Stéphane Le Derf Sensei, yondan Aikikai (4th dan), started pacticing karate at the age of 10. In 1985, he started to study aikido in the Nice area with several teachers. After a few months of practice, he attended Mitsugi Saotome Shihan‘s Summer seminar in Vence.
In 1993, after a trip to the Hombu dojo in Tokyo in 1990, he decided to leave France for Washington D.C. to attend Mitsugi Saotome Shihan’s classes at the Aikido Shobukan Dojo. He stayed 4 years and met Hiroshi Ikeda Shihan during the Winter and Summer camps organized by ASU. He passed his shodan, nidan, and back in 2001 his sandan.
Late 1997, back in France, he studied under several teachers in Nice and Marseille, and return to attend class of Alain Guerrier, nanadan.
His martial art background includes Tai Chi, Karate and Iaido. In 2007, he passed his Aïkido Professional Diploma (BEES1).
He continues to attend several Japanese master’s seminars in France and particulary Le Vigan International Aikido Seminar, held by Saotome Shihan during 18 years and now conducted by Ikeda Sensei. He has been the translator for this event since 1996.
Currently, he is leading several seminars throughout France and in Munich, Germany. Stéphane Le Derf is now part of the board of the Côte d’Azur Ligue, local representative of the french federation FFAAA, and the Vice President of Aikido Harmonie, the organization that sponsors the International Aikido Seminar in Le Vigan, France.