by Kirsi Nording Cronsten
On February 28–March 1, we had the great pleasure of welcoming Charlotte Vandersleyen sensei (5 dan) for a seminar in Uppsala — something I had been looking forward to for quite some time. I had really hoped to find a larger hall so that we could invite more people, but unfortunately nothing suitable was available. In the end, we became a small but wonderful group, with participants from the Uppsala and Umeå dojo, and our honorary guest, Aleksandra from Estonia.
In a way, the smaller setting made the whole weekend feel more personal. It was a cozy seminar, where we had time to develop our technique, to challenge our bodies, and simply to spend time together.
The seminar began quietly on Friday, with just Charlotte sensei and me alone in the dojo, practicing Zen Nihon Kata. It was a rare opportunity, and I really appreciated that focused time.
On Saturday, we gathered in a small gym for seven hours of kihon practice. It was an intense but rewarding day. We took a break for fika with semlor — adding a very Swedish touch to the day, before continuing our practice. In the evening, we went back to the dojo for sauna and sushi. Later, at my house, Charlotte sensei and me relaxed watching the Swedish selections for the Eurovision Song Contest — probably the most Swedish way to spend an evening — laughing at the entries and agreeing that the pause music was the best performance.
On Sunday, we returned to the dojo for more applied technique practice. We focused on what really makes an ippon: using the right part of the tool on the correct target, expressing ki-ken-tai-ichi, having the right kiai, maintaining good posture, and showing both seme and zanshin. We finished with a lot of ippon-shobu, which brought a great energy to the end of the training.
We closed the day with sauna and pizza, and once back home, we simply sat in the living room talking — about practice, about life, about everything and nothing. Those quiet moments together felt just as meaningful as the training itself.
On Monday morning, it was time to say goodbye, which is never easy after a weekend like this.
At one point, I asked a friend why she practices this art. Her answer stayed with me: one-third for the sport, one-third because it’s good for the body, and one-third because of the people — the friendships we build. For me, that really captured what this weekend was about.
I want to do this again!
