May 5th 11:30am – 1:00pm
Bill began his studies in martial arts with Tai Chi Ch’uan in 1984 with Mr. Mike Milewski, and steadily broadened that study to include Aikido in 1988 with Mike Mamura, Sensei at the Milwaukee Aikido Club. Bill received his sandan in 2001 under Mitsugi Saotome Shihan, and now practices under the guidance of Dr. Clyde Takeguchi Shihan. For the past ten years, Dr. Jo Takahara Sensei has been a valued influence on Bill’s Aikido practice. The Chinese Masters, Ben Lo and William C.C. Chen have also been a great influence, and Bill considers their senior students his beloved elder brothers and sisters.
“We are a product of all our interactions, and we are helped on our path by the great and the humble. We should be grateful to all of our friends who have helped us get to this moment. I’m very grateful.” –Bill Cruz, 2013
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