Movers and Shakers of Shintaido – Tribute to Bela Breslau

by Connie Borden

Shintaido is formed by people. From the founding of Shintaido in Japan to the introduction of Shintaido into the USA, it was people who transmitted this art form. This year as we celebrate 50 years of the founding of Shintaido of America, it is the  people we are celebrating. Shintaido can be an intensely  personal practice and often I hear that people started the practice at a significant time in their lives. These times could be college, post college, relocating to live in new areas, and seeking wisdom from senior practitioners, many times in related fields such as Amma Massage. Some people were introduced to Shintaido while living in Japan, others were introduced by word-of-mouth, which is still our most successful outreach tool! Many have formed long-term relationships, some in marriage and many in friendship.

First a little of history in the early years.

1975 – 1983 Beginnings of Shintaido in America – first eight years
(adapted from original article by Eva Thaddeus in Body Dialogue, Issue no. 10,2001)

1975: Michael Thompson introduced Shintaido in Geneva, New York. Among his original students were Irene Hadeishi, and Bill Burtis, who is now a Shintaido Instructor.

1976: H.F. Ito and Michael Thompson filed papers at City Hall in San Francisco, officially founding Shintaido of America. They offered Shintaido classes in San Francisco. Jim Sterling, now General Instructor, began studying at this time. So did Bela Breslau, now Senior Instructor and Kazu Shibao, now Senior Instructor.

1980: Tom Abbott, now Instructor, began teaching Shintaido in Worcester, Mass., and Shintaido was registered as a non-profit corporation in Massachusetts. Joe Zawielski, now General Instructor (deceased) began studying at this time.

1982: Lee Seaman Instructor and John Seaman, Instructor (deceased), who previously studied Shintaido in Japan, began teaching in Oregon.

1983: Michael Thompson moved back to the United States after 2 ½ years in Japan. He began a group in Los Angeles, where Friedmann Schultz began Shintaido. Michael then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts to start teaching Shintaido there.

Shintaido of America wishes to celebration one person often called the “Mother of Shintaido in America.”    This person is Bela Breslau.

Bela currently lives in Northeast (SNE) region in Western Massachusetts. Bela is Senior Instructor and Shintaido Bojutsu Nidan. She is co-founder of the Shintaido Farm.  

Reflecting Americans in general by living in different areas of the USA, Bela lived on the west coast before returning home to the east coast.  While having grown up on the  East coast and having attended Hobart college, Bela was one of three early West Coast students with HF Ito.  In 2001 Bela wrote this about her first day:

“My first day in San Francisco was a beautiful sunny day in September of 1976. After checking in at 776 7^th Avenue, meeting up with my very best friend from college, Pamela Olton, seeing Michael Thompson again and meeting Ito, I went with others to Golden Gate Park to do Shintaido. I was wearing a pear of Judo Gi pants and T-shirt.” Body Dialogue, Issue No. 10, 2001.

Bela did many things to foster the growth of the organization while also supporting HF Ito. Bela taught a weekly Friday Night Shintaido class while in the SF Bay Area. She continued teaching with a weekly class at the Shintaido Farm. For many years she was editor of the SOA newsletter. While married to H.F. Ito and living in SF (in the apartment formally rented by Kazu Shibao), she and Ito hosted guests from Japan, France, and other countries. I could tell you more about Bela the lawyer, Bela the real estate agent. Shall I tell you more about the role Bela played a part in the creation and incorporation of the SoA organization? Shall I tell you of the many years she dedicated to organizing and running many gasshukus, workshops, and special classes? Shall I tell you of the major role Bela had with the production of the Shintaido book?  I could tell you of Bela – the wife and life partner with Stephen Billias. I could tell you of Bela the mother of Sophia Billias. What I wish to tell you is of the presence of the person we know as BELA. Thank you Bela for all the kumites across time and space that you have shared with us in our growth as we practice Shintaido and more importantly the growth you have helped foster in us as human beings. Gambatte!