Seminar Day 2:Is this really happening?

In retrospect, it is alot harder to write about the seminar weeks after it started. REALLY hard. While I took many notes and journaled on my Samsung Galaxy Note 4 (shameless plug) , I really thought I'd be able to remember details of 19 days of the seminar when I was able to sit down to write.
I was wrong..so, so wrong!
As we maneuvered our way through the subway systems on Day 2(really, it was the beginning of the seminar), I became increasingly nervous walking into the sports hall.
I had not trained in months, I knew more people I had only corresponded with on the net would be there and , I had not trained in months...(did I mention I had not trained in months?)... I was sore from just walking for 3 days around St. Petersburg and was still in shock by the 30 minute session I had three days prior with Mr. Karimov at Pushkin Park( he tried to teach us one simple technique, that still, completely fascinates me). I knew his style was different, but I had no idea what was about to happen next would really shake me to my own core...in a good way.
Once I walked into the gym, I slowly tried to become invisible, it didn't work. I wanted to be a fly on the wall and watch for a few minutes but I was incredibly unsuccessful.

Roman Khozeev

This is when Roman Khozeev approached me , in what seemed out of no where. Roman had been an huge inspiration and help in my first few weeks of working with Mr. Karimov online and helped me with tons of computer work... I never really thought I'd meet him, so actually meeting him, really overwhelmed me. Roman was very well known for his work with an anti-drinking campaign for men in his hometown of Perm, Russia. I followed his work pretty closely and enjoyed his photographs and music as well.He is one of the many, multi-talented individuals who attended this seminar and was more than willing to help me learn whatever I wanted. It was a huge surprise to see him and I tried not to cry.

Olga Malkova

Shortly after I met Roman, this very beautiful, dark haired woman approached me with open arms. Her name was Olga Malkova, and we connected immediately. I had only met Olga a week or so before my trip to Russia (online), but had seen her in a few videos. Her eyes were as orange as the sunset and her hair was almost dark black. She was beautiful and when she spoke, it almost sounded as though she was singing. Her English flowed even in it's choppy state and with everything she said, she had a smile on her face. Almost immediately, we began a knife drill where Olga and Roman quickly cleaned the floor with me. I.was.SCREWED!!! I never thought of myself as a cocky Systema practitioner , but more of a scrappy fighter turned Systema enthusiast. Olga and Roman made it seem like I had zero experience with knowing my own body and how it worked well enough to move freely. I was both devastated and delighted. By the way, Olga, did everything in a skirt and short heeled shoes. She was the epitome of being feminine and fierce.At the closing Systema circle, a few surprises took place. In walked Yuri Sheshukov

Yuri Sheshukov

and I immediately looked at Roman, then at Jesse , then back at Roman. I asked Roman if that was really Yuri. He nodded. I began crying then, smiling. I was not aware that Yuri would be present, but was told that he may try to show up ( perhaps this was one of my other suprises?).... shortly after Yuri walked in, the happiest suprise of them all happened. In walked in D.A.Kirillov. Dima(for short), is an instructor for the Talanov school of Systema and he and I became friends on the internet. I remember inviting him to the event and had asked a few times if he was coming, but did not actually think he would. When I saw him, I sprung up in the middle of the Systema circle and went to him. Of course, I cried. At some point, Dima began translating for our event. This was truly surreal....BUT, he also picked up a Balalaika

D.A.Kirillov having some balalaika lessons

and began playing..(luckily I have this on film). This was truly history in the making on so many levels. Forming an international supportive community of like minded individuals and groups that , while different, can still support each other, was something Mr. Karimov and I had discussed on occasion. We wanted everyone to get along and to work cohesively, but actually making that happen , seemed like a feat in of itself. Here was Dima, in his hometown, just hanging out with us. It was such a glorious moment that I went from crying to being so happy that I almost completely forgot where I was....almost.

D.A.Kirillov from Systema Talanov,myself and A.Karimov

Once Dima left, there was a new sense of celebration in the air. I believe this was one of the many nights that we would all stay up until 2 am singing and dancing and learning. There seemed to be so many people in the room that I even lost track of Jesse. The dancing continued at a raid pace and Mr. Karimov showed no signs of slowing down. Aerobically, I was screwed. Perhaps this was part of the plan to get us so exhausted that we could train with little or no tension.Ultimately, it worked for me. While there were a few folks who did not appreciate this style that this specific seminar was geared to, it made no difference to the rest of us. This became one of the greatest social experiments, dance groups, cultural experience, martial arts seminar and learning expositions ever! This was only day two.  Later that evening, we danced as a group in a style known as Kadril. The rapid movement of Kadril(see bottom of page for video), had me sweating in minutes and within an hour I was so exhausted that I forgot what time it was , nor did I care.
Many of us sat around and said " I cannot believe this is only Day 2!!". What else did Mr. Karimov have in store? What else would we learn? What were we learning about ourselves and each other...? What could this event teach us other than martial arts and combatives? Day 2 turned into one of the most beautiful and emotional days I had of the seminar....and it was only going to get better!
Not only did we have all these amazing experiences on Day 2, the Pravilo device was set up, Jesse had some one on one training with our "coach" Vladimir and the knife and stick work began to pick up in pace....! Day 2 was loaded with so much fun...no clue how it could be topped!! (It was...oh , it was....)

Jesse getting some one on one pointers from Coach Vladimir

Radik Valeev and his Pravilo device. A much needed stretch for after- training relaxation

Shaking off the whip strikes...zing!!!