Top teaching for local karatekas
More than 150 enthusiastic karate practitioners attended seminars by Pascal Lecourt Sensei recently. The 7th Dan Black Belt from France visited Gauteng and the Eastern Cape.
The local event was held at the 1820 Settlers Monument in Makhanda and was facilitated by United Shotokan-Ryu chair and local karate instructor Gary Grapentin. Shotokan karate practitioners twelve years and older, orange belt and above, irrespective of karate affiliation or association were welcomed.
Lecourt Sensei was a senior student of the legendary Japanese karate master Taiji Kase Sensei (1929-2004) and is currently one of the world’s leading authorities on his unique form of Shotokan karate.
The style, which is fondly known as Kase-Ha, not only encompasses Shotokan karate, but also elements of Kase Sensei’s personal experience and research into karate.
Unlike many modern-day styles of karate, there is no sporting aspect to Kase-Ha: it is practiced as a pure form of Japanese Budo. As the first Japanese Shotokan Master from the JKA to visit SA in 1964, Kase Sensei has had a profound and significant influence on Shotokan Karate in this country.
Lecourt Sensei’s visit to SA is part of an ongoing initiative by United Shotokan-Ryu (USR) to bring some of the world’s best Shotokan karate masters and instructors to SA.
Grapentin expressed his gratitude to Lecourt Sensei for making the long journey to SA and alluded to a return visit in the not-too-distant future. For info about karate classes in Port Alfred, Kenton or Makhanda email garyg@geenet.co.za or call 073-346-0059 (WhatsApp).