He calls Iaido weightlifting for the mind. He was also a leading actor in his native Germany. Diamantstein is a Renshi, the equivalent of a sixth degree black belt and an excellent teacher. Iaido is taught here in the Bay Area by Sensei Andrej Diamantstein in dojos in San Francisco and Berkeley. And it may hold a key to better self appraisal and discovery than any acting class. More properly termed Kenjutsu with an emphasis on the draw, Iaido is the art of wielding the Japanese katana, the three foot single edged sabre of choice for the samurai class of feudal Japan and it can be just as challenging, thrilling and frustrating as any theatrical endeavor. The Japanese art of drawing, cutting and returning the blade to its scabbard is called Iaido. In studying Iaido, the actor can create a practice by which he or she may see themselves with the kind of granular scrutiny that being a true theatre artist requires. Your pupils dilate, trying to bring in any extra information to your cerebral cortex. You take a quick final tour through your personal checklist: Who am I? What do I want? Where is my center? Have I got my props? Is my zipper up? You take a deep breath. Dragonflies are doing acrobatics in the pit of your stomach. You wiggle a little, trying to gently release a little of that excess adrenaline that courses through your body. You stand in the wings, listening for your cue. (Originally published in Theatre Bay Area Magazine)
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