Official BKA gradings

[Mirek]

I got 1st Kyu as well.


And I am quite currious how will you deal with my name 

Btw. you should make it European from the beggining and for free.
Btw2. did you read last version of JKA Kendama skill levels and examination? According to this rules you must have dan 1 and 2 before you try 3rd dan.

Explanation:

    Must qualify at each dan level before eligible to take examination for the next higher dan rank
    Minimum time in rank before competing for next higher dan rank:
        § 1 dan through 5 dan – at least one month
        § 6 dan and above – at least one year

Check it out http://www.kendama.or.jp/english#toc-5-example-of-competition-rules

[BKA]

Yes we have read the JKA page. The BKA follows this system.
We also follow the example of the JKA exams. For example, you can go from 1st Kyu to 3rd Dan in one exam, but in doing so you would have to do all the Pre-Dan, 1st Dan, 2nd Dan and 3rd Dan tricks along the way.
Subsequent exams will require the same time lapse before being taken.

We will try to get your name right...

[Mirek]

Cool, thanks for progress. 

[Thorny]

Ahh this is really cool! I'm totally gonna go for the BKA Certified 1st Dan at the NRC!

[BKA]

I got 1st Kyu as well.
And I am quite currious how will you deal with my name 

Will "correctly"[1] do?
_{And how many Moshi kames did you get?}

1.	Assuming that "Šiřina" shows up correctly in all browsers....

[Mirek]

I got 1st Kyu as well.
And I am quite currious how will you deal with my name 

Will "correctly"[1] do?
_{And how many Moshi kames did you get?}

1.	Assuming that "Šiřina" shows up correctly in all browsers....

I did 50 Moshi kames then I was stopped, I guess.

[BKA]

Okay, just thought it might have been in the 50-100 range, as some people got Pre-Dan that day.

[BKA]

More exam dates:
Jan 21st BoB convention : forum thread - more info
[Jan 28th before & after NRC - limited time] : forum thread - more info
Feb 11th Ballring convention : forum thread - more info
Feb 25th Upchuck convention : forum thread - more info

[BKA]

Btw. you should make it ... free.

Do you sell your kendamas for free? We'd love to know where you get your photocopying done for free. And where you buy your printer ink and high-grade paper for free.

The fees we charge are pretty small really, and unsuccessful entrants at the higher grades get a refund. Imagine this: someone takes a Dan exam, but fails on the very last trick. They get a refund, so they've only paid £2, but the exam could have taken half an hour! How much is your time worth?

Also, if something is free it can be perceived to have no "worth".  These are serious exams, and the award of a certificate is meant to be a meaningful recognition of effort. Someone who really wants to do well at these gradings has to put in a lot of time and effort into their skills and practice. To such a person the fee is of little consequence - the achievement of a Dan certificate is a great feeling.

On your blog you wrote that the JKA gradings are free. Actually the JKA do normally charge for gradings, but our friends at Munich were kind enough to waive this charge for us, since we (as European-based players) would not also be getting the other benefits of JKA membership. This BKA initiative was created so that players will have more than just one chance a year to acheive a grading.

Also, endeavours that take time, planning and outlay are rarely free. The gradings are designed to bring an extra factor into the kendama scene - hopefully one that players will want to strive to achieve. Ultimately we hope it will help to build the scene even more. Which should mean that you will sell more kendamas!

Btw. you should make it European from the beggining.

Well of course we want this to go across Europe. Very glad to hear in your blog that you want to work "hard to be the first to implement them." Watch this space!

Hopefully this post does not come across as defensive - we're just trying to explain the thought processes, and hopefully make things clearer (and more exciting?!) to everyone.

Click click!!

[Thorny]

Is £2 the actual price? Because for me, I agree with what you're saying... I'd happily pay a small fee for the chance of achieving something like this and will be attempting (and hopefully succeeding) the 1st Dan exam at the NRC.

Can you explain in a little more detail when the exams will be held in York to me, please?

[Mark]

Is £2 the actual price? Because for me, I agree with what you're saying... I'd happily pay a small fee for the chance of achieving something like this and will be attempting (and hopefully succeeding) the 1st Dan exam at the NRC.

Can you explain in a little more detail when the exams will be held in York to me, please?

£10 for a dan exam. £2 is the minimum you would pay if you failed on last trick, and also for the Kyu exams. £5 is pre dan.

[The Void]

You pay £10 for a Dan exam, £5 for Pre-Dan, or £2 for a Kyu. If you are taking a Pre-Dan or Dan exam, and you fail to improve, you get £3 or £8 back from your fee.

The NRC is slotted for 1-4, so I'm reserving 12-1 for lunch and a bit of relaxing, then setting up. Depending on what time I get there in the morning, I should hopefully be able to slot in a couple of exams before 12. Then a couple of hours after the NRC, but before dinner & the evening show. I will try to prioritise exam slots for those based further North, who are unlikely to be able to make it to Bristol/Bath/Birmingham.

[Mirek]

Btw. you should make it ... free.

Do you sell your kendamas for free? We'd love to know where you get your photocopying done for free. And where you buy your printer ink and high-grade paper for free.

The fees we charge are pretty small really, and unsuccessful entrants at the higher grades get a refund. Imagine this: someone takes a Dan exam, but fails on the very last trick. They get a refund, so they've only paid £2, but the exam could have taken half an hour! How much is your time worth?

Also, if something is free it can be perceived to have no "worth".  These are serious exams, and the award of a certificate is meant to be a meaningful recognition of effort. Someone who really wants to do well at these gradings has to put in a lot of time and effort into their skills and practice. To such a person the fee is of little consequence - the achievement of a Dan certificate is a great feeling.

On your blog you wrote that the JKA gradings are free. Actually the JKA do normally charge for gradings, but our friends at Munich were kind enough to wave this charge for us, since we (as European-based players) would not also be getting the other benefits of JKA membership. This BKA initiative was created so that players will have more than just one chance a year to acheive a grading.

Also, endeavours that take time, planning and outlay are rarely free. The gradings are designed to bring an extra factor into the kendama scene - hopefully one that players will want to strive to achieve. Ultimately we hope it will help to build the scene even more. Which should mean that you will sell more kendamas!

Btw. you should make it European from the beggining.

Well of course we want this to go across Europe. Very glad to hear in your blog that you want to work "hard to be the first to implement them." Watch this space!

Hopefully this post does not come across as defensive - we're just trying to explain the thought processes, and hopefully make things clearer (and more exciting?!) to everyone.

Click click!!

I use mom's printer and steel paper from work.
Time is the most expensive part for me. But I could do it one day a month for free.

I earn approximately £3,3 per hour at my regular work.

But now I get your processes, thanks.
 
 

[BKA]

Congrats to John & Rich who both took the opportunity today get their official grades. Both got to 3rd Kyu on their first attempt at an exam.



To the procrastinators.... keep practising for your next opportunity!

[LarsVegas]

Now this is really cool. I try hard to get the tricks for the levels clean and hardly can't wait for the first event where I can have an exam.