Reports

Bassano del Grappa - April 2009

Seminar with Bruno Maule

Bassano del Grappa

With great interest and joy, more than thirty aikidoka from Bassano del Grappa, from Balerna, where Bernhard Boll now practically feels at home in the Ticino dojo, and from Novara gathered with Master Bruno Maule on the tatami in Bassano for an intensive seminar on the weekend of April 18 and 19.

The group from Balerna (Andrea, Italia, Paola, Manuel, Yvette, and Bernhard) set off early Friday morning, intending to dedicate the weekend to visiting interesting historical sites and enjoying the renowned cuisine of Vicenza-Veneto in peace and quiet.

Marostica

Our first stop: the medieval town of Marostica, which welcomed us with its magnificent castle and towered walls and invited us to visit its historic center of rare architectural beauty. Strolling through the neighborhoods and admiring the ancient buildings, we immersed ourselves in the history of these places. We felt "a little transported back in time" with a beautiful sense of harmony. This is especially true of the famous "Piazza degli Schacchi," where in 1454 the peaceful contest between two suitors for the hand of Lionora, the daughter of the then Podestà Taddeo Parisio, took place.
Even today, the event is repeated on the second weekend of September in even-numbered years, with hundreds of costumed figures to commemorate this contest for love.
We settled down in the cozy osteria "L'Angelo e il Diavolo" (by Apo) and enjoyed a truly excellent lunch, expertly prepared and graciously served.
It was worth the trip, and it's worth coming back!

Bassano

After dropping off our luggage at our accommodation, we set off through the streets of the center. We couldn't miss visiting and crossing the Ponte degli Alpini (Alpine Bridge). This impressive structure commemorates bloody battles against invaders in defense of freedom and territory. Our eyes were constantly captivated by the beauty of the buildings in the historic center and the surrounding nature.
A visit to Poli (grappa producer) and a tasting of Tajadèa (grappa tagliatella) boosted our spirits while we waited for our friends from Bassano and Novara. We met for a first aperitif at the bar of the small, cozy Hotel Al Castello (provided by Corrado from Novara for his birthday), a second aperitif on the bridge, where young and old crowded to enjoy the famous glass of "Mezzo e Mezzo" as tradition dictates (provided by Alessandro from Bassano), and then for dinner at the Pizzeria Vesuvio.

Suburi

On Saturday morning, we all took to the tatami to begin our "pleasant effort" under the guidance of Master Bruno Maule.
The guiding principle of the seminar was the study of the "suburi" he has developed (5 of the 10 suburi of the bokken and 4 suburi of the jo).
A demanding program that required strong mental presence and kept us busy throughout the day.

Exams

Before the lunch break, exams were held with Bruno Maule, assisted by Silvio Perin and Bernhard Boll (both 4th Dan). Fabio Bezzan from the Novara Dojo delivered a very good performance and achieved 1st Kyu with his outstanding poise and mental presence. In his exam, in addition to the usual techniques, he also had to demonstrate the 10 suburi of the bokken. Marco Naccari, also from Novara, passed the Chuden exam. Patrizia Lunardon, Alessandro Milano, and Andrea Cimador from the Bassano Dojo were tested for Shoden. All passed the Ki tests with flying colors. Damiano Zen and Alessandro Motta from the Bassano Dojo passed the 2nd Dan exam and also performed all of the 1st Dan techniques again.

Saturday Evening

In the evening, we were welcomed to a refugio halfway up the mountain for a well-deserved, delicious, and convivial dinner.
Thanks to the dry and windy weather, we had an unobstructed and impressive view of the vast, brightly lit plain below us.

Sunday

The work on the tatami began with a surprise on Sunday morning. This is how it happened: A young student from the Bassano Dojo was allowed to lead the Kenkotaiso. Master Maule rewarded the young man's good performance with the immediate award of 5th Kyu.
In the first part of the morning, the study of the Suburi was completed. This was followed by the study and execution of some old Aikido techniques, some of which were of a violent nature. Our friend Giuseppe Golin demonstrated himself to be an exceptionally flighty and enduring uke.
Afterwards, Master Maule demonstrated some robust techniques intended for the "weaker" sex to defend themselves in the event of aggression.
The seminar concluded with the Jokyu exam given by Davide Ferrari from the Novara Dojo, which he passed skillfully and with dedication.

As always, at the end of our Aikido seminar, we met again in a typical, elegant, and welcoming location (l'Ottocento) for a light lunch of asparagus before returning home.

Arrivederci

With the usual melancholy, we said goodbye to our friends, certain of seeing each other again soon to face new challenges.
On the way back, part of the Swiss group with Bruno Maule, his wife Loredana, and our friends Corrado and Giovanna from Novara, stopped in Gambellara. In pouring rain, we enjoyed a brief and emotional visit to the old house where Bruno Maule was born.
Since we were already in the area, we took the opportunity to visit one of his relatives. He produces many delicacies, and we were able to enjoy an excellent wine tasting with him.

We thank our friends from Bassano del Grappa for their hospitality and Master Bruno Maule for his willingness to share his knowledge with us. We fondly remember each participant of the seminar and bow with a heartfelt arigato.

Yvette Voumard, Balerna
Photo: Manuel Merlos, Andrea Beduschi

Group photo

 

Other photos