Dirk Kropp
Dojo manager, aikido teacher
Born in Cologne in 1959, I started doing aikido when I was 16. In 1979, after having finished school and done military service, I decided to break off my studies in telecommunications in order to devote myself entirely to my daily training, which already took five hours a day. I made aikido my career. I was awarded 7th Dan in 2011.
From 1975-89, I followed the teachings of the Japanese master Katsuaki Asai. In order to become better acquainted with the origins of aikido and to maintain contact with its roots, I have been travelling to Japan regularly since 1984. In the Aikikai Honbu Dojo, in Tokyo, I practise mainly with the descendants of the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba.
From 1983 until his death in 1988, Dr Kokichi Hatakeyama, a doctor and swordmaster, was my mentor and benefactor in Japan.
As a founding member, I belong to the Bundesverband der Aikido-Lehrer (Federal Association of Aikido Teachers).
Dojo
In 1985, I, along with Hans-Jürgen Klages, opened a dojo purely devoted to aikido in the town of Hürth. We moved to Cologne in 1989. Our aikido styles diverged over time, so we went our separate ways in 1997. Since then, I have had sole responsibility for the management of the dojo.
Teacher
I got my first experience of teaching aikido at Samurai Porz and Sportcenter Bushido from 1980 to 1985. I have been conducting lessons in my dojo every day since 1985. In parallel to that, I taught at the Deutschen Sporthochschule (German Sport University Cologne) from 1985-97.
Some aikido teachers who today head aikido groups themselves discovered their love of this martial art in my dojo. I supported them on their way for many years – and I still support some of them even today. Since 2005, I have offered a five-year course of training to become an aikido teacher. From 2005 to 2010 I trained Rosmarie Scheibler; since September 2011, Christian Schmidt has been undergoing this training.
Author
Together with Christina Barandun, I wrote a detailed book to accompany aikido training. It was published by the Kösel-Verlag publishing company in 2009.
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