Summer Camp '97

Summer of the Tiger, Dragon & Crane Martial Arts Festival
An ongoing schedule of events for the 1997 camp,
focusing on the new seminars to be offered and old favorites.

[Click here to fill out a camp application for the '97 Martial Arts Festival]
Click here for camp/festival press releases!
Click here to see what others have said about earlier camps!

Out on the beach he stands
Gulls
White and feathered
Have become
Cranes
In his presence
The dawn sun burns
As dragon fire
The wind the dragon's breath
Grass rustles
A tiger
Prowling
As the man moves
I move
Several steps behind
I follow in his footprints
As each generation
Follows in the footprints
Of the
Last
And the student
becomes
the teacher

Sandra Lubben (15 years old)

Subject: Summer Camp and Karate Festival Information

Sensei Mattson,
I stumbled upon your web site a while back while searching for information about Okinawan Karate Do. This site is a fine source of both information and thread leads, when I finally figured out this was a local operation I was ecstatic. I have made others in my son's Dojo aware of this site, many of us are planning on attending the kid's tournament in Westwood the end of this month. My son studies Shohei-Uechi-Ryu at the Institute of Okikukai located in Quincy, Mass. some of the excellent instructors are Russ Centamore, Jack Dowd, Ray Andelsberg, and Mr. Jack Summers. Brandon is five has been studying for seven months currently has the rank of white belt w/2 yellow stripes, I am interested in sending him to the summer camp if there is benefit to be had for him at his young age and novice rank. I read most of the information in the web site but was unable to determine if there were elements for his level. If you could send any information or your own opinion regarding this it would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and the excellent web page,

Bob Dryer

Tha nks for your very kind letter, Robert. Children are a very important part of the camp. We invite the very best children's teachers from around the world to instruct sessions for the kids. The kids are kept busy from early morning (they are invited to Sanchin by the Ocean at 6:30am) until evenings when they attend the parties and demonstrations in the gym. During the day, they are on an alternating schedule: one hour outside and one hour inside. The outdoor activities vary with the instructor, but generally teachers present material that they successfully use in their dojo to motivate and instruct their classes. Many dojo owners monitor these classes to learn tips they can take back to their dojos. The indoor work are more relaxed and less physical. Steve DiOrio heads up these sessions, which covers areas such as role playing, history and Steve's special program concerning "Virtues over Violence" sessions. All ranks can benefit from the programs.

The kids love the program and parents are invited to participate, even if they do not know karate. (There will also be sessions taught by me and Renshi Mark Breslford for beginners). Finally, Kanmei Uechi teaches a special kid's class on Saturday.

If you would like a program and application which can be copied and distributed in your dojo, please email me your "snail" mail address.

Best,
George Mattson
ps. Jack Summers taught a session last year!

Group Seisan: 1993 Summer Camp

Kanmei Uechi teaching Seisan: 1993

Kanmei Uechi teaching the fine points of Sanchin arm positioning. 1993 Camp.

Art Rabesa demonstrating his "explosive" power principals.

Dear Mattson Sensei,

Once again I'd like to say that it was a pleasure and honor to meet with you and share some time talking about Okinawa and it's Marital Arts. You are a very well known and popular figure in the Uechi History, both in America and Okinawa.

I am now in Denver, Colorado and have been very busy with my Kobudo Seminars. I have four more seminars before I end up in San Francisco and head for China. Hope the squabble with Taiwan is over by then.

I will be back in the states by July to Continue my seminars. I will be in the Boston area on my way to Puerto Rico in August. It will be a great privilege to demonstrate our Okinawan Kobudo at your Summer Camp. Thank you very much, again, for the invitation. I have discussed it with the club at UMass and New York and I'm sure we could put on a good show for you and have lots of fun. I'll call you when I reach San Francisco and confirm with you.

What I have enclosed is some information so that you will be more familiar with me and what I do. I hope its useful.

Well, I'm looking forward to seeing you again. I hope I will return from China with something to share with you. Until then, all the best.

Sincerely,
Kimo Wall

A Brief History of Kodokan

Kimo Wall sensei began studying Okinawa Gojo-ryu karate in 1949 and Kobudo (the ancient weapons art of Okinawa) in 1956, in Hawaii. In 1961, Kimo sensei joined the Marine Corps and, while stationed in Okinawa, he trained karate and Kobudo in Higa Seiko sensei's dojo, where Matayoshi Shinho sensei taught Kobudo Kimo sensei became a friend of both families . . a sincere and lasting friendship that continues to this day. It was also at this time that, in addition to studying karate with Higa sensei, Kimo sensei was able to train under Matayoshi sensei and Kina Seiko sensei, both of whom had been students of Miyagi Chojun sensei.

In the 1970's after leaving the Marine Corps, Kimo sensei established his own school, Kodokan. To honor Matayoshi sensei, who had been his most influential and respected teacher, Kimo sensei asked and received permission to use the name Kodokan, the name of Matayoshi sensei's school in Okinawa. It was at this time also the Kimo sensei established karate and Kobudo dojos in Puerto Rico, New York, Guatemala, and California, all the while maintaining strong ties and regular contact with his Okinawan teachers. Many of Kimo sensei's students from the 1970's have now established dojos of their own.

In the early 1980's, Kimo sensei began teaching for the Physical Education department at the University of Massachusetts. . . Now there are Kodokan dojos in Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, California, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, and Japan. Kimo sensei regularly conducts seminars at these dojos and throughout the United States.

Kodokan Kobudo Subjects:

Papohaku sho, Papohaku dai, Choun no kon, Sakugawa no kon, Tsuken no kon, Suishi no kon, Shishi no kon, Sai, Tonfa, Nunchiyaku, Ueku, Kuwa, Kama, Tinbei, Nunti, Chizikun bo, Sansetsukon, Manji sai, Kashaku bo, Tama Tetsu, Tekko, Surachin, Utso bo, Papohaku sho bunkai, Papohaku dai bunkai, Sai-Bo bunkai, Nunchiyaku kumite, Bo-Bo bunkai kumite. Also Hakutsuru, Kakuho, Sochin, Paranku and Naifuanchin.

Dear George,
As you requested, I am giving you a little information regarding my seminar at your '97 camp. I can teach a class in either J.K.D. trapping hands or Filipino Arnis. I would be willing to do a class of each if you'd like. Or a two part, beginner and advanced the next day.

For the J.K.D. trapping hands, I would teach a series of two man exercises that are referred to as Cross-Energy Drills. They teach students to remain loose in techniques while increasing hand speed and coordination. They also help students to understand "trapping range" which is neglected in a lot of dojos.

If you wish to see Arnis as part of the program, I would be inclined to teach the weapons aspect of this art. Either stick or knife, although knife would be my preference. Primarily, understanding how to use the blade and taking this knowledge to empty hand defenses against the weapon.

If you need more information, just call me. I am a black belt in both arts and have advanced level instructor's licenses in each. Feel free to schedule as few or many sessions as you need. I am sure by now you know I fully support you and the organization.

.... Sincerely,
Raffi A. Derderian, Jr.

George:

After all the address changes I hope I have the proper one. My thoughts about doing a presentation for this year's camp are as follows:

There are two areas in which I done some small investigation. I have been working as a law-enforcement trainer for some years now, and I think there is a lot of work to be done on adapting traditional martial arts to the needs of law enforcement. When I began teaching, I was amazed at the low esteem in which cops tended to hold the martial arts. Although they had a constellation of complaints, most of them were a function of "that stuff is too complicated and doesn't work". Well, training is complicated, and does require a committment, and some funds, both of which many police lack, but I have always felt that the underlying problem is a presumption on the part of law enforcement, that martial arts has ceased to concern itself with the practical. (This, by the way is a point of view with which I have some sympathy. This is why I have always resisted tournament competition) Anyway, to get the the meat of the issue, I could easily do a segment on adapting traditional uechi ruy to the needs of law enforcement.

Secondly, and to my mind, a more fertile ground for Summer Camp, is to draw some parallels between aikido technique and uechi ryu. There is enormous compatibility between the two systems, (at least the way Saotome sensei teaches, and the way I have always looked at uechi ryu). In general I find that there is much in aikido which is really atemi (striking) but is hidden to look like a throw, and there is much in uechi-ryu which is really unbalancing and take-downs, but which is disguised to look like a strike. I believe both systems are mature and complete, but quite cryptic. One is almost the compliment of the other.

This latter topic would be my preference, and as I indicated probably the most interesting for most of the students. If this interests you, please let me know. I would consider this a professional obligation between us, however, we can speak more about that if you find my presenting to be worthwhile.

Meanwhile, all the best.

Bob Galeone

Larry Tan will be back this year, teaching seminars on Chinese Martial Arts systems.

The first year Larry attended the camp, (1993), he had to return to New York Sunday morning to help his wife deliver their first child. In spite of abbreviated session, Larry made lots of friends and advocates of his unique "dazzling" hands style. Don't miss his educational and exciting program.

Bob Bethoney teaches a seminar on effective sparring techniques.

Okinawan Traditional Dance and how it relates to the Martial Arts. 1993

Ed Huff and his popular Dan Kumite Seminar.

And the lesson worked! Two camp participants practice the Dan Kumite takedown.

Noah Mandell's very popular seminar on Chinese Medicine.

More Summer Camp Pictures by Clicking Here....

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