Aiki Arts Center
2525 Eighth Street, Berkeley, California 94710
About the Business
Aiki Arts Center is a health institution located at 2525 Eighth Street in Berkeley, California, United States. This center offers a range of classes and programs focused on promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being through the practice of Aikido, a Japanese martial art that emphasizes harmony and non-violent conflict resolution. With experienced instructors and a supportive community atmosphere, Aiki Arts Center is dedicated to helping individuals improve their overall health and cultivate a sense of balance and inner peace.
Photos
Contacts
2525 Eighth St, Berkeley, CA 94710, United States
Hours open
Monday:
19:30 - 21:00
Tuesday:
18:00 - 20:00
Wednesday:
Closed
Thursday:
Closed
Friday:
18:00 - 20:00
Saturday:
Closed
Sunday:
12:30 - 14:30
Reviews
"this warm, playful, accessible, queer and neurodiversity-friendly dojo is truly one of my favorite things about living in the East Bay. great instruction and support for all skill levels, diverse and supportive crowd - as a beginner to both martial arts and movement-based mindfulness practice, I can’t stress how much I’ve grown, in mind, body and spirit, in my two years of attendance. I heartily recommend this place!"
"I am writing about my experience here from March - Oct. 2021. Although I enjoyed some of the instruction, that was strongly overshadowed by problems with the head instructors. I felt consistently unsafe in 1:1 training with one of them. In my experience, the level of aggression was greater than what the other black belts were using on me, a white belt. In one training session, I had a panic attack from it. She did not check in with me after class to see if I was ok. I never saw her treat the white students the way she treated me. After several incidents happened that I found concerning, I sought to share the impact on me. She initially agreed then declined to meet me. That did not feel good to me, so I emailed the other head instructor, asking to meet with her. When I didn't respond in just two days (her email had gone to my spam folder) they cancelled my membership without a phone call. This felt retaliatory to me. As a person of color who has been the target of xenophobia, I am sensitive to such treatment. Once I found the emails in spam, I requested to meet anyway to give feedback on race and privilege, as a concerned consumer and community member. She refused, saying it was not likely to be in line with her intention to part ways in a respectful and civil manner. To me, the assumption that my feedback would be disrespectful and/or hostile is further evidence of bias. I would suggest they take racial humility training with Dr. Ken Hardy, or read and apply books by Robin DiAngelo. My hope is they will be better able to serve the community and the beautiful, embracing path of Aikido that way."
"Aikido is great, and the teaching at Shusekai is excellent. Nick Walker sensei balances the beautiful formality of Aikido with practicality, so that you really understand how and why the pieces of a technique fit together. And the mat is a fun place--there's a great combination of lightness and concentration and self-discovery that makes it easy to keep coming back. No matter what mood I'm in when I arrive at the dojo, I always feel better when I leave."
"I wanted my 13 year old son to learn to deflect school yard scuffles. I wanted him to be taught to first defuse rather than turn it into a bruce lee movie. These folks know what they're doing. They teach effectiveness but in a spirit that enhances rather than incites."
"I have been a student for 3 years. This is a great community of engaged, interesting people who are looking out for each other's learning and growth- I feel like I've found my tribe. Nick Walker Sensei's teaching style is very welcoming to beginners, and he is always encouraging students to be curious about the next layer of insight and transformation that Aikido practice might have in store for us."
List of local businesses, places and services in California
⭐ business help 🔍 services ☎ phones 🕒 opening times ✍️reviews 🌍 addresses, locations 📷 photos