Just before we joined the classes at the
Arizona School of Traditional Karate on Baseline at the
border of Mesa and Gilbert, my friend and I called to see if it would be OK to observe a class. Many Okinawan martial arts schools have a policy that does not allow visitors to watch training because of secrets that are taught to the students. We were cheerfully invited to stop by Tuesday evening to watch a session.
Driving east on baseline from Country Club, we spotted a sign 'Karate' over a doorway at the northeastern corner of Baseline and MacDonald. It was an unassuming sign, so we expected only the typical mall-type martial arts school, but we were surprised and impressed when walking into the school. We were met in the foyer by Sensei Borea. He looked like my grandfather and was extremely friendly and talkative. Mr. Borea told us that he had spend several years in Japan with his wife (half-Japanese) in the air force as a pilot and indicated that the martial arts taught in this school was the real thing. Comparable to anything in Japan. So we were excited to learn more.
Sensei Borea took us into the training center after passing through a hall with dozens of diplomas for Grandmaster Hausel, a former University of Wyoming professor of martial arts and internationally renown geologist. This was my first time seeing certifications written in Japanese and English and displayed so anyone could inspect them. We entered the training hall and were greeted by all of the students who had great things to say about the class, training, and their grandmaster. I was surprised by the education level of everyone I met: PhDs, engineers, scientists, accountants, lawyers, teachers, health care technicians, dancers - it was much different than I had expected.
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| Stretching at the start of the class |
The training center was a real surprise. I was expecting a tiny room like most of the schools, but the facility opened up to a large training center with a wooden floor and matted floor. It looked traditional. We watched the class and were very impressed by the power that emanated from the students and grandmaster. This was the place! We signed up the next day and have now been training for a couple of years. If you are interested in mixed martial arts and tournaments, this is not the place for you. If you are interested in learning real, traditional, martial arts - this is your dojo!
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| Wednesday evening samurai arts class |
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Practicing kata on Tuesday nights.
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| Self-Defense training on Wednesdays before samurai arts |
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Dr. Neal and Dr. Naghmeh
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| Sensei Paula Borea and Sensei Bill Borea train with Okinawan weapons (kobudo) on Thursday evenings. |
