Introducing: Tendoryu Aikido in Belgium and the Netherlands
Introducing: Tendoryu Aikido in Belgium and the Netherlands
July 31, 2012

This month in August we hear about the positive effects when countries work together and what is the meaning of Euregio Seminar.

When we were asked to write an article about the dojo in Belgium and the Netherlands we first asked ourselves: what is special about us? Every club has and had his own difficulties finding members, tatamis and a room to change in a dojo. So we have to write about four Belgium and two Dutch clubs and their struggles. This isn’t different from Tendoryu Aikido clubs in other countries. We want to practice Tendoryu Aikido in a good atmosphere, also in this statement is no special reason to find and write a article.

In the past we maybe find a clue. Jos Vanroy practiced already more than ten years aikido as he first met Shimizu sensei. He heard about a young sensei, having his own dojo in Tokyo, teaching in Germany several weeks in a year. Jos wanted to know more about this sensei and find his way to a seminar. After visiting this seminars he invited Shimizu sensei to teach in the Netherlands. I can still remember this seminar held in a small gym for not more than 30 aikidokas. To talk about tendoryu aikido from our side would be premature: we had a lot to learn

Now, twenty years later, we still have to learn. But seminars with sensei are much larger then in those days. People from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany find their way to this seminars. Sometimes even from other countries. The cooperation between the teachers in this corner of the world, a place where you can cross borders from three countries within an hour, is more than good.

This region is called “the Euregio” and known by their cooperation politically and economically. We added aikido to it. Of course the highlight every year is the teaching of Shimizu sensei in this region. Two other seminars are well known and organized in the Euregio.

In the summer we have the seminar at the end of July in Genk. During four days we practice when Jos Vanroy is teaching. At Saturday we have a big grill party in the garden of Jos‘ home. It isn’t unusually that more than 100 participants practice and party together. The third large seminar is this year held for the 15th time. In April we met over the weekend in Roermond. Next year Genk is the place to be for this seminar and last year we found our way to Moers (Germany). It is known as the Tendoryu Aikido Euregio seminar. Three teachers from three countries: Jos Vanroy (Belgium), Volker Marczona (Germany) and Ludo Peters (the Netherlands) work together, teach together. Every three year we make a full rotation over the three countries in the Euregio.

The cooperation in this region helps us to improve our tendoryu aikido and give the possibility to practice with many different people. If you are in the region please feel free to visit one or more clubs. You will find us in Genk, Diest, Bilzen and Plombières (Belgium) or Den Haag and Roermond (the Netherlands). See also "www.tendoryu.nl":http://www.tendoryu.nl

Jos Vanroy, Ludo Peters, Erwin van der Beek