I have spent the last week of June in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, to participate in the organization of the 12th Congress and Seminar of the International Aikido Federation. I took this opportunity to sit down with several instructors and conduct some video interviews. The following video is a discussion that I had with Janet Clift, 6th Dan Aikikai.
I met Janet Clift for the first time a few years ago during a trip that she did in to Japan with some of her students. I was delighted to see that she had been selected to teach during the upcoming congress and given that this year's emphasis was on the place of women in Aikido, I could not resist but ask her if she would accept to grant me an interview. Janet Clift is someone who does not actively seek exposure. She confessed that she did not feel very comfortable in front of the camera but thankfully, she decided to accept the interview nonetheless. Due to the fact that I have lived in England and Ireland for several years, we both quickly realized that we shared many acquaintances and experiences, and this really helped getting the conversation going. I am very glad of how the interview turned out and I think that Janet Clift's wonderful personality really comes across.
