Blackbelt ceremony

[monkeygirl]

My karate dojo is thinking about changing its system of awarding blackbelts this coming test. After the test, all of the participants will go to a banquet and be awarded their blackbelts if they get it. The idea is that nobody knows whether or not they've passed until the awarding.

 

This is completely new to us, and we know that other dojos do it. If your dojo does this, how do you pull it off? I.E. locations, whether or not they should know if they've passed beforehand...Any specifics would be nice.

 

What other types of ceremonies do you perform??

 

I'm in a hurry to type this so I may have left out some info. In that case, feel free to post or PM me asking more questions. Our next is September 21st (incidentally, MY blackbelt test), by the way.

 

 

[Withers M.A.A.]

I would say have the test done a week prior to the banquit. Have the testing completed on a Sat. and have the ceremony on the following Friday night. Make the student wait a week to find out. That builds patience. Then hold the ceremony at the school. After the awards are given out then reserve some tables at a chinese rest.

 

Good luck,

 

Pete

 

 

[G95champ]

We have never had a dinner. Our tests usually takes a few days because part of it is for the person to teach a class or two. Then its pretty much a given at that point. I mean if you fail we just stop the test and don't get to the teaching stage.

 

We like to do a sword presantation. The class will pitch in and buy a sword for show and we go though the knighting type thing and give the blackbelt to them. Sort of what you would see in Midevil Europe. Its pretty nice.

 

I know clubs that take their blackbelts out to dinner we have never done that but it would be nice.

 

 

[Taikudo-ka]

The only prob I see is that students could get mighty disappointed if tey get dressed up and go along to the restaurant, only to miss out on the award... it would hype them up a bit, then let them down mightily.

 

Maybe you could contrive to only invite the "new blackbelts" who've actually passed, but not tell them its for the award or that others aren't invited... but then that could be hard to pull off if students gossip with each other... oh well...

[John G]

We do much the same as Mr. Withers as far as presentation and timing; we also invite current club blackbelts and the parents or spouse/partner of the new blackbelt holder out to the Chinese restaurant.

 

 

[Taikudo-ka]

Hey guys, if you're studying Karate, wouldn't a Japanese restaurant be more appropriate?

 

Plus if you're game you can try your dojo Japanese in real life.

 

 

[three60roundhouse]

Well, our tests take place over a series of Friday nights, maybe five or six, and then the Saturday after their last test. our school plans a demonstration of rall the students to perform in. The last performers are the black belt candidates (the ones who have made it far enough - these ones always get the belt). After they do a small demo, their parents are asked to come up and tie the belts. This year, a small girl named Ally who got her preliminary black belt read the essay she had had to write to our instructor. I think the dinner is odd because it would definitely let down those who were waiting for the belt and didn't get it - I'd rather do what our school is and drop people off along the way of the tests if they aren't up to par.

[SaiFightsMS]

We went out for pizza after one test where black belts were awarded. Hey, we are Americans after all. But for the most parts the belts are always awarded after test.

 

 

[Mamutti]

Our school has its BB testing phase over a number of weeks. Our head instructor also conducts reviews with just the candidates for about two months before hand. People are dropped out during all phases including the reviews so that only the people actually receiving belts come to the final performance phase. Parent stand up and speak to the children, and the school reads section of the students' essay on why they wanted to be a black belt. The whole school is invited and we all bring food to celebrate. The karate school provides the pizza. It is always a positive night because only those who have passed are participating.

[karatekid1975]

In my school, there is the "testing" day, then there is the ceremony. It's kinda like what G95 does, but without the sword. The new BB comes up, takes his red belt off, folds it neatly, and gets down on one knee. He holds the red belt up with both hands (with his/her eyes closed), then my master takes it and replaces it with there new BB. It's kinda cool. Then the parent or spouse comes up and ties the belt on. Then he/she reads a "promise". I forgot how it went. Something like an oath to be humble and helpful or something. I wish I could remember. If the ceremony of any test falls on a saturday, the testers, parents/spouse, and instructors all go out to eat.