About Us

Montérégie Aikikai was founded to serve the Montérégie, Montréal south-shore, and surrounding areas by offering instruction in the discipline of Aikido, with an emphasis on physical and personal development. We strive to provide a community where individuals from all backgrounds may develop themselves through training together.

Chief Instructor

Joshua Layton

A full-time professional instructor, Joshua has devoted his life to the practice and teaching of Aikido. Since 1999 he has studied under eminent teachers from Japan, the US, and Canada. He presently holds the rank of 5th dan and is a Shidoin level certified teacher of the United States Aikido Federation. Committed to his ongoing development, he continues training under the guidance of Y. Yamada Sensei (8th dan), a direct student of Morihei Ueshiba the founder of Aikido. Joshua is also a teacher of the traditional martial art of Japanese swordsmanship, Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido, which he began under the late M. Kanai Sensei (8th dan). Click here to contact Joshua.

Instructor

Marilène Gélinas

Marilène Gélinas is a founding member and an instructor at Montérégie Aikikai. She began her Aikido training in 2006 and has practiced intensively since the beginning, learning from many teachers including her husband Joshua. To deepen her training she regularly takes part in seminars at her home dojo, across North America and abroad. Marilène currently holds the rank of 4th dan and is a Fukushidoin level certified teacher of the United States Aikido Federation. Outside the dojo, she is a full-time licensed social worker.

Assistant Instructor

Alexandre Pain

Organization

Montérégie Aikikai is a member dojo of the United States Aikido Federation (USAF), the largest organization of affiliated Aikido schools in the U.S., Canada and the rest of the world.

The USAF is a recognized official representative of the Aikikai Foundation, the Aikido World Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Its mission is to promote and maintain the integrity of the martial art of Aikido as established by its Founder, Master Morihei Ueshiba, and as disseminated by the Aikikai Foundation.