[Goksiodiffeli]

You also owe a contribution of your time outside of practice to further the mission and operations of your dojo

Yes, this is why we are nobly giving up our spare and work time to be on KW.

[Michmant]

Yes, this is why we are nobly giving up our spare and work time to be on KW.

It's my lunch "hour" and I just got off the phone with the rec center trying to set up the New Years keiko. I'm a good boy.

[DoctorTOneery]

i don't think it is appropriate in all cases. in my humble opinion a kendo demo should not be performed where it will be treated like a spectacle or entertainment.

Then you'll never do a demo. It's always a spectacle, always entertainment. That's why the people are there, to see a demonstration of skill, experience some culture they haven't seen before, be entertained. If one person in the audience is inspired to join the beginners class, your demo has accomplished something for the club. If everyone else just thinks "that's cool, wonder what's for lunch?", that's fine too.

Now if they want to tart it up with music and a light show, I have a problem with that.

[bobibnoxx]

Oh, and the appropriate music for a kendo demo is "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" by Rush.



Kendo up, beyotch! EDIT: I'm kidding! I'm kidding!

[ropinirole]

Neil said what I was thinking. I should have made it clear my question was rhetorical but that's pretty much how I feel about it. If even one person at the anime con/Asian Student Festival/semester exhibit/talent show/etc. gets inspired, that's a good thing, IMO. I've personally done or assisted with demos at Asian student get-togethers and for social studies classes (it's funny to watch kids snicker until the first men cut, when they promptly shut up and edge their desks away from the action).

I'll tell you something else I've learned about demos, if I may. Always, always, always try to give your best display. High-ranking/skilled people should be involved. Don't just let a couple of kyus do it, even though they may do a good job. You need to display kendo to the best of your ability, IMO.

[Thigmaswams]

Well as long as you aren't expecting to get a great rush of new people joining the dojo. As I said before I have done a lot of demos both at anime cons and not. We have picked up a few people from seeing a demo at a con or elsewhere but mostly it's just to kind of spread the word and to let people know what kendo is really like as opposed to what they imagine it's like (as some have said earlier). If you do a demo try to get the crowd involved a bit. Usually I have a part at the end where we let people in the audience come up and whack us a couple of men strikes to let them know what it's like. When you get the crowd involved you'll be received well usually. Also, make sure you are careful when you get the crowd involved... last demo we did one of the iai people was letting people hold his iaito and someone accidently cut their thumb a bit ( after having been told that it would cut.. some people don't listen so it's probably better to avoid it all together)

[Equackasous]

Now if they want to tart it up with music and a light show, I have a problem with that.

I recently was fortunate enough to participate in a demo sponsored by the local Community College Japanese club which, can sometimes be *sort* of an anime convention if you know what I mean.
We were the last group to "perform"--er, I mean give a demo, and there was a Karate guy right before us. I guess the DJ at the event decided to "spice it up" a bit as he played some sort of strange techno "power" music which accompanied his performance, complete with disco lights.
I hate to say it, but the results were hilarious.
The words to "Everybody's Kung Fu Fightin'!" kept playing in my head...

~But our group, and especially our Sensei, was a bit worried that they'd try the same thing on us.
They didn't.
In fact, the audience went ape after our demo with huge cheers and applause! One Japanese guy even screamed out at our Sensei like some sort of crazed groupie, and he was swearing up and down in broken English that our Sensei was a Japanese T.V. actor he had seen somewhere. (I dunno, maybe he is????) anyway,
In the end, I was really blown away, because afterwards many people came up to us, thanking is profusely and asking us all sorts of questions and showing interest in Kendo.

I also felt pretty good to have been able to represent the Dojo in that way.
Funnier still, It turns out that the Karate guy had actually requested the music!


I think demos can be a bit scary, but in the end are good for you.

[Gideleb]

You also owe a contribution of your time outside of practice to further the mission and operations of your dojo. If you are a responsible adult (meaning over age 15), and you can't say what you do for the dojo outside of practice then I would submit that you have missed something important and are not living up to your obligation.

i try to not make an ass of myself...does that count?
i guess i have neglected that part of my kendo (that i wasn't really aware was a part). i do things for my dojo outside of practice, just never considered a demo as a way to "give back."

i have only been doing this for 2 years so this topic may seem cut and dry for all you more experienced, but it's interesting to me: should spending time to help your dojo outside of practice be an obligation for kendo? if it's left as a choice wouldn't it illustrate the character of the person more clearly?

Then again, I am famously tight-assed.

it's ok, i still luv ya!

i apologize if i was unclear, but i am in no way in charge of the decision to put this demo on, and i am not a member of the dojo in question. it was simply a situation brought up by a sensei and i was curious to see how other dojos handled it. thanks for all your feedback, as always, i learn a lot from you guys.

[SergeyMaikov]

i try to not make an ass of myself...does that count?

Immensely.

i guess i have neglected that part of my kendo (that i wasn't really aware was a part). i do things for my dojo outside of practice, just never considered a demo as a way to "give back."

Go to your next board meeting and volunteer. The amount of work needed to keep a club on track, solvent attracting visitors, recruiting and keeping members is stunning. Guaranteed, the people doing it now are underappreciated and need your help.

(are you Obukan people getting that message 5x5?)

i have only been doing this for 2 years so this topic may seem cut and dry for all you more experienced, but it's interesting to me: should spending time to help your dojo outside of practice be an obligation for kendo? if it's left as a choice wouldn't it illustrate the character of the person more clearly?

Not "should be" - it is and it does.

it's ok, i still luv ya!

+5 mojo for me!

[baskentt]

I really don't see what's so bad about giving a demo. The Sydney University Kendo club has often been called to give demos for orientation/recruitement days (as well as cultural events), and we usually get a good audience, and more often than not, new beginners and Japanese students/workers who had no idea our club existed. Even if the OP is doing it at an anime convention, he should be ok. At Animania (Syndey's big anime festival), members from the local iaido and Suio Ryu iaijutsu club were asked to put on a performance between the cosplay shows, and were well recieved.

That being said, you should seek sensei's permission AND determine the intent of the convention organizers. If they want you to 'show them modern day Japanese fencing' or 'reveal more Japanese culture' then go for it. However, if they're saying stuff like 'we need samurai', then I don't think you should perform.

[flielagit]

Even if the OP is doing it at an anime convention, he should be ok. ...That being said, you should seek sensei's permission AND determine the intent of the convention organizers.

um, ok, i thought i cleared this up when i said...

i apologize if i was unclear, but i am in no way in charge of the decision to put this demo on, and i am not a member of the dojo in question. it was simply a situation brought up by a sensei and i was curious to see how other dojos handled it.

p.s. i'm of the female variety.

[HotDolly]

If our dojo is performing a demo I offer to help in any capacity.
I am a beginner and my offer is not always accepted, but it is there.

As for performing, it is a great way to lose stage fright before a shinsa, get rid of those mistakes where they do not affect your grade.
The more you perform, the easier it is to focus.

[diplmixxxx]

My heart races at the prospect of meeting beautiful women Cosplayers dressed as heroines from the Final Fantasy series .

/Well, not really.
//OK, yes

The vast majority of the cosplayers I've seen were people that needed to wear paper bags and get off the couch more.
>_>

[wgX44EEn]

The vast majority of the cosplayers I've seen were people that needed to wear paper bags and get off the couch more.
>_>

I've never actually met one before, so that is quite disappointing

[Beragagnu]

I did a few karate demos before, and with my luck I attract all kinds of freaks, so while I'd probably help out with a demo, I'd probably leave as soon as I could.

[radicalvolume]

I'm an anime fan, but even I try and stay away from conventions. To be honest, cos-players scare the living hell out of me.

[hapasaparaz]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with cosplaying...lol. And not all cosplayers are thick and hard to look at either (although some certainly are)

Most of the cosplayers I know (my daughters included) just see it as a way to have fun and they put a lot of work into their costumes (not all are this way, some buy their costumes, others don't put much effort into it and end up with some pretty ghetto costumes).

[GalasaKoll]

My fear of running into this far out ways the joy that I would get from running into this.

[ReginaPerss]

I'm an anime fan, but even I try and stay away from conventions. To be honest, cos-players scare the living hell out of me.

I am quite content with my lack of knowledge as to what a cosplayer is.

[Iphone]

Think of the people who got all dressed up as Darth Vader when the Star Wars movies came out, and you've basically got it.