1st American KIAI Seminar - Initial Report

This initial report contains a press release that should be appearing in an upcoming issue of Black Belt magazine and a few select photos. A more detailed seminar report from KIAI Vice President, Phil Scudieri Sensei, will appear in the next issue of KIAI.

Press Release

Kenjutsu Instructors Converge in Delaware

    KIAI instructors and kenjutsu practitioners from Texas, Arizona, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland and Delaware gathered to share their knowledge of Kenjutsu Japanese swordsmanship on June 25, 2005 at the Delaware Budokan in Selbyville Delaware. Dr. Ivica Zdravkovic founded the Kenjutsu International Association of Instructors in 1999 in Serbia. KIAI has held three of these events in Europe with Dr. Zadravkovic and KIAI President Nick Sleep from England. This was the first KIAI seminar held in the United States.

    The event began with Philip M. Scudieri KIAI Vice President and Pan-American Representative from Delaware hosting the opening ceremonies and instructing the first kenjutsu techniques of the day.  KIAI Board of Advisors member and author Dana Abbott from Arizona instructed long sword or katana techniques covering distance, timing and evasion. Abbott Sensei also instructed everyone in Chanbara a new fast paced style also known as Kombat Kenjutsu where everyone uses a helmet and a foam padded type of sword. KIAI Honorary Member and author Dr. Donald Cunningham from Illinois brought a beautiful collection of antique Jutte or truncheons with a type of hook used by police and civil officials. Cunningham Sensei taught the group how to use them against a sword and later included a number of arresting and restraining techniques with a rope or torinawa. Other KIAI Sensei who attended were Board of Advisors member Celinda Ellsworth, KIAI Magazine Editor Thomas Johnson, Dr Walter Orth, William Messick all from Delaware and Richard Ray from Texas. Contact KIAI at: http://kenjutsukai.tripod.com

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