Leaf & Steel, Workshop #1
“Connection & Presentation”
by Pedro Villalon & Jeremy Breazeale
Join us on Wednesday evening for a look into the deeper meanings of how we show and what we share with others whilst preparing and presenting tea. This study, reaching back to a time when etiquette and protocol were defined, in part, by posture and movement, is taught through the lens of swordsmanship and various schools of tea in harmony. Brought together in this way, it is a recipe for conflict resolution, personal awareness, internal balance, a relaxation of mind, body, and spirit.
In this workshop, we will practice two simple skills (whisking usucha and pouring from a gaiwan); we will study the motions and posture as related to a basic sequence of movements with a wooden sword.
Date: Wednesday July 26, 2023
Time: 6:15 PM - 8:15 PM
Location: O5 Tea Bar, 2208 W 4th Avenue, Vancouver
The workshop will be available in person and via Zoom. In person participants may use the equipment available at O5 Tea bar. Tea will be provided too.
Jeremy Breazeale is the current Sōke (inheritor by direct succession) of Yanagi-ryū Aiki Bugei, a school of counter offensive strategy belonging to the Yoshida family. He has 31 years of teaching experience a variety of arts from numerous cultures throughout Southeast Asia (to include Karate, Eskrima, Wing Chun Gung Fu, and Tae Kwon Do). Throughout the year, he lives and teaches throughout Europe, Japan, the United States, and Mexico. He is a co-founder of the Leaf & Steel project.
Pedro Villalon a tea-hunter and entrepreneur. A chemical engineer by profession, he worked 10 years for multi-national company P&G in Mexico, the US and China. He is a Co-Founder of O5 Rare Tea Bar in Vancouver (2012) and its sister company in Kyoto (2022); he spends significant time every year travelling to origin and learning from the people who grow O5's tea. Pedro is the other founder of the Leaf & Steel project.
