Soto Deshi in the dojo of Paolo Corallini Shihan in Osimo, Italy

A really intensive way of practising Aikido in Europe is a visit in Osimo, the place close to Ancona in Italy where Paolo Corallini Sensei is living, working and teaching Aikido.

Being accepted as a soto deshi by Paolo Corallini does not only mean to be allowed to join the regular evening classes tuesday and thursday taught by Paolo or his son Francesco (3. Dan) but also to be invited to share the special classes in the morning taught in the private dojo in Paolos house. These classes are an offer not only for the more advanced students of Osimo, they also are taken by Aikido teachers running their own dojos in Italy. In these classes Paolo Corallini is showing a wide varitiy of techniques, looking carefully to the needs of every single participant, giving corrections and advices. Matching to the intimate atmosphere in his dojo Paolo Corallini is also giving a lot of background informations, mentioning philosophical aspects of exercises, referencing to O'Senseis spiritual live, sharing experiences from his deep connection to Morihiro Saito Sensei - the education a deshi is given at this place is extensive.

This year I luckily not only was accompained by a german friend, also a group of Bulgarian Aikido teachers, leaded by Georgii Zarkov (4. Dan), spent the same time as soto deshi as we did. Together with the students from the dojos in Osimo, Macerata and Senegallia we made the exciting experience that we really practise the same Aikido in the tradition of Morihiro Saito Sensei, even when we came from very different parts of Europe.

Birgid Eberhardt

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