By Jokokan Honbu
Never before have we received such a massive flow of positive comments from parents, adults and JokoKidz, as at this 2004 Jokokan Winter Camp in borrowed premises from the Honbu-dojo in Greve. It was also an absolutely fantastic atmosphere, intensity mixed with a good dose of humor and entertainment, which both instructors, participants and spectators contributed to in abundance.
The Jokokan host schools Jokokan Frederiksberg and Jokokan Amager had effectively put together an impressive event, following the overall content and theme planning by Kimu Sensei and implementation by the instructor team.
The 65 registered participants, about half of whom were exuberant and energetic JokoKidz, completed the eight-hour planned activities of the full-day training camp with high spirits, commitment and concentration. This despite an ever-increasing trend of stiff limbs and fatigue as the day progressed.
The motto and message of the training camp was "Don't jump where the bar is lowest", "Why be your own worst enemy when you can be the opposite?" and "You must treat others as you would like to be treated yourself".
This was practiced to a great extent both in the dojo (training hall) and outside in community-building group work across the various Jokokan schools, where responsiveness, mutual respect and understanding are sought to be promoted through the planned collaborative tasks.
Since all change begins with each unique human being, this year's “ice breaker topic” was the composition of this year's Jokokan's “MGP” rallying cry, which JokoKidz was tasked with solving. The battle song then had to be learned and practiced together with the adults, who were simultaneously engaged in an exchange of opinions about the necessity of Dojo-kun (mutual behavior-regulating guidelines in and outside the dojo).
It's always nice when planning comes together and a great result is produced through creativity, laughter and good singing voices. It was a successful and humorous team-work across generations and gender.
Another communal collaborative exercise, was independently working and deciding groups of different generations and Yakami-ryu level, who had to decide on the duration and sequence of a joint synchronous kata in a limited time, and at the same time produce a result.
A result that was assessed by a reduced judging panel of parents and grandparents, in collaboration with the instructor group. The criteria were the group's synchronous kata level, based on the group's own decision and assessment of the members' Yakami-ryu level and length of training. Group number five won unanimously after a close race.
A new fixed activity was exercises with a technical and physical contact habituation with an organized and structured purpose. This habituation, through a controlled use of punching pads, was valid both for the pad holder and for the "attacker", who could immediately see the effectiveness of his Yakami-ryu technique and the efforts behind it.
The training camp ended with a formal JokoKidz graduation for the willing Jokokidz, after which everyone continued to a new permanent Jokokan activity; Mardi Gras barrel beating. After some hard Jokokan battles, three cat kings and three cat queens were chosen, who could well deservedly enjoy their crowns and admiring glances from their Jokokan comrades during the subsequent celebratory dinner.
