International Aikido Youth Seminar in Bulgaria

Written on May 23, 2020

IAF continues the series of International Aikido Youth Seminars. Bulgaria is the next country to host and organize the third event dedicated to children and teenagers that love to practice Aikido. The seminar will be conducted by Hino Terumasa 5th Dan Hombu Dojo Shidoin, during the 19th and the 21st of July 2019, in Varna, Bulgaria.

The event is organized by the Bulgarian Aikido Federation (BAF), under the aegis of the International Aikido Federation. A dedicated website has just been launched so that everybody interested in attending this event can find specific information about it and also can register very easy: https://aikidoyouth2019.wixsite.com/iay19. All the people that would like to be part of the seminar are invited to make their own registration (instructor, parent or child/teenager).

Hino Terumasa has been appointed by Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan, to conduct the classes of the IAF Children and Youth Seminar, 2019 edition. He is 5th Dan Shidoin and enjoys to teach young Aikidoka that want to know more about the Art of Harmony.

Hino Terumasa Shidoin (photo credit: Stefan Socaciu)

The ages of the participants are to be between 5 and 18. The classes have been settled taking into consideration two groups based on age: 5-9 and 10-18. Also, for the first time, a workshop for Aikido teachers that work with children and teenagers has been put on the agenda of the event.

The schedule of the seminar is as follows:
DAY 1 (19 July 2019)
09:30 - 10:30 – Mixed class (ages 5 - 9 and 10 - 18)
10:45 - 11:45 – Youth class (ages 10 - 18)
15:00 - 16:45 – Workshop for Aikido teachers working with children and youth
17:00 - 18:00 – Mixed class (ages 5 - 9 and 10 - 18)
18:15 - 19:15 – Youth class (ages 10 - 18)
21:30 - 23:00 – Working Group meeting

DAY 2 (20 July 2019)
09:30 - 10:30 – Mixed class (ages 5 - 9 and 10 - 18)
10:30 - 10:45 – Photo session
11:00 - 12:00 – Youth class (ages 10 - 18)
17:00 - 18:00 – Mixed class (ages 5 - 9 and 10 - 18)
18:15 - 19:15 – Youth class (ages 10 - 18)
20:30 - Party

DAY 3 (21 July 2019)
09:30 - 11:00 – Mixed class (ages 5 - 9 and 10 - 18)
11:00 - 11:55 – Rehearsal for embukai
12:00 - 13:00 – Embukai

As mentioned, the seminar will take place in Varna. It is the third largest city in Bulgaria, situated on the Northern shore of the Black Sea. It is one of the famous resorts in Europe and the largest one in the Black Sea region. The suggested accommodation is at Hotel Neptune. The price for one person there is 30 euro per day (below 12 years old) / 40 euro per day (over 12 years old). It is all inclusive (four meals, drinks, access to the beautiful garden of the hotel and to the outdoor pool). The seminar fee is 25 euro and the party fee is 15 euro.

Bulgarian Aikido Federation has been registered in 1990, it is a direct representative of Aikikai Hombu Dojo and it is member of the International Aikido Federation. BAF is licensed by the Ministry of Youth and Sports and it is the only official organization for Aikido in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The International Aikido Federation sends an open invitation to its members on other continents to express their intention to organize similar events on their continent.