Dean Rostohar Seminar on Taijutsu kihon gata shinken gata, and buki waza shinken gata

Last weekend the seminar with the shihan Dean took place at Laussane. I was there, I try to be always there.
The topic was as I already wrote in the title Taijutsu kihon gata shinken gata, and buki waza shinken gata.

We started with a simple version of Ichimonji kata from the kihon happo, a few of us showed the form just to have a starting point and then Dean took over. His job, as he mentioned several times during the seminar, was to teach with his hearth about his experience in combat, and I personally could feel that. He was teaching not in the common Bujinkan approach, but in his own perception of the art, this perception is of course highly valuable considering Dean's background in military, police, and even war.

During the seminar I learned from his movements as much as I learned from my mistakes, we did a lot of technics but they were all just one in essence. A lot of variations came out of just a single ichimonji, a complete set of very destructive movements came alive just by mixing an attitude kamae, some footwork, taijutsu, and a lot of spirit.

I have had the opportunity to train with different shihans and in a few very valuable opportunities with soke itself, every shihan has its own soul, every movement they do has been inspired in soke's teachings, in their own lives, and in the moment they have been teaching. Of course Dean is not the exception to this rule, his level has been growing thanks to his experience, his master, and his own efforts, but what is special about he is that you can feel the warrior inside him, the spirit of the guy that is willing to survive at any cost is always breathing upon you, with the breath of a warrior.

I can grasp from this seminar the same conclusion that I have from all seminars, there is still a long way to go, and we will walk it as long as the spark is shinning, the spark of budo.

It is hugely worth to mention that this seminar could have not been possible without all the effort done by Manu , Olena, and all the guys that helped them. Thank you all, you rule!! Thanks also to Dean for sharing his budo.