The Pioneer Times

Issue date: 3/31/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Jessica Luszcz Wilson in a fighting stance

Media Credit: Jessica Luszcz Conti cleaning a sword

Media Credit: Jessica Luszcz Vacante disabling attacker DiCarlo

Tuesday, March 28th, at common Hour Go Japan club had a Japanese Martial arts demonstrations in Ballrooms A and B of the Student Center.

"We decided to have martial arts demonstrations to show the culture of Japan." Go Japan Club secretary Carla Sanders said, "Japanese Martial Arts reflect the philosophy of the Japanese people through teaching self control, discipline and respect."

The event was divided into two parts and started with Sensei Joe Conti from the NJ Aikikai & Budokan School in Dunellen, NJ. Conti, A sixth degree black belt, and his assistant Andrew Wilson demonstrating various weapons from Japan and Okinawa (Okinawa, now a prefecture of Japan, was not always part of Japan.)

These weapons included the Nitan Bo, Boken, Sai, Bo, Tonfa , Bo Staff, Nunchaku and Manrikigusari. Although many of these weapons are Japanese in origin, the Okinawan weapons have special significance.

"The Okinawan people were not allowed to have weapons." Sensei Conti explained, "Therefore they created weapon systems from their farming tools such as the Tonfa and Nunchaku."

After the first half, audience member Will Concho said, "I came because I have always enjoyed watching martial arts in movies, it's great to see an up-close demonstration"

The second part of the event was Aikido Centers of NJ demonstrating hand-to-hand combat techniques.

"Aikido, explained instructor Brian Vacante, "is a martial art which uses leverage and the energy of the opponent. It is more important to stop an attack then to harm one's opponent."

Vacante is a second Dan from Clifton, NJ. (a Dan is a blackbelt rank in many Japanese martial arts). He and his and his two assistants Janice Taitel (first Dan) and Joe DiCarlo (first Dan) showed the importance of using pressure points, joint locks and center of gravity to dispel an attack.

Vacante later took questions from the audience ranging from, how to block several different kick attacks to how Aikido differs from other martial arts.

"Some other martial arts have a series of point value attacks and competitions." Vacante said, "Aikido, is more about self defense and does not have similar competitions."

The audience enjoyed free sushi throughout the event.

One spectator Brett Druck commented, "I originally just came for the free sushi but I actually learned a lot."

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