A History of
Albuquerque Aikikai Professor Nakazono brought his Aikido and the theory of the Kotodama to New Mexico in the early 1970's after searching all over the world and the United States for the best location. He felt that Northern New Mexico offered the most spiritual location to transmit his understanding of O-Sensei's teachings. He and his students built the Kodotama Institute on Alto Street in Santa Fe. Several prominent Aikidoka from this period include D. Abbott, N. Colias, D. Birt, E. Beringer, A. Fleshler and Y. Solomon. By 1981, Prof. Nakazono had turned most of the Aikido teaching over to his son, K. Nakazono. The Kodotama Institute later closed. Nakazono Sensei passed over on October 8, 1994.By 1983, Nikos Colias in Santa Fe and David Birt in Albuquerque were teaching Aikido to a small group of students. Later, both teachers moved to San Diego to study under
Chiba Sensei. At this time, one of the senior students, Erick Gelfand, proposed forming both schools under one organization and calling it the Southwestern Aikikai. Chiba Sensei came to give a seminar and conducted the first testing in 1984 and awarded 1st Kyu rank to Aki Fleshler, Jim Feeney, Priscilla Feeney, Hank Strypeck and Ron Druva who were the teachers of the new organization. When Chiba Sensei declined his teaching fee, he stated that the money should go to building a dojo dedicated to Aikido. He also stated that he would send a teacher from his school in San Diego.  When the first Dojo was built on Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe in 1985, Dennis Abbott Sensei arrived and began commuting to teach in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Shortly thereafter, the Dojo on Coal Avenue in Albuquerque was constructed. In 1989, a business opportunity led Abbott Sensei to move to California, leaving the dojos in the hands of the senior students until new teachers could be sent by Chiba Sensei. Within six months Ismail Hasan Sensei and Rihab Yaqub Sensei arrived and began teaching in both Dojos. Abbott Sensei returned in 1993 to teach in Albuquerque while Yaqub Sensei continued in Santa Fe. The dojo moved to a location on Yale Boulevard in 1994.
Hauer Sensei took over the Santa Fe dojo when Yaqub Sensei left to pursue her study of Zen Buddhism and the Santa Fe dojo was renamed to Santa Fe Aikikai. In early 2000, the Albuquerque dojo moved to its current location and in late 2000, Abbott Sensei retired, leaving both dojos under the leadership of Hauer Sensei until the arrival of Okuyama Sensei in September of 2001. -- Ron Druva Former Chief Instructor Dennis Abbott: Abbott Sensei began his Aikido training in Santa Fe under Nakazono Sensei in 1971.In 1982, he moved to San Diego to continue training under
Chiba Sensei. Qualifying as an instructor in Aikido, Aikido weapons, and Iaido, he returned to New Mexico to continue the development of Southwestern Aikikai. Abbott Sensei holds the rank of Sixth Dan in Aikido. He presently serves as a member of the teaching committee of the United States Aikido Federation. His close affiliation with Chiba Sensei, 8th Dan, Chairman of the Teaching Committee of the USAF Western Region, Shibata Sensei, 7th
Dan, Berkeley Aikikai and other senior Aikidoka from across the country, has greatly contributed to the rich learning environment at
Southwestern Aikikai (now called Albuquerque Aikikai).
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