Biographies of Senior Jiyushinkai Teachers
C. E. Clark, born
1947, began budo training at the age of six and has continued
his practice through the present. Clark has studied in the U.S.,
France, Japan, Canada, and Republic of South Vietnam, and holds
the rank of Jiyushinkai Shihan, 8th dan, (has also practiced
Kodokan Judo, karate do, jujutsu, Shinto Muso Ryu Jo and T'ai
chi ch'uan). Clark has trained under a number of top-level teachers,
and has been most strongly influenced by F. Fujita, J. Bayless,
R.L. Willingham, E. Cates, F. Hatashita, K. Geis, T. Miyake,
P. Relnick, and T. Nishioka. He founded his own organization,
the Jiyushinkai, in 1984. A U.S.M.C. veteran of Vietnam and former
hospital manager and consultant. Clark is now a writer and professional
budo teacher at the Jiyushinkan in Tempe, AZ. He has a son, Aaron,
two grand-daughters, and two dogs.
Aaron
R. Clark, born 1971, was taken into the dojo soon after birth,
and learned budo as a "cradle language." He began regular
training in judo at age five and started aikibudo and jodo at
age thirteen. As a youngster Clark won numerous state and national
level judo championships. He is currently Shihan, 6th dan Jiyushinkai,
and his main teachers include: C. E. Clark, K. Geis, and he currently
studies Shinto Muso Ryu jo (shomokuroku) and other Japanese koryu
with Phil Relnick. Clark served in the U.S. Navy as a Hospital
Corpsman, and is married to Caroline (2nd dan).They have two
daughters, Meridia and Natalie and two dogs. He works as a systems
engineer and is an instructor at the Jiyushinkan and lives, works,
trains, and teaches North of Seattle, Washington.
Denis M. Dorris, born 1948, began budo training in 1959 with 18
months of judo. He began training in tae kwon do in 1963, continuing
to practice until 1977. He began studying Tomiki aikido as a
student of Karl Geis, achieving 6th dan in 1991. He began training
in jodo in 1982. Denis is a Jiyushinkai 7th dan, Shihan, and
continues to train in aikibudo, Shinto Muso Ryu jo (shomokuroku),
and other Japanese koryu with P. Relnick. He is chief instructor
of the Kitae Dojo in Houston. His main teachers include A. Steen,
K. Geis, T. Miyake, and P. Relnick. He currently works for IBM
as a Senior I/T Architect. His wife, Doreen, is a business consultant.
They have 4 children and two cats. They live in Houston, Texas.
Steven
W. Duncan, born 1955, began his
budo training in 1969, beginning with taekwondo. He was introduced
to judo in 1972, aikido in 1977, and jodo in 1982. Duncan is
presently Jiyushinkai aikido 7th dan, Shihan, Shinto Muso Ryu
(shomokuroku) with P. Relinick, judo 1st dan. Main teachers include
B. Cagle, K. Geis, T. Miyake, C. Clark, and Phil Relnick. He
teaches in Portland, Oregon. He is married to Yoko Sato (5th
dan); They have a son, Takuma, and a daughter, Yuri. They all
take care of two dogs and a cat.
Marc
Fox, born in 1957, began his budo
training in Tang Soo Do, has also trained in Dan Zan Ryu Jujitsu
and currently trains in Shinto Muso Ryu Jo with Phil Relnick.
He is an experienced law enforcement officer and DeTac instructor.
His instructors include Dan Nolan, Tom Snowden, and C. Clark.
He holds a 6th dan in Jiyushinkai and 4th dan in Tang Soo Do.
He is the chief instructor at the Aishinkan in Alpine, California.
He is married to Marilyn. They have three sons and two dogs.
Jim
Hanna, born in 1964, began training
in 1979. His primary teachers were Tim Dudley, Karl Geis, and
currently C. Clark. He is holds a 5th Dan in Jiyushinkai and
is the Chief Instructor of West Coast Aikikai in Sarasota, Florida.
Jim is a paramedic and lives in Bradenton, Florida with his wife
Lisa and son Caleb.
David
Martin, born in 1968
and began his aikibudo training under David Emigh Sensei at Oklahoma
City University. He holds a 5th dan in Jiyushinkai and has practiced
Shinto Muso Ryu jo. David is the instructor at Shobu Aiki Dojo.
His primary teachers have been Steve Duncan and C. Clark. He
graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Asian
Studies. He lives in Norman, OK with his wife Anna Maria Rodriguez
(2nd Dan) and a daughter, Lia.
Yoko
Sato, born 1968 in Gifu, raised
in Fukui Prefecture, Japan. Sato moved to the U.S. after graduation
from Kobe University in 1991 to continue education as an English
language instructor. She began aikido training at the Aikikai-style
aikido club of Kobe University as a freshman in 1987; currently
holds Jiyushinkai aikibudo 5th dan and practices Shinto Muso
Ryu Jo (shomokuroku) with Phil Relnick. She teaches in Portland,
Oregon. She is married to Steve Duncan (7th dan); they have one
son, Takuma, and a daughter, Yuri. They all take care of two
dogs and a cat.
Keith
Slatoff, born in 1969, began aikibudo
training in Tempe, Arizona while attending university. His teachers
include C. Clark, Aaron Clark, and Stan Conner. He also practices
Shinto Muso Ryu Jo (Okuiri sho) and Japanese koryu with P. Relnick
and Tai Chi Chuan with Mary Issacson. He currently holds Jiyushinkai
5th dan and is an instructor at the Jiyushinkan and also in Las
Vegas, Nevada. He is married to Mimi (3rd dan) and they have
two children, Emily and Nikolas and a dog.
Steve Furbush, born in
1961, began training at the Jiyushinkan in Tempe, Arizona in
early 1994. His teachers include C. Clark, Aaron Clark, Stan
Conner, and he also practices Shinto Muso Ryu Jo (shomokuroku)
and other Japanese koryu with P. Relnick. He currently holds
Jiyushinkai 4th dan and is an assistant instructor at the Jiyushinkan.
He is married to Karen.
David Bedard, born in 1967, began
aikido training in Lewisville Texas in 1991. His teachers include
C. Clark, Steve Duncan, Denis Dorris, Aaron Clark, David Martin,
and Yoko Sato. He holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and also practices
Shinto Muso Ryu Jo and other Japanese koryu with Phil Relnick.
He is an assistant instructor at the Jita Kyoei Dojo in Dallas,
Texas.
Will Schutt,
born in 1970, began aikibudo training
while a student at Texas A&M University. His teachers include
C. Clark, Steve Duncan, Aaron Clark, and David Martin. He holds
Jiyushinkai 4th dan and also practices Shinto Muso Ryu Jo (shomokuroku)
and other Japanese koryu with Phil Relnick and Jikiden Eishin
Ryu with John Ray. He is an assistant instructor at the Jita
Kyoei Dojo in Dallas, Texas.
Bill Parker,
has been practicing Kodokan judo
for many years and began aikibudo in 1992. His teachers include
Vince Tamura, Russell Waddell, and C. Clark. He holds Jiyushinkai
4th dan and Kodokan Judo 4th dan. He is a high school teacher
and is married to Linda. He is an instructor at the Jita Kyoei
Dojo in Dallas, Texas.
Tom
Weckel, born in 1953, has been practicing aikibudo since
1992. His main teachers are Steve Duncan, Yoko Sato, and C. Clark.
He holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and also practices Shinto Muso Ryu
Jo (okuirisho) with Phil Relnick. He lives in Portland, Oregon
and is an assistant instructor.
Charlie Atkinson, born in 1965,
has been practicing aikibudo since 1995 as well as Shinto Muso
Ryu Jo (okuirisho) and other Japanese koryu with Phil Relnick.
His instructors are C. Clark and Aaron Clark. He holds JIyushinkai
4th dan and is an assistant instructor at the Jiyushinkan in
Tempe, Arizona. He is a draftsman and is married to Ginny (who
also trains in koryu arts) and has dogs and cats.
Michael
J. Hacker, born in 1969, began his budo training in the late
70s with taekwondo. He began training in aikido in 1990 while
living in Japan. His primary influences are Donald Moriyama,
Amano Shigeko, Saito Morihiro, C. Clark, and Stan Conner. He
currently holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and is an assistant instructor
at the Jiyushinkan. Michael lives with Swan in Chandler, Arizona.
Carl
Bilodeau, born in 1968, began his budo training in 1995 under
C. Clark in Arizona. He also studies Shinto Muso Ryu Jo with
Phil Relnick. He holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and is an assistant
instructor at the Jiyushinkan in Tempe, AZ. He currently shares
a house in Tempe with fellow Jiyushinkai students, a dog and
two cats.
