Tuesday, June 25, 2013

…and they have a ballet barre

I’m a martial arts geek. I get excited whenever I see shrines, flags, and incense holders. I feel safe and centered when I’m surrounded by classmates who meditate before and after class. I soak up custom, ritual, and tradition as if they’re religious experiences. Last night, the geek in me was happy. I took my first class in Seido Karate at Sun Dragon Martial Arts, and this little dojo had it all. It felt like coming home to a family-style dinner with all the fixings.
I’ve felt at home before: First when I stumbled into Kyoshi Ivan’s dojo almost 20 years ago in San Antonio, then at U.S. Martial Arts Institute when my newspaper career brought me to Austin, and again more recently when I stepped into Sifu Aaron’s ving tsun kung fu school in Central Austin.
Years ago, Kyoshi Ivan set the tone for my martial arts journey with a huge “Don’t Quit” sign; the example of crisp, graceful, and powerful, jaw-dropping technique; and well-timed, sage advice. Oddly, one of the things I miss the most today, though, was his example of flexibility. Literally.
On my first day in class, he set my ankle on a ballet barre, and that’s where I learned that I was much more flexible than Kyoshi or I previously thought. At every school since, I’ve looked for a barre. No luck. It was even the one thing I wanted in my own school that I never had.
When I walked into Sun Dragon last night, there it was: a beautiful ballet bar securely bolted to the wall next to the shrine. It was a welcome sight, for now more than ever, I need to hone mental, physical, and spiritual flexibility.
My first class at Sun Dragon required a lot of flexibility. Mentally, I had to remember to say “Osu” when responding to Sensei Joy instead of “yes, ma’am”. (This was not an easy habit to break.) Physically, Seido Karate stances are deeper than those of Taekwondo, and due to osteoarthritis in my knees, the stances were challenging. It was a welcome feat, though, and this morning, my knees feel fine. And spiritually? The group meditation and sense of community helped me feel safe, welcomed, and loved enough to be vulnerable again—to be the white belt who is supposed to make mistakes.
There are a ton of schools that are all about competition: winning medals, judging one another’s techniques, and one-upping peers to feel superior. Lots of egos out there, folks. There are just as many good schools that hold very defined boundaries with students—they are not a community, they are a martial arts business. And that’s fine. Both schools attract the students who need what they provide. What makes me want to give all of my spirit on the mat, though, is a loving community. I don’t care if you’re a 105th degree black belt, great-great-great-grandmaster with lineage that goes back to the creation of man himself, if you erect a wall to separate yourself from your students and promote fear and intimidation instead of love and compassion, I’m unlikely to feel a connection and probably won’t stick around. My days of bowing down to the sensei who insists students “do as I say, not as I do” are over.
I’ve trained at a lot of dojo/dojang homes in my years in the arts. So many have been great experiences. Only a few have been full-on duds. I’ve only black belted in one style, so who knows how long I’ll be at Sun Dragon. Regardless, it’s nice to be home again—to feel like a member of a community that will help me become more flexible than ever.
I can’t wait to use the ballet barre.