During the summer seminar last year in Croatia, we started to discuss the possibility of Shihan Burgess teaching a seminar at the Aikido društvo Zagreb.  This finally reached fruition last month when he taught in Zagreb over the weekend 15-16 April.

The dojo itself was in need of a lot of restoration work when it was first rented from the City of Zagreb in 2013 with no no electricity, plumbing or water.  Located next to Zagreb central station, within the confines of a Steam Mill complex, it is a monument of Zagreb’s industrial past, built at the beginning of the 20th century.

Through the endeavours of the club members, volunteering their time and effort, the building is being carefully restored. Today, they have produced a beautiful and peaceful place to practice.

The seminar was well received over the weekend.  Similarly, well received by our instructors who accompanied Shihan Burgess for the weekend, was the kind hospitality of the club and the city.

Here are some photographs from the seminar which give an indication of the enthusiasm of the practise over the weekend.

Aikido društvo Zagreb will be hosting one of the summer seminar given by Doshu Yoshigasaki this summer at Baske Ostarije,Velebit. More details can be found here.