Wed class 2/6/10 in INTi. Movements define form.

Balinese Dancer

Instead of focusing rigidly on form and technical precision I asked the new girl member to imitate my movements intuitively in slow motion and also to capture with her mind and heart intent the functions embedded in the movements.

To allow the natural and intuitive process of learning to take place freely I broke down the technique into several parts and in each part breakdown further into Tori's and Uke's movements, all done in a slow, relaxed, rhythmic, continuous and dance-like motion.

After grasping the individual parts I then asked her to combine all the separate parts into one continuous movement. In my mind I was borrowing the concept from the slow, rhythmic, delicate yet graceful hand and body movements of the traditional Balinese court dancer to teach this new student how to execute a Aikido technique with effortless grace.

Lo and behold! At the end of the class this new girl who has never done Aikido before was able to execute the shomenuchi iriminage technique by recalling the movements rather than the precise forms.