Aikido of South Florida was founded by Stephanie Yap Sensei who has earned a 6th degree black belt under Iwama Shinshin Aiki Shurenkai, founded by Hitohiro Saito Soke, a 5th dan from the Aikikai Hombu Dojo, Japan, and a 4th dan level weapons certification, the Menkyo Kaiden in Aiki-Ken and Aiki-Jo, both awarded to her by the late Morihiro Saito Sensei, 9th dan.
A graduate from the School of Engineering and Design, in Miami, Florida, she began her Aikido education in the 80’s. Upon graduating, Stephanie focused on Aikido, and was fortunate to spend the next 3 years dedicated to this art, traveling to numerous countries around the world. Among her journeys included moving to and studying Aikido for 3 years in Copenhagen, Denmark, and concluded in Iwama, Japan, where she became a long term uchideshi (live in apprentice) to Morihiro Saito Sensei, one of the highest ranking and most prestigious aikidoists in the world. Saito Sensei was also the Founder's longest uchideshi and disciple for 24 years until the Founders demise in 1969.
Sensei Yap’s initial training as uchideshi under Morihiro Saito Sensei has subsequently been enhanced by annual training sessions in Iwama, Japan, and is engrained in her students of her dojo which she founded in 1993. Since 1991, she has committed herself to the continuous process of learning Aikido by serving as an uchideshi every year, a responsibility she feels necessary to better serve the students of her dojo.
A dedicated tutor, Stephanie Yap Sensei remains under the auspices of Hitohiro Saito Sensei since the passing of Morihiro Saito Sensei in 2002. She has traveled extensively throughout the world; Korea, Denmark, France, Mongolia, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Austria, South America and Japan, to name a few, and has had the unique privilege of being abreast some of the most eminent, and influential teachers in the world.
In addition to her credentials, Sensei Yap has the experience of not only training annually at the Iwama Dojo, accumulating over 3 years as uchideshi, but she also instructed the Hollywood, Ft Lauderdale Police Department, and the Fort Lauderdale S.W.A.T team in a series of seminars formatted towards their specific needs.
