The Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido - an Overview.

While still instructing at the 'Hut' headquarters, Henry Ellis started his own club in Bracknell in 1962, and in the following years opened clubs in Slough, Chiswick, Blackfriers, and Earls Court.

The Basingstoke Aikido Club was founded in 1968 by Sensei Derek Eastman,

At these clubs, which were always collaborative in nature, Traditional Aikido was practiced - together with related Japanese Martial Arts.

In 1990, Aikido began becoming increasingly regulated in the U.K. requiring qualified instructors to be registered.
The Clubs of Sensei Ellis and Sensei Eastman were joined under one organisation, and the Ellis School of Traditional Aikido was officially formed. This became a member of the Martial Arts Commission, the governing body for all martial arts in the UK, (formed in 1977).

The British Aikido board, was also founded in 1977 and took over 'governing body' status from the M.A.C. in 1992. The Ellis School became a member of the B.A.B. at this time.

In March 2002, The Ellis School resigned from the B.A.B. for several reasons, principally around the 'Controversy' article written by Sensei Ellis. (This article is available on the official Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido site via the 'Articles' page.)

There are Ellis School Dojo's in both England and the United States.

Today Aikido is instructed at the school in much the same way as it has always been; with strong emphasis on basic techniques, utilising attack and defence, along with the practice of the bayonet arts including: Knife, club, sword and staff.

The method of teaching utilizes the 'Forms' method, introduced by Sensei M.Noro in the 1960's. However, the technical application of techniques as taught by Sensei K.Abbe are kept as the essential basis of the Ellis School teachings. Due to the many different first generation Masters that both Sensei Ellis and Eastman have intensively studied under, we believe the Aikido of this school has a great diversity in its style.

http://www.ellisaikido.org

The US branch of the Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido began training students in 1990 at the Holloman Air Force Base Community Center. 

Dave Rogers, then a 1st Kyu (Brown Belt), had just arrived at Holloman AFB from RAF Greenham Common, United Kingdom.  While stationed in Britain, Rogers took up horseback riding and ballroom dancing, and even worked after-hours as a bouncer in the nearby town of Newbury. But his main activity outside the base was at Basingstoke, U.K., where he and his friend, Al Montemar attended classes with the students and teachers under the direction of Sensei Henry Ellis and Sensei Derek Eastman.

The second "Hut" was opened on U.S. Highway 70, in an old dilapidated structure which had originally been an adobe brick-making factory, in 1993. The Aikido group reworked the old structure into a serviceable albeit austere training hall. Naming the place, "The Hut" on the day of their first practice, in memory of the place and people which began Aikido in Britain. In 2005, Sensei Rogers moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where he continues to teach. Sensei Bill Loose has taken up the post of head instructor and continues the traditions his teacher past to him.  Classes are currently held in the Quimby Gymnasium, at the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.