Hello everybody. It’s demo season for us here at the dojo so I decided to write about our demonstration team. Upcoming demonstrations are: May 25th, Santee Street Fair; June 14th, San Diego County Fair. Be sure to come on out to cheer on Team Trad Am. You’ll really enjoy it. – FB
Directing a demo team, now that’s a challenge. It’s just plain hard to get things moving and finding the flow. Anyone who has taken up such a challenge knows exactly what I’m talking about. Fortunately, we have Sensei Hannah who has a knack for taking a group of current and new team members and getting from point A to point B – which is from people standing around to everyone rehearsing the various parts they have been melded into. It’s pretty amazing watching her work, including getting the music together which is an integral part of the engine that helps drive the demo.
Sensei Hannah, age 21, has been the rock of the demo team since she was about 16 along with her dad, Sensei Dave. Sensei Elizabeth and Hannah were a team up until Elizabeth left for U.C. Santa Cruz. Sensei Tamara, Sensei Andy along with a plethora of sensei and sempai have also been an integral part of this generation of performers. I am truly grateful for all their hard work and sincere caring for TAK and our community and for presenting the martial arts in a positive light which absolutely inspires future martial artists to start their training with us or elsewhere.
For most of my martial arts career, I’ve been involved in demonstration activities in one way or another. In my opinion, being asked to be on the dojo demo team has always been an honor. In the beginning as a color belt member I was usually one of the attackers in skits involving self-defense. This was the 70s. When I opened up the dojo, our own demo team was created and we performed at school carnivals, business expos or wherever else opportunities presented themselves. There must have been a dozen teams over the years and each had different strengths. I loved each and everyone of these demo teams.
Participating in demos and being part of a team is special, it gets in your blood. Anyone who wants to be on the demo team needs to start by following the dojo rules and working hard during class. One day you just may be asked to be on the demo team. Part II: Next time I’ll delve into the evolution of the demo team.
– Sensei Floyd Burk
Sensei Hannah, age 21, has been the rock of the demo team since she was about 16 along with her dad, Sensei Dave. Sensei Elizabeth and Hannah were a team up until Elizabeth left for U.C. Santa Cruz. Sensei Tamara, Sensei Andy along with a plethora of sensei and sempai have also been an integral part of this generation of performers. I am truly grateful for all their hard work and sincere caring for TAK and our community and for presenting the martial arts in a positive light which absolutely inspires future martial artists to start their training with us or elsewhere.
For most of my martial arts career, I’ve been involved in demonstration activities in one way or another. In my opinion, being asked to be on the dojo demo team has always been an honor. In the beginning as a color belt member I was usually one of the attackers in skits involving self-defense. This was the 70s. When I opened up the dojo, our own demo team was created and we performed at school carnivals, business expos or wherever else opportunities presented themselves. There must have been a dozen teams over the years and each had different strengths. I loved each and everyone of these demo teams.
Participating in demos and being part of a team is special, it gets in your blood. Anyone who wants to be on the demo team needs to start by following the dojo rules and working hard during class. One day you just may be asked to be on the demo team. Part II: Next time I’ll delve into the evolution of the demo team.
– Sensei Floyd Burk
RSS Feed