In the following audio essay Anderson-Sensei discusses the classic link and reasoning between the study and practice of the martial arts and the application of those skills in the performing arts.
The audio can be found here.
Being firmly grounded
in the world of creation,
alive at its center:
the kamae of ai
is irimi: the Way of the Mountain Echo.
Forging in yourself whole heaps of courage,
And finding
the Floating Bridge,
Thanks to true emptiness,
opened up by [gratitude for] the gifts of the Gods.
To left and to right
avoiding
cutting and sweeping blows
go straight towards
the human heart…
- – - O’Sensei
It has been my privilege to know Kimbal Anderson for the last eight years. He has been a teacher, mentor, healer and friend.
In the summer of 2008, Kimbal co-choreographed the sword fight for the Idaho Shakespeare Festival’s production of “Macbeth”. I was playing Macduff, and Doug Miller was Macbeth, and Kimbal worked extensively on creating a visually stunning yet amazingly real Japanese sword fight. He wanted the fight to look real, and yet be dramatically exciting. We worked on everything: how to hold the sword, parries, thrusts, maneuvers. As we had both swords and small daggers, this fight was extremely complicated. I have also taken Kimbal’s sword class in his Dojo here in Boise around ten times. It is a wonderful class, where you learn all about the rituals of Samurai sword fighting. We also learn “katas” using “jos” which are long wooden sticks usually made from hard ash wood. He is a marvelous instructor: patient, understanding, calm and yet exacting. Kimbal is also a wonderful healer, and has giving me many sessions of acupressure and massage which have helped my health and well-being. He has also been a wonderful friend, always willing to help and share his knowledge of “the gentle warrior’s path in life”.
David Anthony Smith, actor with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival.
Photo by DKM Photography, courtesy of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival.
