Just prior to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, the first official kata seminar was organised in the Dominican Republic by the Dominican Judo Federation and the International Judo Federation.

A total of 77 participants attended the event, including 20 coaches, 37 participants cadets, juniors and seniors, and 20 children under 12 years of age. The seminar included 5 kata that the participants learned and demonstrated at the end.

The following katas were taught:

  • Nage-no-kata - full performance, junior 3 series
  • Katame-no-kata - full version, junior 1 series
  • Ju-no-kata - full performance, junior 1 series
  • Kime-no-kata - complete teaching-demonstration of only certain techniques
  • Kodokan-goshin-jutsu - complete teaching-demonstration of only certain techniques

Kata for children

One part of the seminar was specially designed for children. During those sessions, the experts collaborated with teachers using a special method created for children's learning. They taught and prepared the children for the demonstration. The participants under the age of 12 then demonstrated what they had just learned.

The children received certificates for their participation and a judo gift from the president of the Dominican Judo Federation Mr Gilberto Garcia.

IJF Expert, Slavisa Bradic, said, "The seminar was extremely well organised by the Dominican Judo Federation. We had the honour of welcoming the French ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Mrs Fabrina Sanders, who attended the graduation ceremony. I would like to express great satisfaction regarding the quality and effort that all participants put into the seminar, especially with the quality of the kata demonstration, among which ju-no-kata, kime-no-kata and Kodokan-goshin-jutsu were demonstrated for the first time."

This kata seminar was a first. It's only the beginning of a new adventure for a federation and a region that have put a lot of effort into the development of the sport.

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