Please join us July 30, 2023, from 9:30 am-1:30 pm Central time for the Future Leaders Seminar Series-Midwest. This event will be held at Great Lakes Aikido, 150 Fairway Drive, Suite 156, Vernon Hills, IL and also be live streamed.

For the future development of Aikido, it's important to bring up the next generation of leaders. With this in mind, we are holding a seminar on July 30, 2023 featuring instruction by people who teach, but who are not the top instructor at their dojo.  This seminar will feature four instructors from a variety of lineages and affiliations, each teaching one class. This is a great way for up and coming instructors to experience teaching outside of their own dojo, and for attendees to experience what these instructors have to share.

It’s our intention to have a series of seminars such as this, in various locations, and we hope people will support this endeavor for the future growth of Aikido.

Our Instructors for this training event will be:

Patrick Miller Sensei, 1 Dan, Chicago Aikikai, Aikido Schools of Ueshiba

Michael Lynch Sensei, 2 Dan, Kenosha Aikikai, United States Aikido Federation

Al Sindaravicius Sensei, 3 Dan, Great Lakes Aikido, Aikido Shimbokukai

Gracia Watson Sensei, 2 Dan, Prairie Aikikai, Aikido Shimbokukai

Patrick Miller Sensei, 1 Dan, Chicago Aikikai, Aikido Schools of Ueshiba

Patrick Miller Sensei began studying aikido during his undergraduate years at Michigan Technological University under Mark Campbell-Olszewski Sensei. After graduating he continued his studies with Joe Takehara Sensei at the Chicago Aikido Club and currently trains under Marsha Turner Sensei at the Chicago Aikikai. He holds the rank of shodan and is a rotating instructor at the Chicago Aikikai. He is inspired by Turner Sensei’s use of movement, position, and posture as a means to affect change in your partner rather than strength or physicality. He believes Aikido training offers an incredible opportunity to grow and learn from people with a variety of backgrounds, experiences, and abilities. He enjoys the challenge of embodying the principles of Aikido both on and off the mat and loves those moments of realization when his teachers’ words finally make sense.

​Michael Lynch Sensei, 2 Dan, Kenosha Aikikai, United States Aikido Federation

Michael Lynch Sensei began Aikido in 2003 at the University of Wisconsin Parkside under the instruction of Rock Lazo Sensei of the Midwest Aikido Center. This club evolved into the current Kenosha Aikikai, where he continues to practice and teach in both the youth and adult programs. While studying abroad in Japan, he trained at Aikido Kobayashi Dojo under Kobayashi Yasuo Sensei. Upon returning to Wisconsin, he became involved in the construction of a new location for the Kenosha Aikikai. In 2013, he helped develop the current Youth Aikido program at Kenosha Aikikai. In 2017, he became acting coordinator of the program, and then in 2020, became chief instructor of youth program classes. In 2021, he was awarded the title of Fukushidoin by the United States Aikido Federation.

Al Sindaravicius Sensei, 3 Dan, Great Lakes Aikido, Aikido Shimbokukai

Al Sindaravicius Sensei has been training in Aikido for almost 25 years and holds the rank of Sandan. In 1999, he began training under Meido Moore Sensei when he was 8 years old and continues to train with the guidance of Michael Malitsky Sensei of Great Lakes Aikido. He is currently a full time law enforcement Officer with a local police department, holding the rank of Sergeant, where his current role is providing Department wide training. His Aikido has evolved to practical and real-life application with the utmost safety in mind. As Samurai would often defend their villages, he continues the tradition, balancing Bushido, Justice, and Harmony with practice of Aikido.

Gracia Watson Sensei, 2 Dan, Prairie Aikikai, Aikido Shimbokukai

Gracia Watson Sensei is a member of the Prairie Aikikai located in Sycamore, IL. She has been training for thirteen years, including one year as an exchange student in Japan. She holds the rank of nidan, and teaches regularly as an assistant instructor at Prairie Aikikai. Besides aikido, she also trained in Tae Kwon Do for several years while an undergrad in Denver, CO. As a woman of smaller stature, she is interested in studying how to make techniques effective even when an attacker is significantly larger or faster. She believes that Aikido must be adaptable, without sacrificing effectiveness, to practitioners of all sizes, shapes, ages, and physical ability.