DOJO SPOTLIGHT:
PEACHTREE AIKIKAI ATLANTA
Say hello to Blue Spruell
Chief Instructor, Peachtree Aikikai Atlanta
6th dan, Shihan
Some interesting facts about Blue:
-
Blue studied several martial arts and began his Aikido training in 1988 under Okada Yoshihiro Shihan in Tokuyama, Japan, and continued his training under Yamada Yoshimitsu Shihan and Kanai Mitsunari Shihan.
-
In 1993, he co-founded his first dojo, Dogwood Aikikai, and in 2009, he founded Peachtree Aikikai, his current dojo.
-
Blue was recently appointed to the USAF Technical Committee.
-
He is also a trial attorney with his own firm, The Outlaw Firm, and a writer. His first novel, Taro, is a homage to Japense history and folklore.
Tell us something about yourself/profession/background:
I’m an attorney and certified mediator with my own practice in civil litigation, but I came to it a little late in life. I was an editor for a university press when I got a job offer to work as an ESL instructor in Japan and one year turned into five. I returned to Atlanta in 1992, with the intention of going to law school while I managed the business side of the law firm I helped establish.
In the meantime, my wife and I opened a gallery of Japanese art and crafts, twice voted “Best of Atlanta” by Atlanta Magazine, but we were no match for a shopping mall that ultimately forced us to shutter the gallery. So, at age forty with a wife and two kids, I finally answered the call to go back to school and get a law degree. Jeez, it’s exhausting just retelling that story, even harder to believe I survived it!
What do you consider some of your greatest challenges and achievements as dojo cho?
In the beginning, the greatest challenge was just opening and running the dojo, period. I had help, of course, from my co-founder and our students, but opening and running that first dojo was definitely a fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants affair. Fortunately, we knew how to take some hard ukemi.
Speaking of hard ukemi, I feel very fortunate to have been challenged by my instructors in that regard, first with my original instructor, Okada Shihan, and then in the USAF, with Yamada Shihan and Kanai Shihan and all of my excellent mentors and colleagues. I am especially grateful to my first instructor, Okada Shihan, for his inspiration to take up Aikido in the first place, to Yamada Sensei for his lifetime contribution to Aikido throughout the world, and to Kanai Sensei for twelve years of body-slamming, eye-opening, technical insight and lasting inspiration.
Paying commercial rent is probably the biggest challenge, right? There have been more than a few times that dues were not sufficient to cover costs – and that wasn’t just during Covid. For me, in those moments, keeping the doors open was definitely a labor of love, although some might say it was more proof that I’m stubborn as hell.
Next up, I suppose, would be the challenge of work-life-Aikido balance. As a trial attorney, it can be hard to juggle at times, especially with travel in the mix. Fortunately, my boss is pretty flexible – and my family and students put up with me.
As for my greatest achievement, I’d like to think it’s my students, but their dedication deserves more credit. They are my daily inspiration.
What works best for you to attract new students?
We offer a FREE introductory class once weekly and a CHEAP, two-month-and-free-uniform introductory package deal. But attracting students is less than half the battle – it only counts when you keep them!
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Just thanks, to all of you, my colleagues, and to all of my students, for our training and friendship!
A bit about Peachtree Aikikai Atlanta
How many days per week does your dojo have classes?
How many classes are available per week?
Do you have a children's program? If so, what are the ages and what else would you like to share?
Do you have specialized classes, such as no falling classes, Veteran's classes etc?
What is unique to your dojo space?
We have classes 7 days per week.
We have 12 Aikido classes weekly and also offer 3 Iaido classes weekly.
Yes, we have a children's Aikido program for ages 6-12. Our program is primarily training-centric, meaning that, although games can be motivational for kids with short attention spans, our classes are not game-dependent to hold kids' attention. I count myself fortunate in that my first dojo was connected with a Buddhist temple where some 100+ kids trained every bit as hard as the adults, so I wanted to structure our children's program in a similar way.
In the Aikido context, we offer basics and ukemi designated classes. We also offer Iaido classes.
The space is just a space – now half the size of our last dojo space for double the rent – but don't get me started! Still, none of that matters much, because we have a GREAT, diverse group of dedicated students from all walks of life, so our unique group is all that really counts for a dojo space.
Date posted: February 2025
