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On Friday the 23rd of June, in the large Hall of Sport Center Pozarevac, the Vice-President of Kenjutsu International Association of Instructors (KIAI), Mr. Phil Scudieri, opened a seminar for the local Budo club, also known as SHINBUKAN, as well for guest-clubs, members of SBC, from Vrsac (GOSHINKAN), from Smederevo (MUSASHI) and from Petrovac. Aiki-Jutsu and Kenjutsu demonstrated by Phil sensei and Celinda sensei were very formal, and in many aspects new to lots of young practitioners from SBC, who are mostly familiar with principles of Gendai jujutsu. Kenjutsu lessons have included both basics (kihon) and advanced principles drawn from Itto Ryu and Tenshin Ryu. Phil sensei strongly emphasized a few major determinants of Japanese swordsmanship and aiki-jutsu, such as zanshin, use of the same ashi-waza and the same body motions, applicability of the same strategies, the definition of a swordsman as a "heihojin" - the one who studies not only a single weapon art, but entire art of military affairs. On more than a few occasions a well known sentence was said: "A swordsman is not a karate guy with a stick." The significance of distinguishing various principle of different arts was especially underlined. This is important because in many clubs and dojo these arts are practiced under the same roof, the same as in Delaware Budokan, which is owned and run by Phil and Celinda sensei, where they teach Karate, Aiki-Jutsu and Kenjutsu. All participants were very satisfied with a pleasant friendly approach of the teachers from the USA, and were also impressed with their exceptional high technical qualities. At the end of the day one, some of the participants demonstrated their arts in front of KIAI leaders. Dr. Ivica Zdravkovic, president of Serbian Sports Chanbara Association (4th Dan ISCA), also used the opportunity to promote certain SBC members for their sport result, leadership and technical advancement. These newly promoted instructors are: Adrijana Barsi from Vrsac (GOSHINKAN), promoted to 1st Dan Chanbara, Igor Kesic from Smederevo (MUSASHI), promoted to 1st Dan Chanbara, and Srdjan Spasic from Pozarevac (SHINBUKAN), promoted to 2nd Dan Chanbara. Finally, on behalf of KIAI, and with agreement of KIAI president Nick Sleep from England, Phil Scudieri sensei was awarded with a HANSHI certificate, for his 35 years of instructional work, supreme level of technical skills and academic knowledge, and his outstanding contribution in promotion of Japanese sword arts on an international level. On Saturday, the 24th of June, Phil and Celinda held another similar seminar for members of the martial arts club in Petrovac, hosted by Srdjan Ilic sensei. The guests from the USA have been also received by the mayor of the town, and they were interviewed by local media, the same as in Pozarevac. In the evening Phil and Celinda were also present at the regular chanbara class in Pozarevac, where the youngest students have performed Kihon Dosa, Happo Giri kata, Chanbara, and Sport Kenjutsu fights (Ji geiko). On Sunday the guests were taken to Sabac town, to run one more seminar for members of the PANTHER club, headed by Milan Vujasin sensei, president of SBC. This seminar - the same as previous ones - was attended by over 40 practitioners, including instructors and students from Vrsac, Petrovac, and Pozarevac. At the end of the seminar Phil Scudieri sensei and Celinda Ellsworth sensei expressed their gratitude for the hospitality and warm welcome from all in the SBC. The next meeting with kenjutsu and chanbara instructors from Serbia was announced for 2007, when a large KIAI meeting should take place in England. SBC members give their deepest gratitude to Phil sensei and Celinda sensei for their friendship, good atmosphere they have created, their wiling to teach all the attending people, and their patience with those who met with traditional Aiki-jutsu and Kenjutsu for the first time. Special gratitude comes from the members of SHINBUKAN school, who have enriched their Shinbukan kenjutsu with new knowledge, including certain ceremonial principles (reiho), traditional drills (undo), and a very beautiful Taikyoku no ken kata, which is as of now an official part of Shinbukan kenjutsu curriculum.          
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