Robert Nadeau Shihan, 8th dan

Robert Nadeau, Shihan, is a key figure in the growth and development of Aikido in America. He began his martial arts training in the 1950's…more

jack wada, 7th dan

Jack Wada, 7th degree Black Belt, began Aikido in 1969 while a student at the University of California, Santa Cruz…more

LAURIN HERR, 6TH DAN

Laurin began his Aikido training 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 at the Bond Street Dojo in New York City with Terry Dobson and Ken Nisson. He met Robert Nadeau Sensei in 1999 and has been practicing with him ever since. He was a regular teacher at City Aikido of San Francisco 2004-2020, and since 2021 at Aikido of Mountain View.

VIANEY VILLELA, 4TH DAN

Vianey started his study of Aikido with Robert Nadeau Shihan in 1989.  From 2009 to 2016, he operated his own dojo in Brazil - Aikido de Goiania. Since 2016, he has been living in the USA,  practicing and teaching at Aikido of Mountain View. 

Martial arts has never been Vianey's primary purpose for studying Aikido. A book called Creativity in Business by Michael Ray and Rochelle Myers is what originally brought him into Aikido. His personal background is in gymnastics, volleyball, swimming and lots of dancing, and he likes how he can find aspects of them all in Aikido.  

He approaches each class as an opportunity for self- discovery and personal growth, with a particular focus on how Aikido can help us learn new ways to behave and succeed in both conflict and non-conflict situations that arise in family life and professional relations.