AIKIDO INSTITUTE
Picture
INSTRUCTORS
  • AIKIDO INSTITUTE
    • ABOUT AIKIDO
    • OUR DOJO
    • INSTRUCTORS
    • Donate
    • CONTACT US
  • THE KIAI
  • CLASSES
    • FREE AIKIDO INTRO
    • YOGA
Our senior instructors trained with Saito Sensei in Iwama, Japan, and at his California seminars starting in the 70s and continuing through the 80s and 90s.  This includes a number of classes he taught at our dojo in Oakland.  Together with other students, they created a space in California for Aikido as taught by Saito Sensei.  Our junior instructors are all 3rd Dan or above and have trained extensively in Aikido. 
​Aikido Institute is a non-profit. All of our instructors volunteer to teach Aikido at our dojo. Together, they offer a wealth of knowledge and experience on the mat, and are valuable dojo resources.
​
About our dojo
X Slider Background Settings
  • X Slider Image
    Picture
    Kim Peuser, 7th Dan, Shihan

    Kim Sensei is our dojo's highest ranking member and serves our Supervising Instructor.  He is a founding member of the Takemusu Aikido Association and  serves on its Board of Directors and Ranking Committee, and is also Supervising Instructor for several other dojos around the US.

    Kim Sensei 
    began studying Aikido in 1974 at our dojo which was on College Avenue in Oakland at the time.  In 1976 he became a live-in student at the dojo, and in 1977 went to Japan for the first time, living at the Iwama Dojo and training under the late Saito Morihiro Shihan who promoted him to Shodan.  He returned to Iwama 4 years later, continuing to study with Saito Sensei while living outside the dojo.  In 1987 he became Chief Instructor of the Oakland Dojo; he turned the role over to Hoa Newens Sensei several years later, but took over again in 2001 and stayed as Chief Instructor until 2017.

    Kim Sensei has taught seminars in California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and New York as well as in Italy. In January 2020 Aikido World Headquarters in Tokyo awarded him the title “Shihan”.
  • X Slider Image
    Deborah Maizels, 6th Dan, Shidoin

    Deborah Sensei ​is Co-Doj
    o-Cho (manager) of our dojo. She began at the Aikido Institute in 1973 at its first location on College Ave. in Oakland.  She studied with Bill Witt Sensei in the 70s and trained in Iwama as an uchi-deshi and as a soto-deshi with Morihiro Saito Sensei in 1980 and 1987.  She has taught at the Aikido Institute since 1986.
    Picture
  • X Slider Image
    Picture
    Stephen Kilmer, 5th Dan, Shidoin

    ​Steve Sensei is a senior instructor and previous Dojo-cho (2008 - 2017).  He began studying Aikido at the Aikido Institute in 1981.  As he puts it:

    ​I have found that Aikido changes the more I study.   I'm sure this is a reflection of how I have changed and of the increasingly more detailed things my teachers have shown me about Aikido the longer I've trained. 
  • X Slider Image
    Picture
    Dave Lewin, 4th Dan, Shidoin

    Dave Sensei is Co-Dojo-Cho with Deborah Sensei, and assists her in managing the dojo.  He excels at helping new students make progress in their practice.

    Dave started training in Aikido in 2002 and has studied with Kim Peuser Sensei and others at the Aikido Institute since 2005.  He served as uchi-deshi at the dojo for a year and a half, and also brings a combined 4-5 yrs of experience  in other martial arts including TKD and BJJ to the mat.  Dave has traveled to Iwama, Japan to train at the founder's dojo in 2015, 2017, and 2019.
      
  • X Slider Image
    Picture
    Josh Langenthal, 4th Dan

    Josh started training in 1993 at the Aikido Institute and has trained here continuously under Kim Peuser Sensei, Hoa Newens Sensei and Stephen Kilmer Sensei since that time.
  • X Slider Image
    Picture
    Jacob Clapsadle, 3rd Dan

    ​Jacob started training in Aikido in 1999 in the youth class at Mendocino Aikido with Janferie Stone Sensei.  He joined the Aikido institute in 2002 and has studied with Kim Peuser Sensei and others ever since.  Jacob has trained as uchi-deshi in Iwama with Shigemi Inagaki Shihan in 2012 and 2017.
Picture
5515 Doyle Street, Unit 2,
​Emeryville, CA 94608
​
510-735-9192 - info@aikidoinstitute.org

Aiki Integrated Arts, dba the Aikido Institute, is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization.  For more info, please go here.
Questions or comments about the site: webmaster@aikidoinstitute.org
  • AIKIDO INSTITUTE
    • ABOUT AIKIDO
    • OUR DOJO
    • INSTRUCTORS
    • Donate
    • CONTACT US
  • THE KIAI
  • CLASSES
    • FREE AIKIDO INTRO
    • YOGA