Guest Columnists - The Kata

The Kata - Dave Hazard, 7th Dan

First there is the technique, the form, the movement, the dance.
Then there is the application, the meaning, the understanding, which gives purpose to the movement and dance.
Add the spirit, the feeling and the soul and you give the whole thing power and life.
To perform kata without any of these attitudes, technique, application and feeling is not enough.
The dance alone may look quite beautiful but means nothing.
To understand the purpose without the dance "technique" is just controlled aggression.
The technique and purpose together will look good - but is not all.
Any athlete can obtain these attributes in sport.
But add spirit and the feeling , the performers natural timing and breathing - so important to fluency of movement - and the kata rises above athletics or sport and into the realms of the martial arts.