Methuen Aikido Instructors

John Dore Sensei

With the solid and kind support of Sensei Perriello, John founded the Methuen Aikido dojo. John dedicates many hours of his life each week to support and develop the Methuen Aikido community. He finds the results of that work very rewarding.

Louis Perriello Sensei

Profile Highlights
• Shidoin, Go Dan (Fifth Degree Black Belt) in Aikido IAF, Hombu Dojo
• Hachidan (Eighth Degree Black Belt) by the United States Martial Arts Association.
• Chairman of the Aikido Division of United States Martial Arts Association
• Shihandai, assistant to the Shihan and Member of the teaching committee of the Aikido Association of America.
• Shodan in USMA Judo.
• Certified by the United States Department of The Interior to teach Aikido for Law Enforcement.
• Coordinating Instructor of the Association for Tactical Application, an organization established to teach defensive tactics, applied Aikido and other martial arts for law enforcement.
• Perriello Sensei has taught seminars in Traditional Aikido, Aikido for Law Enforcement, and defensive tactics throughout the U.S., Canada, and Central America.

More detailed biography info

"Then there is Lou Perriello. His art is Aikido.
His technique is like stones rolling together That's how strong his Aikido is."
-Philip Porter, 9th Dan Judo,
in World of Martial Arts, March/April 1998.

Mike Wood

Wood Sensei received the rank of Yondan in 2008 and has studied under Lou Perriello Sensei since 1988. He currently teaches Friday night classes at the Methuen dojo. Mike began teaching in 1995 and ran the Brandies University School for 8 years. H e has had the opportunity to train briefly at a few schools in Japan and with martial artists of varying disciplines at the USMA seminars. Off the mat, Mike is a father, computer programmer and Reiki practitioner.

Erol Guven

Guven-san started practicing Aikido in 1984 in Istanbul Turkey under Kenji Kumagai Shihan. Prior to 1980 there was no Aikido in Turkey. When Kumagai Shihan moved to Turkey on business, he was assigned by Hombu Dojo as Shihan to Turkey and planted the roots of Turkish Aikido. Today Aikido is thriving under the leadership of Kumagai Shihan and his senior students.

Guven-san received his Shodan from Kumagai Shihan on 1986 in Turkey. When Kumagai Shihan moved back to Japan Sensei Guven was presented with an opportunity to go to Japan. He lived in Japan from 1989 to 1991 and primarily practiced at Hombu Dojo under Tada, Watanabe and Endo Shihans' instruction. He was also fortunate to attend classes of Kisshomaru Ueshiba (then Doshu) and Moriteru Ueshiba (current Doshu).

Apart from Hombu Dojo Sensei Guven frequented Omiya Dojo (in a suburb of Tokyo) and practised under Ichitsuke Sensei. At Kumagai Shihan's insistance, Sensei Guven tested at Hombu Dojo for his Nidan rank. He was promoted prior to his leaving Japan in 1990.

After leaving Japan, Sensei Guven came to the United States and briefly practiced in Honolulu, Hawaii and Cambridge, MA. Since 2005, he has continued his Aikido practice at Methuen Aikido.

Alex Markauskas

Sensei Alexander G. Markauskas is leading weekly Iaido classes at the Methuen Aikido dojo.

Sensei Markauskas started studying martial arts in 1972. In 1993 he enrolled in the "Japanese Swordsmanship School" Doshi Kai Kendo and Iaido dojo. Sensei Markauskas currently holds nidan (2nd degree blackbelt) rank in Iaido awarded by the All US Kendo Federation (AUSKF) in 1999. He is trained in Sietei-Gata Iaido and Eishin-Ryu Iaido.

Sensei Markauskas also holds rank in Uechi-Ryu Karate, Shotokan Karate and officiates at Karate and Kickboxing tournaments throughout the United States.

Ed Myers

Ed started practicing Kendo in 1994 at the Emerald Coast Kendo Club in Florida. Over the years he has had the good fortune to have practiced at many Kendo clubs with some truly great Sensei's and Kendoist, and continues to study and practice with his good friend Osamu Sekiguchi.

Ed is currently a member of the AUSKF and AEUSKF.

Last, but by all means not least, The Sempai of the Dojo