Act Kindly and Respectful. Be Honorable and Humble. Thank You!
A Family-Friendly Training Method for All Ages.
I love teaching Kids. They offer so much to learn from them.
To have the chance to guide young minds into their own power and To see their faces lit up as they realize -"I can DO this!" - As a parent and teacher, this experience is humbling and profound.
"Bo is the Best!"
"The positive impact that Bo has had with our students takes your breath away. Some of our students have significant challenges with trust, boundaries, confidence, etc. Bo is able to help them see things in a different way. His teachings provide life-long tools that students can draw from as they face obstacles. Bo truly is a gift in our community!"
DEBBIE CAPERTON - SOS Learning Lab, LLC
"Bo has had a great impact on the students at the Northern Michigan Partnership. I highly recommend him. He draws respect from his students and captivates their interest while at the same time maintaining high expectations."
CHRIS DAVIS - TCAPS
"My son took a short course with Bo and didn't want it to end. This was his first introduction to body mind awareness, which I think is a vital skill in this day of overstimulation. Although my son hasn't quite mastered the meditation portion, I appreciate the applicable skills Bo taught as well as the blast the kids had rolling and jumping!"
MELISSA - Parent
"Passionate & Dedicated Instructor"
"I can't say enough about how passionate Bo is about his trade and how talented he is in sharing his skills with others. He is very hard working, dedicated, and reliable. It has been a pleasure working with him and seeing the amazing growth in each of the children he has trained."
Rose Marie Zivkovich - Director, Northern Michigan Partnership/TCAPS
"Bo has been so great for my two boys. The skills and lessons were so well thought out and executed but beyond that Bo is a wonderful calm presence. It is often hard to find good male role models today but Bo has been that for my boys."
SARAH - Parent
"Bo has been a great asset to our club, and we will miss him when he leaves."
"I have been training with Bo for a couple of years at the Northwest Michigan Aikido Club in Traverse City, Michigan. He is one of the best instructors I have trained with. He has a deep knowledge of Aikido and his techniques are effective. He is able to demonstrate and teach fundamentals of Aikido in clear and understandable terms, to students of all levels. My understanding of Aikido has significantly improved under his tutelage.
I have also assisted Bo with some of his kids classes. He has that unique talent of being able to engage kids and work with them on their level. Keeping 8-10 year olds focused for a two hour aikido class is not something for the timid to attempt, and Bo is good at it."
Dan Kaiser
Hey Grasshopper!
Our Adult Martial Arts Clinic (18+) is open for everyone and every level (age, skill, etc).
These sessions are STUDENT-LED & QUESTIONS-BASED and we explore, analyze, and stress-test various scenarios.
We also have a private & family friendly community where you can find all sorts of materials, mini-lessons, discussions,
and MORE . . .
Share with Friends - Thank You for Helping us Grow:
All Inclusive. Fun.
(yet challenging)
The Grasshoppers Club is home to a family-friendly, non-traditional, and exploratory Martial Arts practice. It includes a physical practice, an online private community open to all, and an expanding library of available materials (articles, video lessons, etc). The Grasshoppers Club also offers online individual/group live lessons by appointment AND you can also choose to implement our practice at your own location (click here for inquiring).
Our practice involves the entire family. Think of it as a village setting, where we all help each other, explore and play together.
The Grasshoppers Club's core principles are mutual respect, critical thinking, collaboration, and learning through playful exploration. Our practice is based on adaptive movement building blocks in order to support everyone's personal development and growth.
We welcome everyone to join in, play, and practice!
Functional, No-Nonsense Approach
Focused on Development
Exploratory & Empowering
Strategic & Collaborative
Learn By Playing.
It has been long established already that "learn by playing" is a part of natural development amongst all mammals. Humans included :)
It is worth looking at what exactly inside the "playing" brings out the learning - and WHY should you join us!
What makes Grasshoppers unique:
We focus on Being Human
Grasshoppers Benefits: Kids
Younglings will engage Movement through a variety of situational games, focused on development aspects such as Balance, Agility, Self-Control, Critical Thinking, and more.
Grasshoppers Benefits: Youth
Our Youth explore growth in every aspect, through the use of Movement and Martial Arts Concepts intertwining Physical Development / Endurance, Strength, Speed, Adaptability; Mental & Emotional Wellbeing / Flexibility, Strategy, Collaboration, Empowerment, and more.
Grasshoppers Benefits: Adults
As an Adult, the Grasshopper practice taps into your lifelong skills and knowledge, focusing on partner work, mutual support and guidance, physical/mental/emotional engagement and balance, and more.
Grasshoppers Benefits: Family
Practicing as a Family, together, creates a fluid bridge between generations and even cultures. This mix-age approach is akin to the roots of our social coexistence in a VILLAGE setting where skill and knowledge is organically transferred from one member of the group to another. And it is FUN!
Here is What We Do and Where!
Access Grasshoppers Online Materials & Classes
Building a resources library. Explore Today!
Grasshoppers Online Community
Make new friends, stay in touch, discuss, and more :) Private, exclusive, and free. Join In!
Classes will begin in JUNE 2023 in our new hometown - MADISON, WI!
See Schedule Below!
It's Official!
2023 Outdoors
SPRING 2023: Our weekly outdoor sessions will resume soon!
Upcoming Indoor Practice Schedule
The Grasshoppers Club is moving to Madison, WI. Classes will begin June 2023. Please join our online community to stay tuned.
UPCOMING Outdoor Practice (Starts JUNE 2023)
We hop parks! The Grasshoppers Club is moving to Madison, WI. Classes will begin June 2023. Please join our online community to stay tuned.
Skill Building
New and/or improving skills is a result of our practice, not a goal. This way we emphasize the process itself. In other words, we "focus on the journey more than the destination."
Empowering
Empowerment is a function of self-trust. Self-trust is a function of affirmed AND confirmed success. Our practice uses a subtle way to setup small success milestones, like building blocks of self-confidence. Empowerment is a result of this process, AND we encourage its expression.
Problem Solving
Set up a "problem" and explore possibilities. Problem-solving in martial arts takes a situational shape. In other words, timed and well crafted challenges that allow the students to figure out the next move, the next step, and the consequences arising from those choices. Just like playing.
Collaborative
We encourage partner work, and keep competitiveness on the "back burner." This way, when we partner (and we partner a LOT), each partner is both a student and a helper. The goal of partner work is like a "double edge sword" - one edge is learning, the other edge is helping. It is a very friendly "sword."
Outdoor Sundays Ongoing Open Practice (Ages 8+ / All Skills Welcome):
(ENDS AROUND OCTOBER, DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER)
Lifelong Instructor, Parent & Explorer of all things!
"A teacher is a student who teaches in order to continue his study." (Mochizuki Minoru Sensei)
Instructor Explorer
Bogdan Heretoiu
SuperDAD, Filmmaker & Film Teacher, 40+ years of exploring Movement through Martial Arts studies.
Core Values
Family & Student Centered
Our practice involves the entire family. Think of it as village setting, where we all help each other, explore and play together.
Available Support
Private Online Community
The Grasshoppers Club has its own private community in order to provide a safe, inclusive, and marketing-free space for all Grasshoppers.
Daily Practice ☀︎ Food For Thoughts
Daily, Weekly, and anytime in between thoughts about and for our day to day practice (and Life)
Visual Cue Concepts
(Share and Reflect on possible meanings and interpretations)
Explore. Practice. Everyday
(if you remember)
Progress is incremental, fluid, adaptive, often unpredictable, however, one fundamental principle is active at the core of all progress: PRACTICE. We encourage a daily healthy dose of it.
