[HowardtheDuck]

I understand that kata teaches all these things, but you learn all of them more directly by practicing them in bogu with shinai. Want to learn maai? Kata teaches it, but it's far better to do strict maai drills. Want to learn timing? Kata teaches it, but it's far better to practice your timing (like debana kote drills). Want to learn posture? Kata teaches it, but it's far better to do suriashi and practice your posture.

Kata is like so many other things in kendo: Utterly tradition bound, questionable in its value, and surviving (I think) largely because nobody is willing to really question it, for fear of being perceived as impatient, immature, disobedient or *shudder* un-Japanese. This kind of blind adherence to tradition and failure to question teachers and leaders is exactly what lead to the present financial scandal rocking the AUSKF. Just because someone happens to be a.) Japanese and b.) older than you doesn't necessarily make him *right*.

Kata is a beautiful dance, but so is the waltz if it's done right. When I want to learn to dance, I'll take up dance classes.