V.Ν. Kantzara-Koutroutsiou, Sensei (5th Dan Aikikai)

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Category: Teachers

Last Updated: Thursday, 16 January 2025 12:57

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Vasso started the study of Aikido in Amsterdam (1993), during her Ph.D studies in Sociology. She learned Aikido at the Tenchigowa Society (The way between heaven and earth), one of the first aikido societies in the country. After reaching the level of balk belt (1st Dan), she started teaching aikido at the society, serving also as chair of its Coordinating Board. Her first teachers include the sensei Santos (5th DAN), the late Paul Koster (5th DAN) and Nikki Lemmens (5th DAN). She followed the society after it was connected with Sensei Wilko Vriesman (7th DAN), who is a student of Christian Tissier, Shihan (8th DAN) coming thus into contact with the special teaching of the latter. She continues today on the same line after having been also a student of the late Sensei Anita Koehler (6th Dan). Vasso has been graded to the 4th Dan rank by Christian Tissier sensei (8th Dan) and in the Kagamibiraki ceremony of Hombu dojo in 2025 she was promoted to the 5th Dan aikikai.

In Athens, Vasso started teaching aikido in 2005 at the German School of Athens. Martina and herself founded the dojo named Aikido School Athens in 2005; both are also co-founders along with other colleagues of the Aikido Section of the Ju-Jitsu Federation of Greece. Vasso holds an official Sports Coaching Diploma from the Greek General Secretariat of Sports. She is also a member of International Aikido Federation, and the Aikido Federation Germany. Every year she participates in seminars given by internationally acclaimed and well known aikido teachers, both in Greece and abroad.

As a teacher, student and scholar, Vasso is interested and explores the spiritual, the martial and the philosophical aspects of Aikido. She particular studies the ways Ki (life-energy) unfolds, manifests and flows into the aikido techniques. Vasso's goal as a teacher is to promote the peace-making, conciliatory principles of Aikido and parallel to this, to cultivate an open "mind", and a big-empowering "heart" (Daishin).