Please join us June 14, 2026 from 12:00-5:00 pm Pacific Time for the inaugural West Coast Future Leaders Seminar. This event will be held at Aikido of Berkeley, 1514 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94703, and also be livestreamed via Zoom. All affiliations and experience levels are welcome!
An important aspect of Aikido Shimbokukai's mission is the education of future generations of Aikido instructors and leaders. We are therefore holding the very first West Coast Future Leaders Seminar, with training led by up-and-coming teachers who do not yet serve as chief instructors of their own dojos. Invitations to teach at this event are extended across organizational boundaries, serving to additionally promote inter-lineage relationships and cooperation that will be crucial for Aikido to thrive in the future.
Seminar costs and registration fees are kept low to encourage as many people as possible to attend. This event is a great way for developing leaders to get experience teaching outside of their own dojo, and to people besides their dojo mates, as well as for event attendees to train with some innovative up and coming or lesser known instructors.
All affiliations, levels of experience, and styles of Aikido and also practitioners of other arts are welcome to attend!
(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. If your dojo or a dojo you know would be interested in collaborating an similar events please Contact Us!)
Our Instructors for this training event will be (see below for more info):
Zara Brandt Sensei, Ikkyu, Aikido of Santa Cruz, California Aikido Association
Michael Chiocca Sensei, Nidan, Aikido West, California Aikido Association
Eleanor Martineau Sensei, Sandan, Aikido of Tamalpais, Aikido Shimbokukai
Melissa Stevens Sensei, Ikkyu, Aikido of Berkeley, California Aikido Association
The schedule for the day will be:
12:00 pm-2:00 pm Training
~break~
2:30 pm-4:30 pm Training
4:30 pm-5:00 pm Discussion/Q&A
****Please note that there will be a second event at Aikido of Berkely the previous day, June 13- a “Two Views Seminar”, with Kayla Feder Shihan, 7 dan and Lisa Tomoleoni Shihan, 7 dan- make a plan to attend both events! Further information can be found here.
There are a variety of options for participation-
- Participate live; in-person training at This event will be held at Aikido of Berkeley, 1514 University Ave, Berkeley, CA 94703.
- Participate virtually with your dojo mates from your dojo. For those who can gather and train together, please plan to attend the seminar from your dojo! Set up a computer, stream the event, and train!
- Participate virtually on your own from your home, or any location of your choice.
Please register using the PayPal link below. We will also be accepting walk-in registrations. Registration for the seminar is US$50 for in person participation and US$25 for virtual participation. For those with financial constraints please let us know as we have some scholarship options available. All affiliations and levels of experience are welcome!
We look forward to this event, and hope to see you on the mat, in person or virtually!
Instructors
Zara Brandt Sensei, Ikkyu, Aikido of Santa Cruz, California Aikido Association
Zara Brandt began training in the Teen program at Aikido of Santa Cruz in 2015, receiving the rank of Ikkyu before taking a break to pursue a degree in Anthropology. She has since returned home to ASC and is grateful to reconnect with the many incredible instructors and mentors who have inspired and guided her practice through the years. She has also enjoyed assisting in the Youth program since her return. She's excited to continue growing her practice and learning from the wider Aikido community at the West Coast Future Leaders Seminar.
Michael Chiocca Sensei, Nidan, Aikido West, California Aikido Association
Michael Chiocca began studying martial arts when he was 13 years old. He studied Chito-ryu karate-do and Koseido-ryu jiu-jitsu under the guidance and direction of Hanshi Joseph Hedderman at a dojo located in Pittsburgh, PA.
When he was 25 years old, he moved to California. His first Aikido instructor was Dr. Grant Rex Kruhly who taught at the Do Satsu Ken Dojo (Insight Sword School) located in Mountain View, a dojo that Kruhly Sensei founded. He trained with Kruhly Sensei only briefly before joining Aikido West where he began training under the guidance of Frank Doran Shihan and Cyndy Hayashi Shihan. He was promoted to Shodan in 2002 and is presently a Nidan.
Eleanor Martineau Sensei, Sandan, Aikido of Tamalpais, Aikido Shimbokukai
Eleanor Martineau is Sandan at Aikido of Tamalpais. She focuses on sincere ukemi and teaches Friday nights.
Melissa Stevens Sensei, Ikkyu, Aikido of Berkeley, California Aikido Association
Melissa has many years of experience teaching children in a variety of settings, including teaching aikido in local schools. As she progresses in her aikido journey she is looking forward to developing her teaching skills and using them to inspire adults new to aikido to keep training. She is excited about this opportunity to hone her skills with an adult audience.