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Thread: Is the Golden Light Aikido Center in Shreveport LA a legitimate Dojo?

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    Default Is the Golden Light Aikido Center in Shreveport LA a legitimate Dojo?

    Does anyone have any first hand experience with the Golden Light Aikido Center in Shreveport Louisiana? I have been interested in studying aikido for some time now but want to make sure I find legitimate, quality instruction. I want to avoid making any decisions based merely upon their website however the poor quality of their page and lack of detail i.e. "Bill Sosa's Image made unavailable at the request of leagal representation" are a little suspect. A random spelling error is one thing however additional errors can be found throughout (i.e. "Kobiyashi" instead of Kobayashi) which taken at face value I feel not only reflects poor work by the webdesigner but also poor quality assurance and an overall lack of pride by the school itself. In addition I can't help but wonder what the reasons for Mr. Sosa's request were. Was he not willing to be associated with this school for some particular reason?

    Here is the link to their page:
    http://www.geocities.com/williamross...ortdetour.html

    If anyone has any first hand, or even word of mouth information regarding the legitimacy of this school I would be greatly appreciative.

    Thanks!
    Nick Szlosek

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    Default Go and See

    Quote Originally Posted by Looking4Info
    Does anyone have any first hand experience with the Golden Light Aikido Center in Shreveport Louisiana? I have been interested in studying aikido for some time now but want to make sure I find legitimate, quality instruction.
    If it's close enough to consider regular classes, why don't you go and have a look? You should at least be able to watch a class. Do you have any martial arts background?

    Good luck, and let us know how it goes!
    David Orange, Jr.

    -------------------------------------------------------

    "That which has no substance can enter where there is no room."
    Lao Tzu

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    In my experience, you are unlikely to obtain truly quality instruction from a dojo headed by a shodan. If you are a rank beginner in aikido (and particularly a rank beginner in martial art), my recommendation is to seek out someone with extensive aikido experience to give you a solid grounding in the fundamentals of the system. I didn't realize just how much better high-level instruction can be until, after wandering through a few aikido dojo, I trained for a while at the Shobukan in D.C. (that's Saotome-sensei's base school). The first thing I learned there was just how little and how slow my learning was elsewhere. :P
    Roberto Valenzuela
    Owari Kan-ryu sojutsu (尾張貫流槍術)
    Shinkage-ryu heiho (新陰流兵法)

    "Be intelligent, but do not be artificially intelligent." --Kung Fu Proverb

    "Culture Check: Korean Arts still determined to make indigenous martial history from 4,000 year old cave drawings. France counters by claiming Savaate developed from hunting woolly mammoths before Ice Age." --The Nth Degree

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    Default Something else a little strange

    Quote Originally Posted by GTO
    In my experience, you are unlikely to obtain truly quality instruction from a dojo headed by a shodan.
    Well, and their web site showed that a 2nd dan is the assistant chief instructor. That and their "lineage" to O'Sensei, showing a teacher who, for whatever reason, can't be shown...

    Really, almost any aikido school can get you started, but if you don't have a hunger to really get to the heart of what's happening, you only limit yourself.

    Still, if it's close enough to consider regular attendance, it's worth having a look at.
    David Orange, Jr.

    -------------------------------------------------------

    "That which has no substance can enter where there is no room."
    Lao Tzu

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    Default

    Just wanted to say thanks all for the replies. I do plan on going to check it out, but wanted to see if there was any favorable/unfavorable information out there about this school. I too noticed, and thought it odd that the "Co-Chief" (wouldn't that just be simply "Co" then...?) Instructor was 2nd Dan while the chief instructor and also the founder of the school itself were both Shodan.

    Also in response to the question of my MA background. I did study Kenpo years ago, but after several years of instruction I lost interest and discontinued. I have a friend back home who has studied aikido for a few years and from what he has had to say it sounds very interesting.

    Again - thanks for the replies.
    Nick Szlosek

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    Default

    yeah definitely check it out. a shodan chief instructor and nidan assistant instructor does sound suspect.

    BUT

    the late bill sosa, along with lynn fabia, are names well known in aikido

    jerome cervantes
    practice hard

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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by climbthis
    ...a shodan chief instructor and nidan assistant instructor does sound suspect.
    The Nidan isn't listed as an "assistant" instructor, but a "co-chief."

    This could mean that the person who started the school later brought in teachers with more experience than himself, first another shodan and later a nidan.

    Ettiquette would lean toward not "demoting" the first "chief," but still recognizing the higher rank of the third member by making her an equal in the school's organizational structure.

    I have no first-hand knowledge of this school, but this rank situation is not something I would worry too much about.

    In briefly scanning their Web page it appears that they are a branch of a school in Dallas, Texas.

    I'd say pay them a visit and see how it feels.

    HTH.
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

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    Default Limited choices

    I am not familiar with this school. I would ask them how long they have been around and find out who taught the instructors. Go visit and see what you think. You should be able to pick up on questionable behaviors or attitudes. I am 90 miles away in East Texas and teach Yoseikan, a derivative of aikido and I know of one other Aikido school in East Texas, in Palestine TExas with Hank Davenport Sensei. Other that these two, I am unaware of aikido schools in the area of Shreveport. If they are legitimate, it will be a nice addition to the area. Please check them out and let us know on this forum.

    PHil Farmer

    I just had another thought. They link themselves to Lynn Fabia, you could write down the instructor names and contact Fabia Sensei and if they are known in Dallas, you have at least one level of respectibility to go from
    Last edited by Phil Farmer; 4th November 2005 at 19:02. Reason: additional information
    docphil

  9. #9
    Williamross77 Guest

    Default answers

    Hello and thank you for your interest, My name is William Ross and the school in question is where i am the cheif instructor.
    the circumstances surounding the rank of mysel and my co chief instructor and the missing pictures on the web site are long and sorta boring but if you wish you may call me at 318-455-8609 and i will fill you in. I will resume teaching on this tuesday morning at 8 am in the park where our school is located. I have open my own restaurant this year and this has taken all my time away.
    as for our ligitimacy, our web site documents all our linage of teachers.
    some one owns Bill Sosa's Image and no one but the international aikido association is permited to use it. details of which we can discuss or you may contact my intructor, Sensei Lynn fabia. at societyofaikidocenters.com
    in aiki
    william

  10. #10
    Williamross77 Guest

    Default seminar

    by the way we are hosting fabia Sensei this nov 13th on a sunday for a seminar, you are welcome to come and participate. we are asmall school now with only a few students, as i have been busy elsewhere and nancy is only available ever so often,
    william

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    Default

    Welcome to E-Budo, Mr. Ross. I'm glad you received my invitation.

    There are many members here with a wide backgound in the various Budo and Bujutsu, both in the USA and abroad. Also many different vocations and avocations from art to business to science to religion.

    It's a great community, and I -- for one -- look forward both to your contributions to our assorted forums and to providing any assistance we can to help your small dojo grow.
    Yours in Budo,
    ---Brian---

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    Default

    Just because someone is shodan does not mean they are no good. When I started out in Aikido most teachers were just shodan or nidan. Oftentimes, it would take more than a few years for them to get their shodan. Also, shodans can make good teachers as they have the syllabus inside and out. I know I did when I was shodan. 'Good' shodans can make very good teachers, in my opinion. Of course, you have to find a good one, but also, unfortunately, finding a yondan does not gurantee they will be a good teacher ... you need a discerning eye, that's all.

  13. #13
    Williamross77 Guest

    Default thank you

    thank you for your graciuos welcome.

  14. #14
    Williamross77 Guest

    Default

    Yes well actually, i am a nidan in a kenpo system as well as my shodan in aikido, my nidan test was scheduled for this past may but my work schedule did not permit. I am an aavid student of Iai and plan to futher my studies in Dallas at the musoshinden ryu school there, yet again time is problematic. i have been in the arts since 1992. and hve practiced with tomiki and aikikai as well as yoshinkan and seidokan, i trained a little in Hung Gar and Brazillian JJ ( within my kenpo system).
    but my heart is focused on Aiki and this is the life path i am trying to lead.
    So i hope to be a good teacher, i believe the fundementals are the most important, in fact that is what impressed me about SOSA sensei, his natural focus of the most simple principle within the most complicated of techniques.
    Ironic?

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    Default Clarrification

    I wanted to clarrify, especially to Mr. Ross, that my initial post was not meant to maliciously draw attention to their website or school. I simply wanted to see if anyone had any knowledge on the school based upon some (what I felt) were genuine concerns upon first impression (of the site).

    With that being said, I would like to thank Mr. Ross for posting and trust that no offense was taken as that was not my intent.


    With Regard,
    Nick Szlosek

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