Unaffiliated Dojos

[Ostrak]

Hello. This post is along the lines of my last post "Norfolk VA". I have no Kendo experience and am looking for a Kendo dojo in the area of Newport News/Norfolk VA. I forgot to mention in that post that there are some dojos in the area that are not affiliated with the US Kendo Federation. There are no regional Kendo Federations for my area. From what I've read about choosing a dojo I'm a little wary of choosing a dojo that is not affiliated with the Kendo federation. Should I be, or should the affiliation even matter in choosing a dojo? Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Steve]

If your dojo is not affiliated with a "recognized" Kendo federation, then any grades or ranks you achieve will not be recognized by any other dojo or organization.

Meaning, you could hold a rank of 5th Dan in the unaffiliated dojo, but would technically be "unranked" in others.... on paper anyway.

[aru-ma]

What does it take for a dojo to be recognized by the IKF?

[Neil Gendzwill]

Originally posted by aru-ma
What does it take for a dojo to be recognized by the IKF?
Dojos aren't recognised by the IKF, national organisations are. To be an IKF dojo in the US, you must belong to the AUSKF. I'm not sure if the AUSKF requires you to belong to a regional federation - I seem to recall that is the case. At any rate, the IKF doesn't require it, for example here in Canada dojos register directly with the CKF and seperately with their regional federation (if one exists and they want to join it).

The regional federation for VA is either the Greater Northeast US Kendo Federation or the Southeast US Kendo Federation. See www.auskf.info for more detail.

[Haowen]

Given that not everyone in USA lives next door to a AUSKF registered dojo, however, I believe it is common to practice regularly with a group / dojo that is not registered with the AUSKF, and travel elsewhere to have official gradings / shiai. I think if you pay your yearly regional/national federation dues then you have the priviledges associated with membership. I'm not an expert in federation policy though.

[Ostrak]

Hmmm...I was unaware of that possibility and they may be the best option for me (weighing cost effectiveness (not too much $) v. the fear of obtaining bad habits). I'll check into the federation policy on that one. Thanks.

[KendoShiai]

The reginal federation is the South East United States Kendo Federation and to be a member of the ALL UNITED STATES KENDO FEDERATION you must belong to the SEUSKF. To be a member of the SEUSKF you must pay dues to them and your membership must be regeistered to a reconized Dojo or Club. That does not mean that you must practice at that place only that they hold your membeship. Like my membership currently is with the Memphis Kendo Club but I live in Orlando FL. This is because there is no offical Dojo or Club here but we are trying to get a club started. Once we do my membership simply will be moved to here.

[Ostrak]

So, when you test I assume you test at Memphis?

[munenmuso]

That is also the case of our dojo, we are not affiliated with the international community so any ranks gained by any member here are not recognised outside. AJKF required us to have several schools here so that we will have an organization representing the whole cause we are the only one existing here, we are trying to establish other kendo orgs. That is one of their prerequisite as far as I can remember.

[Paburo]

and what are the other ones? prerequisites i mean.

i thought it was way easier for a new country to join the IKF...

[KendoShiai]

No testing is done at Dojo leval (to my knowlege anywhere). It has to be done with at least 5 Sensei of Yondan and higher. I don't know of anywhere here other than maybe California that you could get that many Yondans from any one Dojo. Testing for us here in the SEUSKF is done once a year around October or November at a central place. Usually Atlanta, but sometimes Charlete, or the last one was in Charlston. Usually this means its held at a tournament. The SEUSKF gives us min. one Shiai per year, always on a Saturday with testing on Sunday. This is mostly only availible up to a Sandan level. Any higher rank must go outside the SEUSKF. There just are not enough high rank Sensei here to go any higher on the test, and I have seen a time that we could only test for up to Nidan. Also I have been informed that eveidently the AUSKF is planning to hold the Anual Summer Camp in Charlston this year. But this is still only a rummor. There is usually a test afterward.

[munenmuso]

In order for us to have certified ranks, we have to go to Singapore, Hong Kong or Japan for official dan examinations. Two years ago, 7 delegates from Zenkenren visited our dojo and conducted an examination, many passed but the ranks are only for internal purposes and not recognized outside. Members who took the exam even paid the same substantial fees , the same amount as for attaining official ranks, but said ranks were never recognized though all the elements of a dan examination were observed and the delegates were 8th dans from the Zenkenren, to say the least.

But that doesn't bother me anymore, we can still kick butts and hold our shinai even without those ranks.:)

[Neil Gendzwill]

Originally posted by KendoShiai
No testing is done at Dojo leval (to my knowlege anywhere). It has to be done with at least 5 Sensei of Yondan and higher.
In Canada (and in the US I believe) ranks under ikkyu are the responsibility of the individual dojo. For ikkyu and higher the CKF requires a grading committee of 5 people of at least godan rank. For yondan and godan the committee must be at least rokudan. The CKF has allowed us to run a smaller committee (3) for just ikkyu/shodan, but the 3 must all be godan at least. I haven't seen the AUSKF rules but I suspect they are similar.

[nukido]

The AUSKF has the following listings in VA:

Koryo Dojo
10960-F Three Chopt Rd
Richmond, VA
W 7:00-8:30pm Sa 1:00-2:30pm
Contact: Phuong K. Hoang (804)553-1912

Shidogakuin Washington DC (Washinkan)
Oakton Elementary School
Oakton Virginia
F
Contact: James Yan (703)716-0335

[Winter_Wolf]

Hi,
so nukido, are you saying those are the only recognized dojos in VA?
thanks,
W.W.

[Winter_Wolf]

Hi x 2,
the reason I ask is because the nearest group I found to train w/ is in Waynesboro, VA... and I have no idea if they're members.
Thanks,
W.W.

[jmarsten]

Affiliated AUSKF Clubs in Virginia

Northern Virginia Kendo Club
Contact: Ernest Lissabet (703)352-0768

Koryo Dojo
10960-F Three Chopt Rd
Richmond, VA
W 7:00-8:30pm Sa 1:00-2:30pm
Contact: Phuong K. Hoang (804)553-1912

Shidogakuin Washington DC (Washinkan)
Oakton Elementary School
Oakton Virginia
F
Contact: James Yan (703)716-0335

William and Mary Kendo
Adair Hall, The College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, VA
T 9:00-11:00pm R 7:00-9:00pm
Contact: kendoc@wm.edukendoc@wm.edu
*Non-WM students must be at least eighteen years old.

Currently the AUSKf promotional rules are the IKF rules with the following additional requirements. I am speaking to 4 Dan and under as 5 Dan and above exams are solely conducted at a national level by AUSKf.
4 Dan and below regional regulations must be at least equal to IKF rules and vary somewhat by regional federation. By example in the PNKF you must start at a mimumum of 3 kyu (juniors generally are 4 kyu and below) and wait at least 6 months between exams. Special dispensation can be applied for in cases where the individual has practiced for a long period and has hardship reasons for not testing up to ikkyu. We provide testing twice a year for nidan and below and once a year for 3/4 Dan. We do not allow the dojo to give the kyu ranks and I think that may only occur in one or two federations in the AUSKF. PNKF also has 5 nanadan, 8 rokudan & 6 godan to facilitate our testing. Some other regions allow jumping of kyu and start out at higher levels and some start adults at 6 kyu. I know that in some of the Canadian areas the population is small and the number of yudansha is not very populous.
Testing at the regional level even for these kyu ranks helps to keep a fairly level standard across the AUSKF. Two elements of quality control tend to be in effect when you test this way. One, the pool is large enough in each group to weed out the low performers and two, the judges are pretty objective and unbaised either for or against the candidates.
So in summary, this is why it is good to be in an AUSKF affiliated regional federation dojo. The affiliation also gives access to those AUSKF kodansha sensei in other regions who will come to your dojo and do a seminar.

[Crimson Ghost]

I also live in the Tidewater VA area and have been trying to find a dojo or somewhere to train. I know of the William and Mary club but they only have practice when school is in session. I went to where they practice but no one was there. It must be small and/or just students that make up the group. I know that their is one in Richmond but traveling an hour and a half to two hours is not a real solution.
Maybe a miracle will happen and a dojo will open here.

[R A Sosnowski]

Dojo seekers,

Check out the AUSKF website (http://www.auskf.info/mainpages/auskfmain.htm). That being said, the list is not necessarily up-to-date, but they seem to be getting better about that. :D

As far as regional federations go, there is a curious overlap in the US that is part of the legacy. ;) Both GNUSKF and SEUSKF have dojo in VA.

I suggest checking directly with the regional KF's for an accurate accounting of available Kendo Dojo. Just because you don't see it on the web, does not mean that it does not exist.

[Miyu]

I also live in the Tidewater VA area and have been trying to find a dojo or somewhere to train. I know of the William and Mary club but they only have practice when school is in session. I went to where they practice but no one was there. It must be small and/or just students that make up the group. I know that their is one in Richmond but traveling an hour and a half to two hours is not a real solution.
Maybe a miracle will happen and a dojo will open here.


Yeah, sorry we can't practice when the school is closed :down: But second semester should be starting up soon. I think W&M's first practice for the year is Thursday, Jan. 29th. If you need directions to the gym or have questions, just pm me.