| 1st Lady Assistant to Sensei Henry Ellis | | | | see all these black belts struggling. Later I had a little |
| Ellis Schools of Traditional AikidoI was born in West | | | | crowd around me wanting to inspect my wrists, I |
| London in 1963, my father was very involved in the | | | | explained that this exercise is standard for both |
| martial arts and a dan grade in Karate he was also a | | | | seniors and juniors in our schools.I was now feeling a |
| dealer in ancient Japanese arms and armour, although | | | | little more confident when Sensei pointed out that |
| my father has an antiques shop in London's Bond | | | | there were six young dan grades who had arrived |
| Street, my home was more like a samurai warriors | | | | late and were respectfully waiting for permission to |
| dressing room, with original suits of Japanese armour | | | | come onto the mat. Sensei asked me to show them |
| complete with very frighting face masks that would | | | | what we had been teaching so far, they were all |
| frighten the life out of my friends when ever they | | | | wearing black gi's and when I approached and invited |
| came to visit, there were also very many valuable | | | | them on the mat, they scowled as if to say "hey, |
| swords yari and naginata spears.The MastersMy | | | | we have not traveled all the way from London to be |
| father would travel around the world searching for | | | | taught by a women" as I showed the first technique |
| the best quality weapons, what intrigued me the | | | | "nikkyo" a wrist locking action, the first guy tried to |
| most as a child was all these strange visitors that | | | | resist me, I applied the technique as shown to me so |
| would come to my home, the famous Otani family | | | | many times by Sensei and almost put him through |
| were regular visitors with Sensei Matsuro Otani 7th | | | | the mat. I thought he would be upset with me, but |
| dan Judo the UK National Coach, Kenshiro Abbe | | | | as he got up he asked "How did you do that?". He |
| Sensei, Tomio Otani Sensei the UK National Coach for | | | | then wanted me to do the technique on all the |
| Kendo, his visitors were like the who's who of martial | | | | others, now I had their attention and they were a |
| arts, as recently as two weeks ago I was pleased to | | | | great bunch of guy's. I really enjoyed teaching them. |
| meet with Sensei Kazuo Chiba 8th dan when he | | | | At the end of the seminar, as we were leaving the |
| came to see my father.Introduction to AikidoAs a | | | | hall to head for the car park, these six guy's were |
| child I did a little Karate with my father but nothing | | | | waiting in a line and bowed to me simultaneously with |
| serious until 1992 when I went to the local Aikido | | | | a smile and said to Sensei Ellis " You have a strong |
| dojo in Bracknell, Berkshire, UK. All those years with | | | | lady assistant there ,sensei" Sensei replied " That is |
| my father and his Japanese weapons must have had | | | | why she is my assistant". That was my first seminar |
| a latent but profound effect on me, as I watched | | | | and one that I will never forget.I have been involved |
| Sensei Ellis teaching his Positive Style of Traditional | | | | in many other seminars with my Sensei and they |
| Aikido I knew there and then that this was the | | | | were always good, but I was never so overawed as |
| martial art for me.The Hard Training BeginsWhen I | | | | I was at my first one, or so I thought. Then Sensei |
| started Aikido I made a point of training with the | | | | Ellis asked if I would like to visit New Mexico in the |
| men and they treated me as one of them. With | | | | USA for a seminar. The seminar was to be held in |
| regular practice I progressed. I had now developed | | | | Alamogordo NM, where Sensei's USA representative |
| the hard training bug and started courses in physical | | | | in the US lives and works at the Space Museum. |
| training and amateur weight lifting, after a few years | | | | Sensei visits New Mexico every year and we have |
| of hard work I became a fully qualified fitness | | | | another Ellis dan grade in Texas, Al Montemar. I had |
| instructor-personal trainer and amateur weight lifting | | | | always wanted to visit the US and jumped at the |
| coach, the high light of all this effort was when | | | | opportunity. We made the trip into a vacation for |
| Sensei Ellis promoted me to assistant coach of the | | | | friends and family. We taught members of the USAF |
| Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido (ESTA) two years | | | | and German Air Force at Holloman AFB, which |
| later he promoted me to first lady assistant to | | | | included a guided tour of the base and various fighter |
| himself, there had never ever been a lady assistant in | | | | aircraft, including the Stealth bomber. Sensei Rogers is |
| all the long history of the ESTA, Sensei put me on a | | | | an instructor who teaches students from the USAF, |
| three month trial and 8 year on I am still here.In 1994 | | | | Highway Patrol, police and some members of the |
| I received my coaching certificate from the British | | | | United States Marshals.While in the US, I also visited |
| Aikido Board (BAB) which is the governing body for | | | | the Grand Canyon and Phoenix. I intend to move to |
| Aikido in the UK. Once I became assistant to Sensei | | | | Phoenix to live within the next two to three years. |
| Ellis I became involved in assisting in teaching both | | | | Sensei Ellis has a book on aikido coming out next |
| men and women and also helping with the children's | | | | spring in the US titled "Positive Aikido" which I am |
| classes.The First SeminarSensei Ellis asked if I would | | | | pleased to be featured in, Sensei Rogers is a |
| like to take part in a very large and important | | | | journalist by profession and has worked on this book |
| seminar in Liverpool in the North of England, Sensei | | | | for the past two years and it will be published in the |
| Ellis is not one of those teachers who has a pet uke | | | | US. There are several publishers interested in the |
| follow him around to fly all over the mat at a touch | | | | book so we are all very excited about this latest |
| or a glance, he prefers to try to involve all the | | | | project. I hope to be visiting the US again next year |
| students who attend his seminars if possible, knowing | | | | and I hope to be there for the launching of the |
| this I felt very privileged but nervous when Sensei | | | | book.For the martial artists out there I would like to |
| told me there would be about 700 students from | | | | add one more comment about the proposed book. |
| various martial arts, I think the phrase "Being thrown | | | | Where as most Aikido books spend a great deal of |
| in at the deep end" is applicable here.On arrival at the | | | | time harmonizing with the planets and the universe, |
| venue I was amazed to see so many students from | | | | there will be none of that in this book, Sensei always |
| so many countries, | | | | tells students to come out of the clouds and get |
| UK-France-Germany-Italy-India-Austria are just some | | | | back on the tatami because "This is where it all |
| that I can recall. Sensei Ellis was asked to take the | | | | happens" and he also often says "leave the dancing |
| first class of approximately 50 dan grades from | | | | to Fred Astair" (who is Fred Astair?).Anita Wilson |
| various martial arts. Sensei had me demonstrate 100 | | | | Assistant to Sensei Ellis |
| press-ups on the backs of my wrists with fingers | | | | |
| pointing both inwards and outwards. When I had | | | | Wilson has been involved in the martial arts from |
| finished and was in the raised position Sensei sat on | | | | childhood she is now a very highly qualified personal |
| my back (he did not warn me of this) and carried on | | | | fitness training instructor, qualified BALA weightlifting |
| with his lecture. Sensei suggested that those who | | | | coach, Aikido assistant coach. |
| wanted to should try this exercise. It was amazing to | | | | |