What Is Albany Aikido's Affiliation and Seminar History?

Updated

Albany Aikido is a traditional Aikido dojo affiliated with the United States Aikido Federation and the Aikikai in Japan. Its website also highlights one specific past event: the Irvin Faust Shihan Celebration Seminar, held in November 2019.

Affiliation: What It Means

The site describes Albany Aikido as "a traditional Aikido dojo, affiliated with the United States Aikido Federation and the Aikikai in Japan."

  • United States Aikido Federation (USAF) — the national organization the dojo names as its affiliate.
  • Aikikai in Japan — the headquarters organization the dojo connects itself to through that affiliation.

For a prospective student, this matters because affiliation signals a connection to established traditional Aikido organizations rather than an independent or unaffiliated program. The site does not detail what the affiliation requires of the dojo or what rank recognition students receive, so those specifics would need to be confirmed directly with the dojo.

Seminar History: The November 2019 Event

The only seminar named on the site is the Irvin Faust Shihan Celebration Seminar, November 2019. It appears as a highlighted item on the homepage, alongside a "Fall Seminar" link in the site navigation.

The available page content does not include the seminar's schedule, instructors, location, or cost — only the event's name and date. The site also does not list any other seminars or a recurring seminar calendar, so it is not possible to tell from this material whether seminars are held regularly or how often.

What the Site Covers Beyond Affiliation and Seminars

The navigation lists the following sections:

Section Purpose (as labeled)
Home Main page
Fall Seminar Seminar information
Our Instructors Instructor profiles
Classes Class information
Kids' Program Youth program
Fees Pricing information
Satellite Dojo Additional training location
Contact Contact details

The dojo's listed address is 143 Troy Schenectady Road, Watervliet NY 12189. The site also includes a phone number field and a contact form, though the specific number is not shown in the available content.

How the Site Describes Aikido

The homepage describes Aikido as "a martial art that promotes the harmony of mind, body, and spirit," characterized by "graceful, flowing, circular movements that lead an opponent's energy into a controlled throw or pin to defuse a hostile situation." It states that because the art is based on redirection rather than strength, it is "suitable for all people of any age and body type," and that "anyone at any fitness level can benefit."

These are the dojo's own characterizations of the art, not independently verified claims.

What to Confirm Before Contacting the Dojo

The available site content leaves several practical questions open:

  • Current class times and whether beginners need prior experience
  • Current fees (the "Fees" page exists, but no amounts appear in the available content)
  • Whether the Fall Seminar is an annual event and what the 2019 seminar involved
  • What the "Satellite Dojo" location is and how it differs from the main dojo

For any of these, the dojo's Contact page is the appropriate starting point.