O'sensei Revisited • 2021 Virtual Workshop  Week 2
Channel: moonsensei
Date: 2021-03-14

Instructor: Bob Leichner, 6th dan
Instructor: Elaine Yoder, 6th dan
Instructor: Laurin Herr, 6th dan
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Instructor: Bob Leichner, 6th dan

Bob has practiced Aikido over many years with three American teachers: Frank Doran, Mary Heiny and Robert Nadeau. He began his Aikido study with Doran sensei in 1978. Then, he met Mary Heiny sensei in 1999. During his early years in Aikido, Bob was repeatedly impressed by the quality of the movement and presence on the mat of certain training partners, qualities that Bob felt he needed to experience and add to his own practice. When he asked who these students trained with, the answer was frequently “Robert Nadeau sensei.” And so, he began practicing with Nadeau sensei, as well. To this day, Bob considers it a privilege to train under these three exceptional Aikido teachers.


Instructor: Elaine Yoder, 6th dan

Elaine began her Aikido training in 1977 with Robert Nadeau sensei. She has continued training and teaching in the Bay Area over the past 44 years. The focus of her Aikido teaching, as well as her professional practice as a Feldenkrais® Practitioner, is to use movement to help humans live full and healthy lives.


Instructor: Laurin Herr, 6th dan

Laurin was introduced to Aikido in 1971 as a student at Cornell University. Inspired by his first experience on the mat, he studied Japanese intensively, moved to Tokyo and entered Aikido Hombu Dojo as an unranked white belt, earning his shodan there in 1976. He spent formative years at the Kumano Juku Dojo in Shingu, Japan training under Hikitsuchi, Anno, Yanase and Tojima sensei. He also practiced several years at the Bond Street Dojo in New York City with Terry Dobson and Ken Nisson. Laurin settled in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in 1998 started practicing with Robert Nadeau sensei. He has been teaching at City Aikido of San Francisco since 2004.