Instructors |

Ezra Shihan (Founder and former technical director)

7th Dan Shihan (Aikikai Foundation)

Ezra Shihan studied Aikido and healing arts for over 40 years. Born on the Wirral in 1945 he began training in Aikido as a teenager and has continued his studies with various Japanese teachers. Ezra Shihan was respected throughout the British Isles and many other parts of the world for the quality of his instruction. He taught in other countries such as Ireland, Greece, Norway, Bulgaria, Poland, Tenerife , Holland, Russia, South Africa and Colombia, where his guidance was much appreciated.

As Technical Director of the Komyokan Aikido Association he also taught throughout the UK on weekend courses. His life was dedicated to the development of the human consciousness and the spreading of peace and harmony through his intensive training and teaching of Aikido. After many years teaching at part-time venues, Ezra Shihan realised his ambition by establishing his own full time centre – The Komyokan Dojo.

Ezra Shihan was awarded 7th dan in January 2009.

Sadly, Ezra Shihan passed away in December 2022.

Nick Waites

7th Dan Shihan (Aikikai Foundation)

Nick Waites, the chief instructor of the Koteikan dojo and the main personal tutor, has been a student and teacher of Aikido for over fifty years, during which time he has studied Aikido with many very senior teachers from all over the world. He was the most senior student of the late Terry Ezra, 7th dan shihan, (founder of the Komyokan Aikido Association), and the author of “Aikido, Iron Balls and Elbow Power”,“Aikido Body, Mind and Spirit” and a number of other textbooks which explore a wide range of Aikido practice methods and concepts.
Nick also studied yoga for many years in his youth, traditional Chinese medicine (he is a qualified acupuncturist) and some karate, judo and tai chi, although his main focus has always been Aikido.
He was awarded Shihan in 2018 and 7th dan by Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba (the grandson of the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba) at the Kagami Biraki ceremony in Japan in January 2025. He has taught Aikido in the Netherlands, Russia, Croatia, Abu Dhabi and many locations in the UK.

Stella Stevenson

6th Dan Shidoin (Aikikai Foundation)

Jeremy Garmson

6th Dan Shidoin (Aikikai Foundation)

Bob Small

4th dan (Aikikai Foundation)

Bob started Aikido in 1979 after a serious leg injury prevented him from playing football or practicing Shoto kia Karate. A friend suggested he check out a local Aikido club and after watching a class of “white clad practitioners throwing each other all over the place“ he decided to give it a shot. He was awarded his Shodan in 1999, Nidan in 2008 and in Sandan in January 2013.

Bob feels that Aikido “is a true marshall art, unique in movement and posture, mystifying in technique and form and exhilarating in application and expression”. However, Bob also feels that “Aikidoka are a strange breed, as they will throw their practice partners around like rag dolls and then willing reverse the role and gladly accept the same treatment!”
– See more at: http://aikido.co.uk/yudan-nashi-kan/ourinstructors/#sthash.nPChaspx.dpuf

Shaun Carr

5th dan (Aikikai Foundation)

Shaun, previously a police officer, has been practising Aikido for over 20 years. He is the senior student of the Koteikan Dojo and takes an active part in the dojo teaching schedule.

Martin Davies

5th Dan Shidoin (Aikikai Foundation)

Jim Pearson