Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

2023 AAKF Spring Seminar – Highlights.

The AAKF organization held their 2023 Spring Seminar at the Van Cleve Recreation Center in Minneapolis, MN from April 21-23, 2023.  Over 60 participants attended this fantastic seminar conducted by Tabassi Sensei (Mid-Atlantic region) and Cheah Sensei (Western region). The students learned new concepts and training drills and how to apply kata basics with their kumite and self-defense situations. The seminar brought together a community interested in learning and elevating the art of Shotokan karate.  The student’s new found knowledge and drills they performed helped raise their karate skills. The local club instructors learned new information and training drills and developed a deeper understanding of karate.

The next seminar will be an International Training Camp as part of the 2023 AAKF Nationals (June 21-24) in Herndon, Virginia.

Click the following photo and video links from the seminar (more photos/videos are still coming in):

• NCR Facebook photos
• NCR Facebook videos
• Traditional Karate-do Academy at UMN

Thank you to Mark Abeln, Mike Ching, Trung Le for the photos and videos.

Successful Dan Examination April 22, 2023

On April 22, 2023, the AAKF Technical board members (Tabassi Sensei and Cheah Sensei) conducted a dan examinations during the 2023 AAKF Spring seminar at the Van Cleve Rec Center in Mpls.  The people testing all did very well during their dan examination. The Traditional Karate North Central Region now has two new elevated black belts:  Al Kotula SKM dojo – Rokudan (6^th dan) and Trung Le UofMn club –  Godan (5^th dan), and a new black belt Jason Briscoe – UofMn club – Shodan (1^st dan).  Also, a Madison club student (Alex Ulate ) tested for 2^nd kyu and passed as well.

Congratulations to everyone on a very successful test.

2023 AAKF National Championships

June 21-24 Washington, DC

The 2023 AAKF National Championships will be held in Washington, DC June 21-24, 2023. Whether you are a black belt or kyu level, you will be able to compete in either the adult or youth division. You must be an AAKF member to compete. Senior black belts wanting to judge at the National Championships must be an AAKF qualified judge. AAKF registration will be due May 30, 2023 with more details to follow.

• Click here for detail information packet on travel, lodging, costs, schedule, youth rules
• Click here for detail athletes registration form and seminar registration form

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

• NCR upcoming events
  • tbd
• AAKF upcoming events:
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC.
    • Click here for information, registration and director packets. Good luck to everyone competing and judging.
• WTKF Events
  • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
  • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

• NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
  • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
  • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
  • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
• Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
• Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here