2020 ... That year

by Deborah Maizels

​It's the end of 2020. I am tired, worn, distracted, spent. My body and mind feel like I've been on a marathon overseas flight that took off in March and hasn't yet landed. Periodically a constant, low-pitched humming noise breaks into my awareness. Not jet engines. Only the drone of the current rules of engagement that repeat constantly in my brain: mask, distance, hand-sanitizer.

To ground myself, I work to remember all of 2020. Starting with the pre-pandemic time when we were training in the dojo, when we shared strong grips and throws, and when we were about to celebrate our 50th anniversary. ​I remember the excitement and focus as we prepared for our big celebration and then how quickly everything changed.

We've come a long way since those first days of lockdown. We've found ways to keep training, to keep the Dojo open even though the doors are shut. In fact in 2020, despite the pandemic, not only did we do a lot of keiko, but we also held 1 yondan, 3 sandan, 2 nidan, and 2 shodan exams plus 5 Adult kyu tests and 5 Kids' Class kyu tests!

And, in case you are wondering, we are still planning to hold our 50th anniversary celebration whenever doing so is again safe!

Below is a short, 21st-century Journal of a Plague Year.

January through February - Pre-Pandemic Normalcy

• For New Year's Day Training, we did a bunch of Kokyunage.
• The dojo was filled with good energy!  Sensei Scott Berg of Aikido of Alamo joined us.​
• 3 New Shihans announced: Hoa Newens Shihan, Kim Peuser Shihan, Bernice Tom Shihan​​​

• Kangeiko 2020 
• Kumitachi and henka
• 1000 Bokken strikes
• New Aikido Institute SWAG: The logo beer glass.

• ​Workshop with Kim Sensei included three Dan Exams
• Eduardo Guardarramas, sandan.
• Joshua Langenthal, yondan.
• Scott Roberts, shodan. 
• Big kanpai after to celebrate Kim Sensei's new honorific title: Kim Peuser, Shihan

February/March: 50th Anniversary Preparation

• Our 50th celebration was fast approaching: March 21st. The First Day of Spring.
• Dave Lewin created a  special logo and a Terrific Video, "The Oakland Dojo" for the event.
• We had an amazing line up of guest instructors who were each important in our Dojo's history. 

• Event organization revolved around making room for all our visitors and guests. Not only finding additional parking and additional changing areas, we also needed additional space for all visitors AND their shoes. 
• Another focus was on clean up, painting, and prep. 

Cleaning and fixing and painting

Seating Chart for Bento Lunch

• ​We investigated Bento options and designed a lunch seating plan.
• Held rehearsals to work out the kinks in serving, eating, and cleaning up from lunch.
• Rehearsals of greeting and directing guests to changing areas. 
• And we also began stockpiling provisions for a giant kanpai. ​

• We gathered historical documents such as schedules, advertisements, photos, promotions. 
• Michal Zimring found that photo from Beth Hall's nidan test. Hoa and Kim were the Dojo Cho. The test was suddenly stopped because Beth had lost her contact. Uke and Sensei joined in the search.
• We found several proposed ads for a marketing campaign created by Richard Levitt. Hoa and Kim had taken turns throwing and falling for the camera.

Shelter in Place

• March 9:  50th Postponed. We tracked the novel coronavirus news closely as we were nearing the event day. Sadly, it became clear that due to Covid we just couldn't assure a safe venue for all sensei, students, alumni, and friends on 3/21.  With heavy hearts, we postponed our long-awaited 50th anniversary celebration. 
• March 11:  Dojo Closes.  As the news continued to get worse, and phrases like "flatten the curve" and "social distancing" became part of everyday speech, our Board of Directors met and agreed that to assure the health and safety of our community, the Dojo would close until the situation was stable and safe.
• March 15:  California Lockdown.  Four days after we closed the Dojo, the State of California ordered a Lockdown of all businesses.

First virtual dinner after lockdown

• Stunned by the news, saddened by the lockdown, Dojo things went quiet for about a week. 
• But then we discover Zoom and had a chance to gather together at our first Dojo virtual dinner.
• We began to schedule classes again but now via Zoom.

 ​April - June: Aikido during a Pandemic

• Unable to meet at the Dojo, we established a virtual class schedule. Instructors broadcast Zoom classes from their living rooms, bedrooms, backyards, and kitchens.
• Rather than one, central, beautiful shomen, we now had a distributed network of personal shomens to which we bowed when beginning or ending each class.
• Many technical challenges were overcome: WiFi not strong enough, picture freezing, voice freezing, Zoom crashing, lighting (... and how do you get your feet as well as your head in the shot at the same time???). 
• Additional adjustments included learning how to demonstrate a technique with an invisible uke.​​

A Home Shomen

Creative ethernet cord management

• Some good news: we get to meet everyone's dog or cat via Zoom.
• Our Kids' program kept going, too.
• Led by Zoe Laventhol with help from Josh Langenthal, Susan Martinez, and Cathy Garrett, our kids kept training and took their kyu tests in June.

Simona and her yoga cat

July - Our First Pandemic Dan Exams

• Determined to keep moving forward, we scheduled our first pandemic Dan exams via Zoom for Cathy Garrett, nidan, Simona Balan, nidan, and Zoe Laventhol, sandan.
  
• Socially distanced, masks on, invisible ukes only.
• For Zoe and Cathy, a location on the Oakland waterfront provided a flat surface, space for camera, monitor, and camera operator as well as sufficient space to maintain distance. For Simona, her living room transformed into a small dojo in which she did her test.
• We discovered another perk of virtual tests: remote visitors. Kim Sensei and Kathy Montgomery Sensei were able to attend via Zoom from Mendocino. Simona's sister could attend via Zoom from Romania. 

Hanging out after the tests. Socially-distanced. Masks On. 

July to December: More training and more tests!

• Learning the virus wasn't as much of a threat when outside, we maximized our training at Emeryville Marina and held some classes at other parks.
• Due to the California forest fires that burned throughout the late summer, before confirming outdoor class times, we checked air.gov and adjusted locations based on the latest information. 
• Outdoor classes plus Zoom classes meant that by the end of 2020, we were offering 9 Adult Aikido classes as well as 2 Kids' classes and 1 yoga class every week. 

Training outdoors. 

  2020 draws to a close

• We ended 2020 strong with Kyu tests and Dan Exams
• 4th kyu tests for Ryan Silvan and Jeff Paris.
• 3rd kyu test for Alexis Keenan.
• 1st kyu tests for Kirsten Williams and Randy Seifert.
• Shodan exam for Mocha Shelton.​ 
• Sandan exam for Michal Zimring.

​Other Dojo Updates

• Lots of new FDA-approved cleaning products are now on site at the Dojo, ready for whenever we're able to re-open.
• We've added a QR code on our lawn sign that we display when we train outdoors. Passersby often stop, watch, then use their phones to get info on the Dojo.
• ​Even More SWAG: An AI facemask!​​

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2020 Ends
As every year before it, 2020 ended on December 31st. We hoped the pandemic would end on the same day, but it has not.
I'm happy to report that our Dojo's spirit stays strong. We are blessed with a committed core of students who are dedicated to the art of Aikido.
We continue to maintain social distance, wear masks, and to train outdoors or virtually.
​And we look forward to the time when we're back inside the Dojo throwing and falling on our beautiful mat.

December 31, 2020: The shomen decorated for the upcoming New Year.