In 2017, Shindenkan can look forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary. It is at a time when martial arts organizations are splitting up into more and more pieces. But not Shindenkan. Although there have been challenges in the same direction, we have succeeded in sticking together and creating a ground-breaking organization that offers a multi-track unique system with an equally unique grandmaster behind it all, namely Yamana-Itotani-Sensei called Kimu Sensei on a daily basis .
A 50th anniversary must of course be celebrated in style and in the best Shindenkan spirit it was celebrated with a bang at a summer convention. More than 170 participants and as many spectators took part in the festivities. The support association Shindenkans Venner had made sure that there was coffee and cake for those present during the break between lessons. The cakes were of a quality that could make a confectioner completely envious.
The content of the event is, as always, planned by Kimu Sensei and there is always an emphasis on learning from the instructors. For this summer convention, there were actually a surplus of instructors who could then take the chance to be taught in the group for brown and black belts. At the same time, they could be used as a task force if help was needed along the way in one of the other groups.
Måløv Hallen, as always, laid the framework around the convention. And even though all the doors had been opened, everyone could feel that people were going to the macaroons in the individual groups because the temperature rose and rose as the convention progressed. Not because it was a problem, but all the participants had absolutely no problems keeping warm, even if the temperature outside was not exactly in summer fashion.
But that shouldn't stop the convention participants from having a party 🙂
The convention began with information from Kimu Sensei about all new initiatives in the Shindenkan Organization. A lot happens in a dynamic organization like Shindenkan, and a convention is a fantastic place to inform from, as not all parents and convention participants get the information out in the local schools. Therefore, the conventions, and not least the summer convention, are used as important information channels for the organization's members and their parents. The same happens at the X-mas convention, so that important information can be collected every 6 months and passed on to those present.
After this lesson it was time for ukime – fall technique. Divided into groups depending on degree, fall technique was performed in various forms. Forward tumble - backward tumble - side tumble-front tumble and backwards tumble. All carried out in safe and secure surroundings. Some may have also found out that even if they have participated in the Ukime courses, they are courses that you as a student can and do take more than once. Falling is not a problem, but falling without hitting can be a problem. if you don't know how to do it and if you don't practice enough to maintain the competence.
After Ukime there was Kihon on the program. It was punched, kicked and parried to a degree that could leave a marathon runner out of breath. It's amazing to see how children, young people, adults, men and women simply give it the gas as a big cohesive group of souls who just want this and who just do their very best to learn. A beautiful sight that can make even an experienced grown man with many stripes on his belt get a lump in his throat.
After Kihon, the convention content was split in two. The brown and black belt team had to train Iai-jutsu-Ken-Jutsu and Kotachi Jutsu. The other groups had to train Shiho with the elements from the other lessons. Black and the brown belts had to, of course, too, but they just had to do it in an armed version. The armed competences are something that attracts eyes. And it was also interesting to see how the spectators' eyes were turned towards the black and brown belt team 🙂
After this lesson, a joint picture had to be taken before preparations could be made for graduation. In addition to the "normal" graduation, there was also a competency graduation in Kotachi package 1 and Ken jutsu 3 at the summer meeting.
All graduations went well and there are now 100 graduates who have moved one step closer to the black belt. Competence graduations also went very well. Perhaps this is due to the fact that, especially during the Ken 3 graduation, extra steps were taken during kumite step no. 7. The first performance got the spectators out of their seats in sheer fright, and since graduation leader Jens Hanshi-Dai thought that the graduates could do better, it was clearly that several of the spectators took a firm hold of their chairs, so as not to be startled by "WAKI WASHIDEEE".
After the graduation and while the graduation judges were voting, the black belts had put in the tiled stove for a party. Many people say they can't dance, but the black belts at this summer convention disproved that claim – everyone can dance.
The feature from the black belts got the room boiling and there is no doubt that the upcoming season of the TV program "wild with dance" should perhaps look in the Shindenkan for potential participants - especially among the black belts. A huge thank you must go to all participants and to all spectators for making the summer meeting 2017 a party. A huge thank you must also go to Kimu Sensei for making Shindenkan an organization with room for everyone who wants and can. And to give members an opportunity to create a better world. Remember that the sun always shines even if you can't see it 🙂
Have a fantastic summer and see you again in the 2017-2018 season, where Shindenkan has planned something really big.
