Chief Instructor Steve Nardone (3rd Dan - Sandan)
Steve Nardone Sensei began training Aikido in 1964, having become a member of The British Aikido Association (B.A.A.). At this time, Nardone Sensei trained with the late Cliff Gibbs Sensei, 6th Dan, and the late Mike Earnshaw Sensei, 4th Dan. Earnshaw Sensei was also a member of the B.A.A. In 1968 they joined Lancaster Budokan, and trained with the late Professor Bill Rankin Sensei, 10th Dan Jujutsu, a long time martial artist in the North West of England. In 1973, Nardone Sensei and Earnshaw Sensei left the B.A.A. to form Lancaster Aikikwai, training again with Cliff Gibbs Sensei, who held a professorship in Wu Shu (Chinese Martial Arts), where they were joined in 1975 by the Late Ted Price Sensei. In 1976 Gibbs Sensei left to form The Wu shu Association, leaving Lancaster Aikikwai to become an independent Martial Arts Club. In addition to running the club for the last four decades, Nardone Sensei has attended many training seminars with some of the highest ranked Aikido practioners in the UK, including Terry Ezra Shihan, Don and Mary Pybus Sensei, Minoru Kanetsuka Shihan, George Aughton Sensei, Terry Bayliss Sensei, John Jenkins Sensei, Alan Ruddick Sensei, Shane Riley Sensei and also a weekend course in Paris with Steven Seagal Sensei. In addition he has attended other seminars organized by the I.A.B.C., including one with the Russian Special Forces (SPETSNAZ).
Nardone Sensei is now delighted to find the club he has overseen in Lancaster since its inception now playing host to some of these same high ranked instructors, and more still from Europe and elsewhere. He has warmly welcomed Terry Ezra Shihan, 7th Dan, back to Lancaster several times, as well as Lewis Bernaldo de Quiros Sensei, 6th Dan, Holland, Bjorn Saw Sensei, 4th Dan, London, on a number of occasions, and co-hosted a weekend seminar with Ulf Evenas Shihan, 7th Dan Aikikai, at Lancaster University Aikido. in 2012.
Ron Holmes (2nd Dan - Nidan)
Ron has trained in Aikido for over 30 years, Initially he trained with both the Lancaster Aikikwai and MADA (Manchester and District Aikido Association)under Don, Mary and Duncan Pybus Senseis. At the Lancaster Aikikwai he trained under the late Ted Price Sensei, Dave Fryers Sensei and Kevin Mills Sensei. He has subsequently been under the continuous instruction of our Chief Instructor Steve Nardone Sensei. Ron has also participated in various training seminars under the instruction of such renowned Aikikdoka as Terry Ezra Shihan, the late George Aughton Sensei, Alan Ruddick Sensei, Terry Bayliss Sensei, Shane Riley Sensei and Ken Cottier Sensei. In addition he attended other seminars organized by the I.A.B.C including one with the Russian Special Forces (SPETSNAZ).
Sadly, at the beginning of 2012, Ron found that training was becoming more difficult due to health problems, and so announced his retirement from physical training. He remains an integral figure of the group, handling the administrative duties as the secretary of the club, warmly observing (and sometimes correcting!) practice when he can.
Oliver Thorne (2nd Dan - Nidan)
Oliver received his 2nd Dan in 2011, awarded to him by Ulf Evenås Shihan, 7th Dan Aikikai. He began training several years ago with Patrick Cassidy Sensei, 6th Dan where he was an uchideshi - a live-in student - for a total of 2½ years. In addition to visiting and training with some of the top teachers in Europe and North America, Oliver has also travelled extensively in South East Asia and Japan to practice Aikido, Yoga, Meditation and Thai Massage, returning from a 6 week stay as uchideshi in the Iwama Dojo, Japan, in August 2012. Oliver was instrumental in spearheading Lancaster Aikido Club's adoption of the Iwama Takemusu syllabus, with a strong technical focus on basic technique and the integrated weapons systems, as developed by Morihiro Saito Shihan. Oliver also encourages the practice of jiyu waza - free flow training - to compliment the Iwama Takemusu system. His current teachers and influences are Ulf Evenas Shihan, Terry Ezra Shihan and Lewis Bernaldo de Quiros Sensei. He regularly travels and trains across Europe and further afield and is committed to a full time practice of Aikido here in Lancaster. Oliver is also the chief instructor at Lancaster University Aikido.
Tim Dawson (2nd Dan - Nidan)
Tim started Aikido in 1982 with the British Aikido Federation, training with Sensei Gillard in Cardiff and is a Hombu registered Yudansha. He has since trained with a wide range of instructors and follows the market stall philosophy of Aikido - with an open mind you absorb as many variants as possible selecting the best to incorporate into "your" Aikido so that the style is as unique as the individual. Within this style, the Aikido should be minimalistic with the substance of mist but the effectiveness of a brick wall. He still considers himself an Aikido "beginner" and hopes to remain so. There is so much to learn.