Hi y’all,
I hope this finds you all safe, healthy, and finding ways to adapt to the challenges we are all facing now with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Given the current federal guidelines for social distancing to flatten the curve of transmission of the virus, the dojo will remain closed for in-person classes for at least the rest of April and May, opening hopefully sooner if conditions allow for this, or later if that is what is required to ensure everyone’s safety.
In the meantime, we will continue to offer daily interactive live stream classes for adults via Zoom which are also posted to our NOLA Aikido Adult Members Facebook group where they can be replayed.
These adult classes are also being live-streamed on our dojo Facebook page where they can be watched in real time or after they have aired.
And we will continue offering interactive live-streamed children’s classes Monday-Thursday via Zoom which are also recorded and posted to our NOLA Aikido Kids and Parents Facebook group.
We are also continuing to produce content weekly for our dojo YouTube channel for both adults and children for further home practice – ukemi, footwork, belt test preparation, Japanese vocabulary, and more.
It has always been important to me that everyone who wants to be at our dojo sincerely practicing this art of peace be able to. Please let me know during this difficult period if finances become an issue for dojo membership, and we will work something out.
Practice is central, and why I continue to work to keep our dojo thriving, even through the current situation.
Our dojo is a family, a community, and a place where we gather to support each other and grow and develop together. Please let me know if I can help in any way. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you just need to talk. I am also happy to help with more practical needs during this difficult time. I know all of us in our community are like this, are here for each other!
Aikido, tai chi, qigong, all the arts we practice in our dojo help us to be more and more grounded, centered, and able to keep a calm mind and body even in the midst of much chaos. I hope you are finding that your practice up to now, the current solo practices which we are working on together via video, and your other practices are all helping you better cope with everything we are facing.
I know that I am finding this, and I am very grateful for these practices and this local and worldwide community.
Please stay safe, healthy, and balanced, and see you on each of our own mats until we can all be together again on the dojo tatamis!
Domo arigatou gozaimashita!
Brian Levy
Chief Instructor
NOLA Aikido