Two Rivers Aikikai was founded as a non profit organization in 1991 by Edmund Di Marco Sensei 6th Dan, Shidoin, and Ken Brown Sensei 3rd Dan, Fukushidoin along with a group of students who had been training together in the Portland Community Schools since 1985. Di Marco Sensei originally trained at New York Aikikai for several years and is a direct student of Y. Yamada Shihan. In June 2001, at our Tenth Anniversary Seminar, Di Marco Sensei announced his retirement as Chief Instructor of Two Rivers Aikikai because he and his family were moving to Florida. He is now Chief Instructor of Lake County Aikikai. Ken Brown Sensei began his training in Gainesville, Florida in 1975 before moving to Portland in 1985. Di Marco Sensei and Brown Sensei were instrumental in creating an energetic and friendly atmosphere at Two Rivers Aikikai. The dojo remains a non profit organization and is affiliated with the Aikido World Headquarters at Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Japan through the United States Aikido Federation.

Instructors at Two Rivers Aikikai

Our Chief Instructor is Spiros Koyanis Sensei, 5th Dan, Shidoin. He is a direct student of the late Mitsunari Kanai Shihan and practiced under Kanai Sensei's guidance for twenty years. Koyanis Sensei began his training at New England Aikikai in 1983 and has been teaching Aikido to adults and children since 1989. In 2001, he became Chief Instructor of Two Rivers Aikikai. He is a firm believer in the effectiveness of non violence and as such honors the memory of Kanai Sensei in his instruction by paying close attention to Kanai Sensei's dynamic theories of the unified body and the interaction between uke and nage based on budo. Koyanis Sensei believes that Aikido is a fluid martial art that continues to grow and change based on modifications by leading practitioners. He trains several times a year at seminars and USAF summer camps under the direction of Yamada Sensei and the late Kanai Sensei's senior students including Claude Berthiaume, 7th Dan Shihan, Robert Zimmermann, 6th Dan Shihan, David Farrell, 6th Dan Shidoin, and David Halprin, 6th Dan Shidoin. Koyanis Sensei practices and teaches Iaido as taught by the late Mitsunari Kanai Sensei, Grand Master of Iaido. Two Rivers Aikikai is a member dojo of Kaze No Kai Iaido Federation under the direction of Berthiaume Sensei. Koyanis Sensei earned Shodan in Iaido at the October 2006 weapons seminar at New England Aikikai. To learn more about Iaido, its origins and convergence with Aikido refer to interviews with Mitsunari Kanai Sensei.

Lynn Marshall, 3rd Dan, Fukushidoin is also a direct student of Mitsunari Kanai Shihan. Lynn practiced karate for a year before starting Aikido at New England Aikikai in 1985. Lynn's extension and precision demonstrate that one does not have to be big to be effective. Lynn's ability to break down a technique and focus on details gives students a lot to think about and work with in the beginner and basics program at Two Rivers. Lynn has been practicing at Two Rivers Aikikai since July 1998. Lynn also practices yoga several times a week and brings a wealth of knowledge to our dojo about proper stretching techniques to gain flexibility and strength. Lynn assists Koyanis Sensei in teaching Iaido. She practiced Iaido at New England Aikikai under the direction of the late Kanai Sensei and continues to practice under the direction of Berthiaume Sensei.

Shakoda Neil, 4th Dan, Fukushidoin in Aikido and 2nd Dan in Iaido has returned to Two Rivers Aikikai after a six year sabbatical to study Aikido and Iaido with the late Mitsunari Kanai Shihan at New England Aikikai. Shakoda practiced at Two Rivers Aikikai from 1993 until 2001. He regularly trained at seminars taught by Kanai Sensei and decided that he wanted to be a direct student of Kanai Sensei. In 2001 he moved to Massachusetts and began his training in Aikido and Iaido under the direction of Kanai Sensei. After Kanai Sensei's death in 2004, Shakoda continued to study Aikido under the direction of Kanai Sensei's senior students and Iaido under the direction of Claude Berthiaume Shihan. In July 2007, Shakoda moved back to Portland and Two Rivers Aikikai where he continues to train and teach Aikido and Iaido.

All instructors at Two Rivers Aikikai are highly qualified practitioners of the Art of Aikido. We bring a wealth of knowledge to our classes from varied backgrounds and we travel across the United States and Canada to attend seminars from several Shihan in order to improve our skills and those of our students. Go to our Photos page to see animated images of Yamada Sensei and Kanai Sensei throwing some of our instructors around the mat. Visitors are welcome to observe any of the classes on our schedule and speak with instructors before or after class. You may download our Visitors Information Sheet as a file (204k). It contains answers to questions that visitors often ask. When you visit, you will notice that Aikido is a formal martial art with precise rules of etiquette. You may download our Rules of Etiquette as a file (42k).

Our Facilities

Two Rivers Aikikai occupies a former futon factory on Belmont Street. It took several months of hard work to clean and renovate the space. The 1500 square foot mat was built by our students and is one of the finest features of our dojo. There are separate dressing rooms with showers for men and women. Part of our training includes sweeping the mat after class and keeping the dojo clean and neat. We are very proud of our dojo and invite you to stop by to observe class.