A Birankai International affiliated Dojo located in Granby Connecticut
"Aikido is a compass that points us in the right direction
so each one of us can fulfill our mission in life."
-Morihei Ueshiba
Chief Instructor, Thomas Grimaldi
Thomas Grimaldi, the chief instructor of Copper Mountain Aikido, began
studying martial arts at the age of 16, and continued his training through
his military service in the United States Army. He started his Aikido training
in 1989 under Ralph Chiaradia Sensei of Hartford CT. In 1992 he became
a
student of Lorraine
DiAnne, Shihan- a personal student of T.K
Chiba, Shihan. Chiba Shihan is a direct disciple of O-Sensei and is
Director of Birankai International.
Shortly after moving to Aikido of Springfield, he joined the Kenshusei program, a teacher training program. Today he holds the rank of 4th Dan(Aikikai/Birankai) and is a Shidoin(Certified Chief Instructor) in Birankai International.