to sixth degree black belt (rokudan) by the hombu dojo in Tokyo.
The promotion is in recognition of her 37 years studying aikido, as well as her behind-the-scenes work as Board of Directors chair, treasurer and manager of AikiConcepts, Inc. She also helped an earlier aikido association when she lived in Michigan.
Evelyn’s spouse, Christopher Howey, arranged the presentation as a surprise. He is the other senior instructor at the school.
Many friends and her two children, one of whom flew in from Los Angeles for the occasion, celebrated with her at a party Jan. 22.
Outside of Japan, Evelyn now is one of the highest ranking women in the Yoshinkan style of aikido.
Kyu Demonstrations went well – Two dojo students were promoted Jan. 22. Adam Herbst advanced to 4th kyu, while Eddie Acosta received his brown belt with a promotion to 3rd kyu. Both demonstrations were excellent.