Stéphane Le Derf Sensei, godan Aikikai (5th dan), started practicing 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 Venice.
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.
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 particularly 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.
Stéphane Le Derf is now part of the board of the Côte d’Azur Ligue, local representative of the French federation FFAAA, and was President of Aikido Harmonie, the organization that sponsors the International Aikido Seminar in Le Vigan, France, from 2016 through 2022. He is currently is a Board Member-At-Large of the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba.