My first dan exam (as an examiner)

[aurik]

I've been an assistant instructor at my school for about 2 and a half years now, but yesterday was my first opportunity to sit on a dan grading.  Our dojo only holds them twice per year (generally May and November), and in order to sit on a black belt board, you have to be at least a (full) nidan.  For one thing I was by far the most junior member of the testing board.  The board consisted of one kudan, two nanadans (including my CI, who just tested for his 7th degree the previous day), two godans, a yondan, and me.  We had a total of 11 candidates - one for sandan, one for sandan-sho, one for nidan, four for shodan, and three for shodan-sho.  Normally, our CI would run 2 tests, but with him returning that morning from our hombu dojo, multiple tests weren't really an option.

Our organization has a scorecard for dan exams, where each performance category is worth X points, where 80% of that is required to pass.  In theory, you could fail one category and still pass the exam.  In practice, most students will get "minimal passing" scores for most categories.  I looked at my neighbor's scorecard, and for most categories, he had every candidate earning minimal score, with a few exceptions.  Keep in mind that with 7 evaluators, one evaluator isn't going to make or break a candidate's score, so it all evened out in the end.

I found that evaluating candidates for Sanchin and their rank kata was pretty easy -- we only had a single candidate demonstrating at a time.  Things got more complicated when we we started having two pairs of candidates at a time, performing bunkai, yakusoku kumite, and kote kitae.  Then things got really hairy when they performed their hojo undo and free sparring (when we had every candidate on the floor at the same time).

Once the candidates were done, the scoring was pretty quick -- (we had 2 scorekeepers helping out with the test).  Everyone passed, which wasn't really a surprise.  We require everyone who tests for a dan rank to perform a 3 month prep cycle, where they attend an additional class every week that focuses on the content of the test.  Before the results were officially announced, each of the instructors was expected to provide feedback to the candidates, either as individuals or as a group.  Some of the feedback given was:

- My feedback #1 - In a performance test, the judges will most remember the beginning and end of your performance.  So start strong, and end strong.  There were a number of candidates that had a fairly weak opening.  Likewise, quite a few candidates executed their finishing sequence (jump forward to a shiko dachi, circle block, elbow strike, one-knuckle punch).  They do that sequence quickly and then immediately stand up and bow out.  My recommendation was that they hit that sequence hard, leave the final one-knuckle punch out there for a few seconds (in a good low stance), and give the judges a good final impression.

- My feedback #2 - enunciate all of your techniques.  There were a number of students that were a bit sloppy here.  In their rank kata, I'd see them basically "flick out" their nukite strikes.  My recommendation was strike, leave it there for a moment, and then recover.  This is like the difference between a flicking type strike versus a penetrating strike.  The other place I really saw this come into play was in their kata bunkai in two specific sequences.  In one sequence, the attacker comes in with an overhand grab.  The defender is supposed to do a hand-over-hand nukite strike to the throat (to stop the opponent), then grab the attacker by the shoulders.  They then pull the attacker down while simultaneously driving their knee up into the attacker's middle.  The other sequence involves a lapel grab.  The defense is to perform a double nukite strike to the lower oblique muscles.  The defender then grabs the opponent, lifts them, pivots them to the right, and then pushes them into (nominally) another attacker.

In each of these sequences, many of the defenders skipped the nukite strikes and went straight into either pulling the opponent down into the knee strike, or grabbing the opponent and lifting/pivoting/pushing.  The thing is those nukite strikes are what stop the opponent's attack.

Feedback from other instructors included: watch your distancing.  When doing two-person drills and/or bunkai, you should be at a distance such that if you choose to complete and/or follow through with your technique, it should connect with your opponent.  Likewise, make sure the attacks you're providing give your opponent a realistic opportunity to practice your defenses.

One nitpick I picked up on (which I didn't really notice, but was aware of): when doing the sword attacks (technically we use shinai), always lead with the right foot.  There are no left-handed samurai.

One instructor asked the students to up their intensity, both in their technique and their bearing, and in the same comment she told the students to pick a spot and look at it.  Don't let your gaze wander.  If an instructor is standing in front of you, evaluating you, focus on a spot on their uniform.

All in all, it was a great test - I learned a lot watching the candidates and hearing the other instructors' feedback.

PS: One of the (adult) candidates, Tabata, had her entire family there.  Right before the candidates started sparring, her family all busted out "Team Tabata" T-shirts.  She had no idea they had them...