Motion-oriented club teaches martial arts

Juli Williams stands opposite David Villanueva. The two bow toward each other in reverence, and then carry out a sequence of simulated offensive and defensive maneuvers. They are following the step-by-step guidance of instructor Kim Sommer, who has been teaching the theories of Aikido since 1988. Sommer is one of five instructors affiliated with the IU Aikido Club.\nClad in "hakama," the traditionally wide pants the Japanese samurai wore, Villanueva, a School of Music employee, and Williams, a sophomore, simulate different sparring scenarios in which it is essential to roll, dodge, and break a fall. They work together in one cooperative effort to learn the concepts and techniques of Aikido. \nTwo loud claps are heard, and the 11 members in attendance stop the actions with their sparring partners and then sit single-file to watch Sommer demonstrate his next technique. Sommer calls on various students to aid him in demonstration. \nAn observer rarely sees a high-flying kick or flailing fists. Aikido is motion-oriented and control-based. By controlling an enemy and allowing oneself several options, a person can restore the balance of mercy and harmony to an otherwise hostile situation. \n"You can't be harmonious if you're afraid and tense up at an attack," graduate student and president of the IU Aikido Club Laura Knudsen said. "And you can't be merciful if you cannot protect yourself and if you do not know what choices you have in a given situation." \nPeople might distort Aikido as a means of learning to fight and defeat an opponent, but it's founded on the principles of peace and harmony. \nThe Japanese word "Aikido" translates into "The way of harmony of the spirit."\nGrandmaster Morihei Ueshiba founded the martial art in 1942. \nThe IU Aikido Club was founded in 1987 by George Bevins, a student of Mitsugi Saotome, who trained with Grandmaster Ueshiba for more than 15 years. The IU Aikido Club is a member of the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba, one of the largest Aikido organizations in the United States. \n"I have been an active member of the club for about 15 months and the art really appeals to me because it harmonizes with energy from nature," Villanueva said. "It is not a fighting energy, but rather a natural energy that we all strive to utilize."\nAikido also emphasizes work with the bokken (sword) and jo (staff). The techniques are designed to break the balance of opponents, but the concepts are presented in terms that are easy to understand, Williams said.\n"I joined (Aikido club) because I was fascinated and interested in the pillars of this art," Williams said. "I also was tired of being told not to walk home alone. I wanted to find a way to combine a stimulating exercise with a means of self-defense."\nThe club recently won the award for Most Improved Club for 2000-2001 from Recreational Sports. The club continues to draw a wide variety of members, and accommodates all skill levels.