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Fran Turner

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Fran Turner

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Achievements/Contributions

  • Ontario Aikido Federation board positions, including one term as president.
  • CAF board member (one term); was also member of CAF examination committee.
  • Arranged many regional and local seminars with attendees from Ontario, Quebec and US; featuring Yukio Kawahara, Yoshimitsu Yamada, Clyde Takeguchi, Mary Heiny, Donovan Waite and others.
  • Co-organized 3 annual Focus on Women seminars in Toronto and Montreal in mid-1980s featuring female instructors, widely attended by men and women.
  • Aikido Shugyo Dojo hosted Aikido-L international seminar in 2000, and many mini-seminars and classes with local teachers over the years.
  • Also hosted 2015 CAF summer camp, first to be held in Ontario.
  • Organized public demonstrations, was featured on Breakfast Television, gave radio interviews on CIUT Radio and CBC.
  • In 1991 led group of students to travel with Yamada Shihan to train at Hombu Dojo, Tokyo.

Biographical Summary

  • First started aikido in Copenhagen, 1973.
  • Trained in Toronto with Bruce Stiles (student of Mitsunari Kanai), 1974-79.
  • Practiced in Washington, DC with Clyde Takeguchi, 1979-83.
  • Awarded shodan, 1981.
  • Taught aikido at YMCA and Toronto Board of Education for several years, set up extra-curricular classes at Ryerson.
  • Established Aikido Shugyo Dojo at dedicated location under board of directors in 1985, chief instructor over 30 years.
  • Promoted to 6th dan, 2011.

 

Personal Philosophy

  • Drawn to aikido by shihonage, really relates to the way its mechanics show how to move the body because she was a dancer; also by the idea of resolving conflict and aikido being a spiritual quest for O-Sensei.
  • Aikido develops physical awareness, grace and sensitivity to others.
  • Through awareness of relationships with other physical bodies, aikido becomes a tool for helping people get along with one another in the world.
  • The work of the dojo is to teach physical manifestations of aikido in creating a supportive community to help people grow.