Dan Exam at ISKF HQ Philadelphia on May 24 2014 Sat
May 27, 2014 17:57:07 GMT
Pallavi (Sprout) likes this
Post by Senpai Hiroko on May 27, 2014 17:57:07 GMT
BBC Members;
Please congratulate our fellow members' successes last Saturday:
* Pallavi ~Nidan
* Andrey ~Shodan
We, the above mentioned test takers and I, received an encouragement email from David Herman, Shodan. He had been a brown belt for more than a decade, which is longer than many of you guys' whole karate life, until last November, in which he passed Shodan at his third trial. Do not underestimate "at his third trial". At his age and the injuries that he suffered for years, he did a great job. Besides, criteria for Dan rankings were much higher before the JKA/ISKF split in 2008 in many's opinion including mine. He took his first Dan Exam before 2008, and the second in last few years, where he had received "three months retest", but did not go back to test until last November. I mentioned him here because his success was one of the things that gave me inspiration in starting the Brown Belt Club. I tried to prepare him for the November exam as much as I could, especially in my Sunday class and went to Philadelphia with him to express my support. Although he was not the best test taker there, I felt that my energy contributed his mood and success. I was happy for weeks after that day as if I had passed my own exam.
Here are some comments for the test takers:
Pallavi:The votes were unanimous for you. One judge came up to me afterward and said "[t]hat's your girl, right? She was great. Her Yoko-keage was beautiful, and we cheered watching her doing that." For me, watching your Yoko-kekomi was more pleasing because I clearly saw that you were paying attention to what I had told you. I was also excited to see your Jion paying attention to poses and all the stuff that we had discussed about. Thank you so much for your attention to my words. It was touching to see that. Also your previous hard training and your thoughts on karate over years showed in your techniques. Three way kicks were a bit of rush, and Kumite was sometimes a bit awkward, but that's ok. You did great over all. I saw you and all others getting tired, but your spirit and focus were great until the end. I am glad that you chose to wear a white belt in unknown situation and let Senpai Lois (ISKF Admin) tell you to wear your black belt. Shihan Okazaki was asking Hiro if you were still training at Kanazawa's. Hiro said "She trains with ISKF now". I am glad that you are here, and you are ISKF Nidan now! Congratulations.
Andrey: In my favored eyes, your performance that day was of Nidan level. The panel was almost unanimous, except for one person voted for "three months retest". I believe that he must have got your name mixed up with somebody. I cannot think of any reason for which anyone would not pass you for Shodan for your yesterday's performance. Maybe he did not like your fighting style for some reason. You should be proud that Shihan Okazaki said "[t]his one is good" about you when he gave his final decision on you. You were the only one who received that comment. I hear him saying s/he is okay some times, but not "good". I think that it was not only I, but also Shihan Okazaki, who saw some Japanese Karate-ka's quality in you. My sense of beauty in karate was seeded in Japan (from having seen so many Japanese Karate-ka there), and some things that you did were what I had told you to do: Your techniques looked a bit Japanese there. That made me very happy. Especially Rengeri. No others were doing them as the way you did.
I saw you stumbling several times, but also understood that the exhaustion and stress would do that to everybody. I told you guys that Dan Exams would be exhausting. Now you know what I was talking about. I see your ballerina foot here and there, but it did not bother me too much. It will be your assignment from now to the next level. Also an important assignment for you is to grab the floor to generate power. Congratulations.
Karate ranks are responsibility, not privilege. Question yourself, know your role/position, and serve others. Congratulations.
Members, please congratulate them for their efforts and success.
Osu,
Hiroko
Please congratulate our fellow members' successes last Saturday:
* Pallavi ~Nidan
* Andrey ~Shodan
We, the above mentioned test takers and I, received an encouragement email from David Herman, Shodan. He had been a brown belt for more than a decade, which is longer than many of you guys' whole karate life, until last November, in which he passed Shodan at his third trial. Do not underestimate "at his third trial". At his age and the injuries that he suffered for years, he did a great job. Besides, criteria for Dan rankings were much higher before the JKA/ISKF split in 2008 in many's opinion including mine. He took his first Dan Exam before 2008, and the second in last few years, where he had received "three months retest", but did not go back to test until last November. I mentioned him here because his success was one of the things that gave me inspiration in starting the Brown Belt Club. I tried to prepare him for the November exam as much as I could, especially in my Sunday class and went to Philadelphia with him to express my support. Although he was not the best test taker there, I felt that my energy contributed his mood and success. I was happy for weeks after that day as if I had passed my own exam.
Here are some comments for the test takers:
Pallavi:The votes were unanimous for you. One judge came up to me afterward and said "[t]hat's your girl, right? She was great. Her Yoko-keage was beautiful, and we cheered watching her doing that." For me, watching your Yoko-kekomi was more pleasing because I clearly saw that you were paying attention to what I had told you. I was also excited to see your Jion paying attention to poses and all the stuff that we had discussed about. Thank you so much for your attention to my words. It was touching to see that. Also your previous hard training and your thoughts on karate over years showed in your techniques. Three way kicks were a bit of rush, and Kumite was sometimes a bit awkward, but that's ok. You did great over all. I saw you and all others getting tired, but your spirit and focus were great until the end. I am glad that you chose to wear a white belt in unknown situation and let Senpai Lois (ISKF Admin) tell you to wear your black belt. Shihan Okazaki was asking Hiro if you were still training at Kanazawa's. Hiro said "She trains with ISKF now". I am glad that you are here, and you are ISKF Nidan now! Congratulations.
Andrey: In my favored eyes, your performance that day was of Nidan level. The panel was almost unanimous, except for one person voted for "three months retest". I believe that he must have got your name mixed up with somebody. I cannot think of any reason for which anyone would not pass you for Shodan for your yesterday's performance. Maybe he did not like your fighting style for some reason. You should be proud that Shihan Okazaki said "[t]his one is good" about you when he gave his final decision on you. You were the only one who received that comment. I hear him saying s/he is okay some times, but not "good". I think that it was not only I, but also Shihan Okazaki, who saw some Japanese Karate-ka's quality in you. My sense of beauty in karate was seeded in Japan (from having seen so many Japanese Karate-ka there), and some things that you did were what I had told you to do: Your techniques looked a bit Japanese there. That made me very happy. Especially Rengeri. No others were doing them as the way you did.
I saw you stumbling several times, but also understood that the exhaustion and stress would do that to everybody. I told you guys that Dan Exams would be exhausting. Now you know what I was talking about. I see your ballerina foot here and there, but it did not bother me too much. It will be your assignment from now to the next level. Also an important assignment for you is to grab the floor to generate power. Congratulations.
Karate ranks are responsibility, not privilege. Question yourself, know your role/position, and serve others. Congratulations.
Members, please congratulate them for their efforts and success.
Osu,
Hiroko