Aikido is a way of personal development through a traditional Japanese martial art. Aikido is often translated as the Art of Peace, and described as the Meditation in Motion. The purpose of this art is to bring balance to one's mind and body, and by extension to promote peace and harmony in the world. Studying Aikido teaches one how to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner by harmonising with an attacker's force to neutralise it. This art is so vast and deep that one can continue studying it for many years, always discovering something new! Since Aikido is based on working with universal energy (KI) rather than relying on muscle strength, individuals of any fitness level can practice.
We are very happy to announce that our Aikido classes at VWA Dunbar will be starting next Wednesday, January 26, 2022! The first class will start at 7:15 pm. Since we need to set up our rollup mats before each class now, please come to help with setup at least 30 min before the class.
The address of the dojo is 3778 West 28th Avenue (which is the parish address), but the actual gym is in the next building west (and the gym entrance is halfway between the 28th Ave and the 29th Ave). Please look for us! There is plenty of street parking on the 28th and 29th Avenues.
See you on the mats!
VWA is happy to announce that SFU Aikikai will continue as a VWA-affiliated dojo, with Valentine Kabanets Sensei as the head instructor. The program at SFU starts on Tue, May 17, 2022. The classes will be Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-8 pm, at SFU Burnaby Gym (Central Gym on Tuesdays, and East Gym on Thursdays). You can register through SFU Athletics and Recreation using this link .
Registration at VWA New Westminster for the next term (Apr 1 to Jun 17) is open. Please register on line via this link . Please see the schedule & fees section below for more details.
| date | instructor | title | place | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 27-28, 2022 | Guest instructors | VWA seminar | VWA Dunbar, Vancouver | May 27, Friday, 7:15-8:45 pm by Scott Macphail Sensei, and May 28, Saturday, 10-11 am by Valentine Kabanets Sensei, 11:15am-noon by Scott Macphail Sensei, (noon-1 pm lunch break), 1-1:30 pm special lecture by Dr. Tony Leong on Aikido, Chinese medicine, and Qigong , 1:45-2:45 pm by Bob Moline Sensei, 3-4 pm by Scott Macphail Sensei. Fees: $60 both days, $20 Fri only, $50 Sat only; $10 discount for students and unemployed. Payment by electronic transfer via [email protected] is preferred. Register at the door. |
| Jun 25 - Jul 3, 2022 | Osawa Hayato Shihan | CAF summer seminar series | Calgary, Toronto, Kelowna | This year, CAF has modified its seminar format for the summer. Instead of a week-long summer camp in one Canadian city, a seminar series will be held in 3 different Canadian cities! Check the following link for more details. |
| Oct 28-30, 2022 | Osawa Hayato Shihan | CAF fall seminar | SFU Gym, Burnaby, BC | more details to follow |
| day | times | level | location | instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | 19:15–20:45 | all levels | VWA Dunbar | Valentine Kabanets Sensei |
| Tue | 18:00–20:00 | all levels | SFU Aikikai | Valentine Kabanets Sensei |
| Wed | 19:15–20:45 | all levels | VWA Dunbar | Valentine Kabanets Sensei |
| Thu | 18:00–20:00 | all levels | SFU Aikikai | Valentine Kabanets Sensei |
| Fri | 19:45–21:00 | all levels | VWA New West | Ramin Arvin Sensei |
| Sat | 10:30–12:00 | all levels | VWA Dunbar | Valentine Kabanets Sensei |
Classes at VWA Dunbar are taught by our Chief Instructor Ishiyama Sensei whenever he is in town.
See this VWA notice regarding our COVID policy.
| program @ VWA Dunbar | period | amount |
|---|---|---|
| gainfully employed adults (students, unemployed, retired) |
monthly | $100 ($60) |
| 4 months | $360 ($200) | |
| intro six classes | Jan or Sep | $80 |
| drop in | one class | $20 |
For the full program at VWA New West, the fees are to be paid directly to the Centennial Community Centre via this link.
The students registered at VWA New West only, or at VWA Dunbar only, may take classes at the other VWA dojo, paying a drop-in fee of $10 per class.
For the program at SFU Aikikai, please register directly with SFU Recreation. The same drop-in arrangmement applies to SFU Aikikai students.
Beginners and visitors are welcome. Drop-in visitors will be required to sign a waiver at the dojo before practising. Please observe proper etiquette and adhere to the dojo Code of Conduct .
All dojo members are required to pay Canadian Aikido Federation and BC Aikido Federation annual dues.
New members must complete and sign a membership form and waiver . This may be done on arrival at the dojo, or you may save time by completing the form online and either printing it or emailing it to us.
The children's classes use a different membership form and waiver , which must be completed by parents before their children join the classes.
Exceptions to these policies will be considered on an individual basis (see Sensei before the class).
VWA 2018 spring seminar & 2020 outdoor classes
