David Ito Sensei – 6th dan – Aikido Center of Los Angeles
Andrew Blevins Sensei – 6th dan – Kiryu Aikido
Edgar Johansson Sensei – 6th dan – Denver Aikikai

May 1st, 2nd & 3rd at Denver Aikikai

Friday May 1st, 6-8:15pm
Saturday May 2nd, 10:30am-1pm & 3-5:30pm – Potluck to follow
Sunday May 3rd, 10am-12:30pm

Pricing: $150 for full weekend or $45 per session
Early registration before April 15th discounted to $125 for full weekend!

This unique and inspirational weekend of training will bring together three “unusual suspects” in the aikido world – 3 rokudan Senseis with decades of experience as dojo-cho, who all share a passion for clear principle-based teaching and training and a desire to share these with their students and beyond.

Students will go away from this weekend not only with new techniques and wonderful memories, but also with clearly demonstrated foundational ideas to advance your aikido training and teaching.

We hope you can join us! Instructor bios and registration details below…

David Ito Sensei began training in Aikido in 1997 and trained directly under Reverend Kensho Furuya. Ito Sensei holds the rank of 6th Dan and became the Chief Instructor and Dojo-cho of the Aikido Center of Los Angeles upon Furuya Sensei’s passing in 2007. He is dedicated to preserving traditional Aikido principles through disciplined, and mindful training that is rooted in classical form and spirit, but also balanced with practical and modern teaching methods.
Ito Sensei is a regular contributor to El Budoka Magazine, The Aiki Dojo Message, and The Aiki Dojo Newsletter. He also appears on The Aiki Dojo Podcast and in the Aikido Center of Los Angeles’ 2-Minute Technique video series.

Andrew Blevins Sensei began his Aikido journey in 1985, first training in the non-competitive Tomiki tradition before transitioning in the early 1990s to traditional Aikido in Denver, Colorado. His practice emphasizes three core areas: the relationship between weapons training and empty-hand principles, preserving the art’s martial integrity, and strong kihon fundamentals as the foundation of effective Aikido. Founder of Kiryu Aikido in Colorado in 2003, later expanding to a second dojo in California in 2013, he continues more than four decades of study focused on connection, continuity of training, and fostering long-term, connected practice. He is a member of the California Aikido Association under Patricia Hendricks Shihan.

Edgar Johansson Sensei has been the founder and dojo cho of Denver Aikikai for over 20 years. He is a proud aikido “mutt” with teachers and influences in several styles of Aikido throughout his 35 years of training. He has proudly brought many students to dan ranks and leads a thriving dojo that focuses on martial exploration and principled technique.

Edgar Sensei is also the founder of the Aikido Summit event in Colorado, which has been happening since 2000. This very special event brings the local Aikido community together once a year and is beloved among Colorado aikidoka and beyond.

Schedule, Pricing and Registration

Pre-registration discount until April 15th is $125 for the full weekend.
Price goes up to $150 within 2 weeks or at the door.
Individual classes are $45 per 2.5 hour session at any time.

If you are from another dojo and have not yet set up an account in our GymDesk system, please click button below to register and pay for the event:

If you are a member of Denver Aikikai or already have a profile in our system you can login here and simply add the membership to your profile without having to fill out your details or sign another waiver:

This is a new system so please let us know right away (dojo@denveraikikai.com) if you encounter any issues as we’re still sorting out all the details!

We hope to see you on the mat soon!

Below is the event flyer – click here to download in pdf format for best quality printing for your dojo bulletin board!

Save the date for the weekend of November 14-16, 2025, when the dynamic Lia Suzuki Sensei, 7th dan, will be sharing her teaching with us at Denver Aikikai.

About Suzuki Sensei

Lia Suzuki Sensei is a senior student of Yoshinobu Takeda Shihan and the National Director and Founder of Aikido Kenkyukai International USA. She’s also the author of the book, “The Teacher“, from the Aiki Dialogues.
She began training in Aikido in 1982 with the renowned William Gleason Sensei. Then, for nearly 10 years, she lived and trained intensively under Takeda Shihan in Japan.
Suzuki Sensei’s experience in Japan also gave her the opportunity to train with the late Yamaguchi Sensei and other notable masters.
She is currently based in Los Angeles and directly oversees several dojos in her network in the USA and the UK. Suzuki Sensei travels extensively throughout the world, teaching at dojos outside of her affiliation as well. Her mission is to foster inclusion in the Aikido world and to increase Aikido’s popularity among youth and those in their 20s and 30s.

Read more about her at https://www.lia-suzuki.com/.

Suzuki Sensei will be bringing limited copies of her book “The Teacher” with her, so if you’d like a signed copy, be sure to pre-order here.

She is also offering her branded limited edition shoto, or short sword, for pre-purchase. She uses the shoto regularly as a tool in her teaching and the ones she has for sale are high quality and a great addition to your weapons bag. Again, to be sure she has one for you, please pre-order here and select our seminar for the delivery location.

Download the Seminar flyer to post in your dojo here.

Schedule, Pricing and Registration

To register you must complete both of the TWO steps below: Registration form and payment
Contact us with any questions!

Payment details and options:

Registration for the full weekend is $150, or individual classes are $45 per two hour session and you can pay here by Zelle or PayPal. Walk-ins are also welcome!

Scan to pay with Zelle (preferred – no fees!)
use email denveraikikai@gmail.com
Payments go to Garman Industries LLC

Scan to pay with PayPal:

Please email denveraikikai@gmail.com with any questions. We hope to see you there!

Toby Threadgill holds a menkyo kaiden (complete transmission license) in Takamura ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu.  Shindo Yoshin Ryu dates back to 1864 and contains a robust curriculum of jujutsu (practical Japanese grappling) and kenjutsu (swordwork).  Shindo Yoshin Ryu is closely related to modern judo and aikido, and was a direct influence on the formation Wado Ryu Karate.

In this one day workshop students will learn movement and technical principles that they can apply to whatever art they practice.  They will also learn about how kata served as the basis for transmission in older martial arts.  This workshop will be of interest to anyone who wishes to increase their technical depth or to better understand where modern Japanese martial arts come from.

Date: Saturday March 15, 2025

Schedule
10:30-12:45pm – first session*
12:45-2:45pm – lunch
2:45-5 – afternoon session*
5pm – Shinto demonstration and wrap up
(possible social event to follow)
*includes a short break period

Price: $35 per session, $70 for both
Payment will be taken at the door. Cash (exact change please), check, Zelle and Paypal accepted.

All styles and levels welcome.

Location: Denver Aikido, 1195 S Lipan St, Unit B, Denver. Enter through the back. Parking details here.

Click here to download the flyer.

Denver Aikikai is so pleased to welcome back Michael Friedl Shihan for a winter seminar and dan testing. Everyone is welcome to join us Friday November 15 and Saturday November 16, 2024 for this event

Michael Friedl Shihan (7th Dan) is founder and chief instructor of Aikido of Ashland. He is Division Head for Division 2 of the California Aikido Association. He is also a previous President of the California Aikido Association.

Friedl Shihan began his Aikido training in 1972 under Clyde Takeguchi Shihan. He became uchi deshi for Takeguchi Sensei from 1975-1977. He was also uchi deshi for Saito Shihan in Iwama, Japan from 1981-1983. In Iwama he studied weapons intensely and the Iwama style of weapons remains a strong influence in his practice. In 1978, Friedl Shihan established a dojo in Burlington, Vermont. He moved to Ashland, Oregon in 1979 and started a small aikido club. He returned to Ashland in 1986 and started a dojo at the Ashland YMCA in 1987. In July of 1994 Aikido of Ashland opened its doors to dojo members.

Friedl Shihan affiliated with Frank Doran Shihan in 1979 and has been a student of his since that time.

Download the flyer here

Register here by first filling out the registration form and then scrolling down to the PayPal link to pay (or bring cash or check to the door):

Please join us for a very special seminar with Denver Aikikai Dojo Cho Edgar Sensei November 17-19 2023, and support our dojo’s upcoming relocation expenses.

Register now at the bottom of this page!

Edgar Johansson Sensei, Godan, has been the founder and Dojo Cho of Denver Aikikai for 18 years. His dedication to his students and to his Senseis can be felt in each class and he has proudly brought many students to Dan ranks over the years. Within over 30 years of intense training and study of Aikido, Edgar Sensei devoted himself to learn from some of the most renowned Senseis in the US and Japan. While he focuses on teaching the materials his students need to know, he has deep insights of Aikido principles and how to pass them on through basics. 

Edgar Sensei has been the founder of the Aikido Summit event in Colorado since 2000. This very special event brings the local Aikido community together once a year and reminds us that Aikido is one big family. This vision was dear to O’Sensei and we should keep it moving forward.

The proceeds from this seminar will contribute to moving expenses to bring our Dojo to a new location. On this theme, the seminar will be held in 3 different places: Friday in Boulder at One Dojo, Saturday in Denver at Denver Aikido (current location) and Sunday at a Dojo in Parker.

Download the seminar flyer here!

Details:

November 17-19, 2023
3 days, 3 locations!

Friday November 17 at One Dojo
6:30-8:30pm
Address: 3005 Sterling Cir Suite 150 Boulder CO 80301

Saturday November 18 at Denver Aikikai
10:30-11:30am basics
11:45am-1pm & 2:30-4:30pm
Address: 1592 S Broadway Denver CO 80210
6pm party TBD

Sunday November 19 at Akaishi Dojo
10am-1pm
Address: 6588 Ponderosa Dr Parker CO 80138

Price:

$90 before October 15, $100 at the door for the whole weekend OR
$25 Friday, $50 Saturday, $35 Sunday

Student? Special rates available at the door: $50 for the whole seminar, 50% off each class.

Questions?

Email denveraikikai@gmail.com

We want to make this seminar accessible to as many people as possible and we want to inspire our Dojo community with different Dojo settings so we can build our new space as best as it can get.

We hope you will come join us for all or part of this exciting weekend!

Online registration is closed but please come and register at the door for any days you’d like.

The 20th Anniversary Aikido Summit is just over 2 weeks away and we can’t wait to train with you all!

We have an amazing line-up of instructors for a very full and fun Saturday (see all details and register here!), and are also adding some bonus training on Friday evening. We will be celebrating and featuring some of our own Denver Aikikai instructors, 3 wonderful women who will each teach a half hour class between 6:30-8pm at our dojo, 1592 S Broadway in Denver.

Evolène Prémillieu, yondan
Kathy Aguilar-Downing, yondan
Gaia Marrs, nidan

There is no official charge for these classes, but donations will be accepted. Anyone who wants to is welcome to join us in going out to dinner afterwards. There is no need to register – just come on over to the dojo starting around 6pm on Friday September 30th and join us! There will be no group warm-ups so please get on the mat and warm yourself up prior to the 6:30 start time.

We look forward to seeing you!