Women's Aikido Camp 2012 taking shape

Great training and lots of fun.

Those are my lasting impressions of the first and only women's Aikido Camp I attended, held at New Mexico's Ghost Ranch in the 1990s. Women from many Aikido groups and backgrounds gathered at the ranch, making for constant thought-provoking encounters both on and off the mat.

In the years since, there have been several efforts to organize another women's Aikido camp, but none have come to fruition that I know of. I think 2012 is the year!

My hope is that this camp will bring together women from across the Aikido spectrum at a retreat-style event that allows for lots of training, conversation and fun.

Feedback from our initial survey shows support of the idea of a camp in a low-cost, rustic setting. I've found several good prospects for locations not too far from the Northeast's major cities that will keep costs low and keep us out of cell and broadband range. Low-cost and low-tech. What do you think?

I do understand that people have concerns about a single-gender camp, and that subject is open to discussion. However I think that enough people support the idea that I feel confident going forward with the concept of a "women's camp."

Please visit the Women's Aikido Camp 2012 Facebook page for updates, and take the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/X95Q5Q3.

Liese Klein is Chief Instructor at Fire Horse Aikido in New Haven, CT.