Instructors

Christophe Depaus - 6th dan Aikikai (Dojo-Cho)

CERTIFIED TEACHER Hands & Weapons (GIAS system - Sugano Shihan)
SHIDOIN

Born in November 1973, Christophe Depaus started practicing aikido at the age of 11 at the private circle Yama Arashi, under the direction of Tony Thielemans. One year later, in 1986, he joined the French-speaking Federation of Aikido (AFA, at the time ACBA) within the club "Le Chardon", with Luc Deweys and Chantal Danthine as teachers.
He passes the national shodan (1st dan) at the age of 18 and then passes the Aikikai shodan, in front of Sugano Shihan, on his 19th birthday. Shortly afterwards he joins the Shinbukan aikidojo where he is taught by Marco Zenthner, Jacques Horny, and Henri Behr Jr. Christophe decides to follow Jacques Horny when he leaves the Shinbukan to found the Hikari Aikikai of Rebecq. He will be a student and teacher there for more than 10 years until the opening of the Ren Shin Kan (2006).
After his studies as a civil mining engineer, which he will complete, while working as an expert in safety strategy for the deep disposal of high-level and/or long-lived radioactive waste (see this link), by studying pedagogy, philosophy of sciences (obtaining a doctorate in philosophy of science in 2023), and international nuclear law, he obtains his subsequent Aikikai grades by successive examinations under the supervision of Sugano Shihan. In 2005, at the age of 31, he obtains the 4th dan Aikikai. In 2011, he receives the 5th dan Aiikikai on the signed recommendation of Sugano Shihan (meanwhile deceased) and with the support of Christian Tissier Shihan. In January 2017, he is elevated to the rank of 6th dan Aikikai on the recommendation of Christian Tissier Shihan.
In August 2003, he passes in front of Sugano Shihan, the 1st level examination in "sabre – système IAS" (sword – IAS system), organized for the first time in Europe. As a guarantor of the teaching received from Sugano Shihan that he has at heart to transmit, he also obtains in 2008, the "Teacher certificate" officially authorizing him to pass on Sensei's teachings both with bare hands and with weapons. Only three teachers ever have received this distinction.
He also receives the Fukushidoin in 2005 and the Shidoin in 2010 from the Belgian federation AFA (Association Francophone d'Aikido).
An assiduous student and Otomo of Sugano Shihan, whom he never missed any passage in Belgium and who he also followed in the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, France, Luxembourg, Sweden and the United States (New York aikikai), he also discovers the teaching of Christian Tissier Shihan in 2000. He then decides to follow the two masters in parallel, considering their teachings extremely complementary. After Sugano Sensei's death in 2010, Christophe decided to consider Christian Tissier Sensei as his guide and referent. He now follows him in France, Germany, Italy, Sweden and Luxembourg. In addition to these two great figures of aikido, Christophe has also practiced under the direction of most of the masters passing through our country, that he meets again with happiness each time he goes back to train at the Hombu dojo in Tokyo. So, he particularly appreciates Doshu, Kobayashi Shihan, Osawa Shihan, Miyamoto Shihan and Kuribayashi Shihan.
During the year 2004, he spends one month in Japan to practice daily at the Aikikai of Tokyo, mainly under the direction of Doshu and the masters Miyamoto, Kobayashi and Seki. He will also take part, on this occasion, in the seminar organized during the 9th International Aikido Congress, at the Tokyo Olympic Center (September 2004), as a demonstrator in the Belgian team. He is also selected to represent Belgium, with six other young aikidokas, at the World Games 2005 in Duisburg (Germany) in the presence of the Doshu. He then joins the federal demonstration team.
In 2008, he goes back to Japan to train at the Hombu dojo and to participate in the 10th international congress. In 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014, he returns to train at Hombu under the direction of the Doshu, Miyamoto Sensei, Osawa Sensei, Kobayashi Sensei and Kuribayashi Sensei. In September 2016, Christophe participates in the 12th International Congress in Takasaki (Japan) and has the privilege to be one of the ukes (with Dimitri Crenier and Fabrice Croizé) of Christian Tissier Shihan during the Embukai (see video).
In October 2016, during the International Aikido Celebration course, given in Brussels by the Doshu, Christian Tissier Shihan, and Dany Leclere Shihan, Christophe will again have the chance to be one of the ukes (with Dimitri Crenier and François Pichereau) of Christian Tissier Shihan during the closing Embukai (see video).
In August/September 2019, the AFA, at the request of the International aikido Federation (IAF), recommends Christophe as a demonstrator for the "expert" category at the World Martial Arts Mastership in Chungju, South Korea. On this occasion, Christophe will first give a demonstration in the "basic techniques" category with Anne-Claire Versailles as uke ; he will then be the uke of Jikou Sugano Sensei for a demonstration in the "weapons" category and will give a demonstration in the "experts" category with Guillaume Erard and Anne-Claire Versailles as ukes. Finally, he will also be one of the ukes of Christian Tissier Shihan, ambassador of the event, for the demonstration in the "masters" category (see videos).
Christophe has also been vice-president of the Technical Committee (formerly the Federal Grading Committee) of the AFA, since 2012, and became its president in 2023.
The municipality of Etterbeek, where the dojo is located, awarded him the 2011 Sportsman of the Year prize and the 2017 Sports Award prize.
He was also a lecturer at ADEPS for the training of initiators and assistant instructors in aikido, before the recent reform of the system.
In addition to the private and federal seminars he regularly gives in Belgium, Christophe has given seminars in Spain (Vitoria), Portugal (Serpa), Greece (Athens) on the invitation of Sensei Harris Fytros, Italy (Sorrento, Salerno, Caserta) on the invitation of Senseis Angelo Armano and Alessio Autuori/Alessandra Scialla respectively, Switzerland (Basel) on the invitation of Nora Weller and Jan Sauermann, Austria (Graz) on the invitation of Rainer Loidl and Tunisia (Tunis) on the invitation of Said Bouhachem.
In May 2024, Christophe had the honour of being named "instructore livello IV" (level 4 instructor) by the italian dojo association ProgettoAiki.
Editor of numerous articles in the Flash aikido (the magazine of the federation), he also participated, as a speaker and demonstrator, in the symposium on the history, philosophy, and practice of martial arts, at the University of Artois (Arras-France), in April 2004.
Convinced that aikido is an excellent system of education, he has integrated the techniques of mental preparation with the practice of relaxation that he has been teaching voluntarily several times a year at the hospital (until 2009), to patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
Eager to build bridges between artistic disciplines sharing common ideals, he joined from 2008 to 2013, the project "danza duende" (www.danzaduende.org) as a guest teacher. There he led the so-called "duende warrior" workshops (see this tab) in collaboration with Ozan Aksoyek (http://www.ozanpresence.be).
Ozan sadly passed away, far too soon, on Thursday 7 December 2023.
In 2014, he gives a TED conference during the TEDxUBIWiltz event, in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (see the video).
That same year, responding to Ozan's invitation, he co-creates "Mindfulness, the aikido of communication."

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Valentina Perazzini
4rth dan Aikikai

I was born in Italy in 1987 and I started martial arts at the age of 11 with wushu kungfu.
I practiced wushu for about 5 years and participated in several competitions and won a gold medal at the Italian championships, kata, in 2000.
Then, tired of the idea of competition, I stopped wushu and discovered aikido at the age of 17 with Ugo Montevecchi Sensei. During my studies I also practiced a few years in Bologna and Ireland.
In 2013 I moved to Brussels and started to practice at the Ren Shin Kan dojo. It is finally here that I discovered the aikido that suits me the most thanks to Christophe Depaus Sensei, thanks to whom I passed my shodan in 2014, my nidan in 2016 and my sandan in 2019. In 2017 I started to practice Shotokan Karate, to enrich my aikido. Following the example of my teacher Christophe, I take part in many seminars in Belgium and abroad (+/-100h/year) and in particular, in the seminars of Christian Tissier Shihan, 8th dan which inspire me enormously. By the way it was Christian Tissier who awarded me my yondan on 20 April 2024.
I had the honour of being part of the Belgian delegation to the 2022 World Games in Birmingham (USA).
The municipality of Etterbeek awarded me the 2023 Sports Award prize.
I also give aikido classes for children.

Jean-Luc Golnez
3rd dan Aikikai

Born in 1975 in Vietnam, I started martial arts with Kalari Payat in Singapore, from the ages of 8 until 13, under the teaching of master Edwards.
I arrived in Belgium in 1993 to study pharmacy, and at the same time I started studying aikido at the Rem Aiiki dojo.
For several years, I was taught by Sugano Seiichi Shihan, 8th dan, taking part in his numerous seminars organized in Belgium.
In 2006, I have the honor to pass my 2nd dan Aikikai in front of my master.
Among the direct students of Sugano Shihan, I meet Christophe Depaus.
When the Ren Shin Kan dojo opened in 2007, I naturally joined my tatami partner to bring my support in the dojo project, transmitted by our master.
In 2008, I participated in the 10th International Aikido Congress in Tanabe, Japan, the hometown of the founder, O'Sensei, and took the opportunity to practice at the Hombu Dojo (mother house) in Tokyo.
In 2013, I was the 2nd student of Ren Shin Kan dojo to pass the 3rd dan Aikikai.
In my exploration of aikido, I am particularly fond of weapons work.

Sébastien Debroyer
4rth dan Aikikai

My martial path started as a child in the garden with my dad. A former aikidoka, he passed on to me his passion and the desire to start.
In September 2000, I started aikido at the Bushido Club Wezembeek under the teaching of Albert Polspoel. Since 2002, I wanted to deepen my practice by also attending classes in two other friendly clubs at Bushido Picardie and Bushido Roodebeek and this for several years. In order to enrich my aikido, I also started Iaiido in 2003 at Meibukan. In 2006, I passed my Shodan Aiikikai. In 2007, I joined the Taiikikai No Dojo to pursue the study of Iaiio and to start Jodo. I had the opportunity to participate in several national and European Iaido championships. It is during these last ones that I presented my three Dan grades in Iaido.
Although I will follow the teaching of my first aikido teacher until his death in 2014, I discover, in parallel, in 2010, the dojo "Ren Shin Kan". I decide to continue my training there under the direction of Christophe Depaus.
I passed my Nidan Aikikai in 2013, my Sandan Aikikai in 2017 and my Yondan Aikikai in 2023. Since 2014, I have become a full-time student of Ren Shin Kan.

Natalia Blanch
3rd dan Aikikai

I was born in 1971 in Córdoba, Argentina. I am married and I have two children.
I started practicing martial arts at the age of 18 with Taichi Chuan Yang style. A few years later I joined Quiroga Sifu’s kwon where I continued practicing Taichi and initiated the practice of Hung Gar style Kung Fu, which I studied for two years. In 1998 I left Argentina.
In 2003 I discovered aikido in Baltimore (USA) with Charlie Page Sensei, 7th dan, and Chuck Weber Sensei, 7th dan (Saotome Shihan lineage). I had the opportunity to participate in seminars led by Saotome Shihan.
From 2005 to 2008, in France, I joined the dojo of Laurent Boudet (student of Christian Tissier Shihan) and then the dojo of Alan Auffray and Cyrille Roy (in Grenoble).
Since 2009, I follow the teaching of Christophe Depaus Sensei, 6th dan Aikikai, student of Sugano Shihan and Christian Tissier Shihan, at Ren Shin Kan which allowed me to obtain the grades of shodan in 2013, nidan in 2016 and sandan in 2022. Thanks to the encouragement and example of Sensei, I participate in many seminars in Belgium and France. I am fortunate to have attended Sugano Shihan’s and Donovan Waite Sensei's seminars at Ren Shin Kan.
In addition to aikido, I have been practicing Soto Zen meditation since 2008. I took the nun's vows in 2018.