If you look closely, you can see that some of them are wearing blue smocks over their gui. Those are the instructors.
For the actual test, they have to show what they have learned in order to get their next belt. Everyone starts out as a white belt. The next belt is white with a black stripe and then yellow, yellow with a stripe, etc. They test them in groups, so all of the black belts tested at the same time. The second group was all of the orange, green, purple, and brown belts. Jarod's group was last; all of the white, yellow, and gold belts. The test was in the gym at YVCC (Yakima Valley Community College) and the gym floor was full of students of all ages. So, this is how it would go...
1. Two black belts demonstrate the move they will need to show, since there are multiple colors on the floor at one time, they demonstrate each of the different things.
For example, the white belts need to show a front kick, while the yellow belts are showing a round kick, and the gold belts are showing a side kick.
2. Everyone does their move at one time, while the head sensei shouts out commands (in Japanese)
3. The senseis and other black belts move around the floor checking and scoring each student. There are 24 of them total, checking 50+ students.
They had to do several self-defense moves, kicks, punches, etc. Then they had to do their kata. Depending on your belt color, you would do anywhere from 1 to 5 katas. Some of the students did katas involving weapons...those were very cool to watch. Here is the video of Jarod doing his kata. He's not so happy about me posting it, but I'm the mom right.
Jarod got his score Wednesday and he passed so he now has his stripe. They begin a new 4-month session next week.
