Balerna February 2023

Seminar with Riccardo Luppi and Corrado Calossi

Balerna

On Saturday, February 11th, 2023, a seminar with Riccardo Luppi (5th Dan) and Corrado Calossi (4th Dan) took place at Balerna.
At 08:00 Yvette and Bernhard brought the containers with meals to the gym for the lunch that would be eaten on site.
The necessary tables and benches were set up on the stage. So, the tatami mats were arranged on the floor of the gym with the help of some aikidoka from the Balernitan Association.
Around 09:00 everything was ready to welcome the welcome guests who came to Balerna to participate in the event.

Riccardo Luppi

Riccardo Luppi comes from the school of Gianni Gioconto. Already with the introductory Kenkotaiso and Aikitaiso, he focused his teachings less on technical details and more on the fundamental aspects of what happens on the mat in Aikido. He explained that Nage has the opportunity to be present and to feel free. This changes the condition he/she is in towards Uke and he/she can implement his/her movements in a calm and convincing way.
For this purpose, Riccardo had various holding and stapling techniques as well as Kokyu Dosa practiced. Nage and Uke were allowed to feel comfortable in their situation and were thus able to further develop their potential.

As early as 11 a.m., the smell of slowly simmering pasta fagioli announced lunch. After an extensive aperitif, there was finally something to eat from 12:30 p.m. Many tasty things (see advertisement) prepared by Yvette found were gratefully taken. The meal was rounded off with sweets, some of which the participants had brought with them to the seminar.
Some then went to a bar in the center of Balerna to have coffee, a larger group took advantage of the sunny weather to have a walk in the Breggia Gorge. Afterwards there was still time to relax on the mats before activities resumed at 3:30 p.m.

Corrado Calossi

Corrado Calossi comes from the school of Beppe Ruglioni. In the preparatory gymnastics he had some yoga forms practiced. Then he turned to Tsuzukiwaza 14, suwariwaza. For the fifth technique, hakuchō no mizumi (Swan Lake, 白鳥の湖), he explained where this name comes from: In ballet, Odette uses her arms and upper body to make a form that resembles that of Nage in this technique. As a result, he simply called the technique Odette.
In the second part of his teaching, he devoted himself to multi-person attacks. First he had individual techniques practiced in the form that Nage approaches Uke who suddenly attacks. After that, everyone had the opportunity to try fluid and harmonious movements against two and later against three attackers.

The seminar showed again that the Aikido teachers, who have been practicing Aikido for decades, have their own thoughts, which are based on their experiences, and also are able to present them in seminars.
This can lead, and this was also addressed in the seminar, to confusion for beginners because other variants are shown or the emphasis is placed on other explanations. But mature Aikidoka have to be able to endure that. For beginners, it's best to start by learning what the local teachers are teaching, and later get inspiration from other perspectives as well.
In any case, the course was a very pleasant and beneficial event. Many thanks to the cook and organizer Yvette and to the two teachers Riccardo Luppi and Corrado Calossi.

Group photo

Seminar in Balerna 02/2023

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Fotos: Bernhard Boll, Domenico Saida, Francesco Ingemi