Seattle Aikikai - Uptown 159 Western Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98119

"Sensei Eric was a great teacher and very friendly. I got personal attention throughout the class and loved the aura of the place. Definitely recommend everyone to try this place at least once. Aikido is a beautiful martial art form."

"I have trained at this dojo since 2011. Before that, I trained for ~20 years at a number of aikido dojos across the country, in both ASU and USAF. Seattle Aikikai a great place to study the art. Graham Sensei is a great instructor, who offers a supportive yet appropriately challenging (to your level) class approach, and works hard to develop a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive aikido community. This dojo has a good mix of beginners, intermediate and advanced people, and the advanced people happily contribute their experience, so there is a deep breadth of varied aikido experiences to draw from. Malory Sensei is supportive of individual learning styles. She makes a great effort to explain techniques clearly, and puts an emphasis on breaking complex techniques into easy-to-understand segments. This is a member-run dojo, which means that members have the opportunity to shape the culture and training here, and initiate and follow through on projects to improve the facility and training. There is a nice variety of social and training-related events. They offer scholarships for those who would not otherwise be able to attend. This dojo is also very gender-balanced, and we are inclusive to all genders and orientations. Everyone trains in a way that is both supportive and challenging, and without aggression or attitude. They often have guest instructors from all over the country and the world, who bring with them their unique points of view and deep knowledge of many facets of aikido. This is a rich and wonderful community with excellent training."

"This is a great dojo. I've been training now for over 10 years and have been fortunate enough to visit a number of dojos in various cities (typically associated with business travel). Whenever I'm in Seattle, I always make it a point to stop by and visit Malory Sensei. I had to travel to Seattle regularly for work several years ago and Malory and her dojo basically adopted me when I was in town. I've really enjoyed every opportunity I've have to learn under Malory. She really emphasizes the connection between uke and nage in a way that speaks to where I am in my journey. She's also a great person on and off the mat. It's not just Malory either. The students there are all welcoming and warm people. They practice without ego. They're focused, but know how to keep it light and fun. They're just a great group of people. I haven't been able to experience this, but I know they also do things together that aren't just about aikido. They hold ikebana classes, movie nights, host fundraisers, and really foster a sense of community within the dojo. It all starts from Malory and the atmosphere she creates in the dojo. If you haven't gathered by now, I'm a fan. I can't recommend this dojo enough. Leave your ego at the door. Open to your mind to what's being shown, and I promise you won't be disappointed."

"A great dojo for both beginners and experienced practitioners. I highly recommend aikido to anyone who's interested in martial arts as a practice, but may not be interested in aggressive sparring. Malory-sensei is an excellent teacher and I learn something new every class. As someone new to martial arts, I was a bit nervous about starting out. They have a very attractive beginner's package, and I was able to sit in on a class before committing. Once I started attending practice, I was able to pick up the material quickly thanks to the one-on-one practice we get with other students as well as the teacher. It's a great community of people: everyone is welcoming and patient. The classes are well attended but not too crowded."

"My son has been doing Aikido here for about 2.5 years. The Dojo is run by Malory Graham. We were drawn to the act that a woman is the Sensei at the Dojo. Initially our motivation was to get a PE Waiver in school. Aikido is different from other martial arts, in that it encourages using the opponent's negative energy against them. This seems particularly resonant in times such as the ones we are living in. It is as much a practice of the body as it is practice of the mind. In fact, I would offer it is mind and body coming together. Before joining the Dojo, my son would question his physical abilities. A sign of his confidence in his ability is manifest in that he no longer questions his ability and in fact uses his Aikido training and approach in other aspects of his life. Seattle Aikikai, is not just a Dojo where one learns the practice of Aikido, but a community. We are grateful to have found it!"