Konan Koshiki no Kata Clinic Report

A Koshiki no Kata Clinic was conducted by Noboru Saito (Class A), Frances Glaze (Class C), Tony Owed,
Alan Panakia and Mark Pasquinelly on May 19, 2002 at the Saito dojo. This was the third kata clinic
that Konan/JAM has sponsored this year. It was in preparation for the June 15-16 clinic to be conducted
by Mr. Sato and Mr. Ustugi, both Kodokan Instructors. A USJF Development grant was received for this
clinic.

There were a total of 14 participants; eight of them were club instructors. The clinic started at 10:15
a.m. and finished at 1:45 p.m. without any breaks. Each participant received Koshiki no kata explanation
sheets written by Noboru Saito as reference material. Saito gave a 15 minute talk on the history of
Koshiki no kata, the characteristics of Koshiki no kata and the importance of ukemi.

After a ten minute warm up led by France Glaze, Mark Pasquinelly (tori) and Alan Panakia (uke)
demonstrated Koshiki no kata for the six first-timers. Saito started by teaching bowing protocol
and then taught Tai and Yume no uchi. Saito spent at least 30 minutes on these techniques because
they are the very basics of Koshiki no kata. After instruction of the first and second techniques,
several pairs demonstrated them and the instructors gave comments on their performances. All of
the participants and instructors worked very well together and were able to cover all of the techniques
in Koshiki no kata by 1:20 p.m.

At the end, Lori Bartman and Joshua White and Ryan O’Connor and Michael Mulvaney demonstrated Koshiki no
kata and performed it well.

Submitted by Noboru Saito