Interview with the V̶a̶m̶p̶i̶r̶e̶s̶ Naginatakas

( Warning! This is a joke title, the article is called this way only because Halloween is coming soon 🙂 )

Aleksandra:
We try to create good traditions in our dojo, some events that are repeated from year to year and that everyone looks forward to, as it happens in dojos in other countries where naginata is much older than ours. Such a tradition naturally became the annual summary seminars with Kirsi Nording Cronsten sensei. We are incredibly happy that we have a wonderful cooperation with our naginata
neighbors on the Baltic Sea 🙂 We know that we will always have friendly support and professional mentoring from Kirsi sensei. This year she held a seminar for us for the third time. While preparing to write an article about the seminar, I suddenly thought that this time I should let the students themselves speak for me. Because the seminar was for them and precisely because they exist and
because naginata has meaning for them.


Olena:
It was a great seminar in its atmosphere! Sensei Kirsi reminded me of a redheads fairy from Swedish fairy tales. I really like her character and manner of communication.

A fun footwork training helped us improve our tai sabaki skills on the first day of the seminar. The training in the bogu was also effective: Sensei explained to us the movements dynamic, because in bogu it is a little more difficult to move and navigate in space, so you need controll you body very well. The next day we had our exams. There was some stress for each examinee of course. Accordingly, Sensei instructed everyone before the exam. After the exams, Sensei emphasised what we needed to work on, as well as where we had made progress. After that, she answered our questions, and also and showed some advanced techniques for shiai.

Yuri:
The seminar started on a truly historical event: no one was late, everyone was ready and present exactly on time, this was a good starting point and collectively we tried to keep the ball rolling throughout both of the days.

Thanks to Kirsi-sensei during two days we tackled the Herculean work on the study of naginata and demonstrated our skills in the exam.

This seminar was a highlight of the season and it opened up a lot of avenues for growth. Thanks to Kirsi-sensei for ability to peek around the horizon and outline more Herculean work that is ahead of us.

Andre:
Our October seminar with Kirsi sensei was two days of hellfire in a good way of course.I for one might’ve realized for the first time that shikake-oji this is not just a set of techniques, but interesting mathematical equations and psychological tasks with unique nuances that need to be resolved. Seminars are more mentally challenge than even physically, because every time we have high
grade Senseis, we learn so much in such a short time, and gladly want to apply this newfound knowledge immediately…but we stumble over our own clumsiness and inexperience. And then we realize again, that we needs more and more practice.

Anton:
Once again we are delighted and privileged to have Kirsi-sensei held a 2-day seminar on 5-6 October and my personal impression of the seminar is strongly positive. We at our small Naginata Club Amatsubame are approaching the end of the year once again, when it’s common to reflect on what happened previously and to make plans for what’s to come in the future, and what better way to do
that, than to have a seminar?

The first day was long, intencive and warioius, we traditionally finished it with the a nice lunch at the cozy Japanese restaurant with warm conversations on topics both naginata-related and others as well. For example, topic about how funny urban slangs of different languages can be. Probably 6 or more languages were spoken at the our table.

But let’s follow to day second day our Shinsa requirements consist of the theoretical and practical part, as usual. One of Kirsi-sensei’s addition questions in shinsa was about role of shinpan. I think this theme was the indicator of the direction our knowledge should head towards – deeper understanding of competition & foreign seminar processes. Practical part of shinsa went ok, in my opinion, we did our best to pass the exam and coincide to the standards. Day ended with a Q&A session and, with taking the group photos, of course.

Marko:
For me personally, the keyword of the entire seminar with Kirsi sensei was tai sabaki. As a beginner, I tended to focus my attention very much to various little things, but separately… On this seminar I think I found a puzzle piece which connects everithing together.

Under the guidance of Kirsi sensei I learned, how to generate power, and speed. From first pushing off and until perform a strike through a series (storyboard) of intermediate kamae, I learned how properly use the Tanden and let gravitational force to do its work and how to get a good tai sabaki. Before in order to overcome the maai and reach the target, I used to make significant efforts. But now no any exercise doesn’t feel the same as before. I’m surprised how easy I can actually cover the distance and make a nice strike.

Polina (Unfortunately, she fell ill and could not come to the seminar): …hmmm… cough-cough… I didn’t participate, but I will speak out although you are all so eloquent, and I couldn’t think of anything other than “a seminar with Kirsi sensei is always a festive event, Kirsi, come again!”

Kirsi Sensei:
This was the third time I had the pleasure to visit the Naginata club in Tallinn in the end of the year. It has become a nice tradition and something I really look forward to. It’s great to see the development of the students from one year to the next.

Last time the theme was to loosen up the grip and let the naginata move more on its own. I could see that this had improved a lot during the year and that the
students were ready for something new. This time the theme was efficiency of the body movement to gain power and speed. I have collected bits and pieces from different sensei over the years and not until fairly recently I found a new key to understanding. In the end, it was something that Yasui-sensei told me many years ago, that I finally understood this autumn. It was about the balance

and body movement in the furiage-men strike and that can be generalized to most of the other strikes. This is what I brought with me to Tallinn.

We started with a rope ladder and took it step by step until the students successfully applied it in the shikake-oji sanbonme. It is so amazing to see all the energy! They even managed to take it with them to the stressful situation of the grading. I’m super excited to see their development next year! I already know what I would want to work on next time – the connection between the players through the naginata – timing, harmony and striking opportunity. So, until we meet again – thank you for this time, Tallinn club! And thank you Aleksandra, for being such a warm and generous host.

P.S.
Me speaking with David (David is our youngest student, he is 9 yo):

– David: Kirsi sensei praised you very much for your cool furikaeshi strike!

David (imperturbably):

-Seriously? Well, ok..,,