These dedicated individuals are currently teaching at Grand Rapids Martial and Cultural Arts.
Instructors at Grand Rapids Aikikai
Burgess Renkema, Chief Instructor (Dojo Cho), 2nd Dan
A West Michigan native his entire life, Burgess started his martial arts life training in Taekwondo in the summer of 2001, achieving 1st Dan in November of 2004, and during that time medaling in sparring and kata demonstration in multiple national tournaments. Taking a break to start a family, he resumed training, new to aikido, in 2008, achieving shodan in 2016. Finding a new focus on helping develop the people training around him he started assisting with class and warmups under Dave Mata Sensei and was promoted to Nidan in 2021. During the end of the pandemic he resumed training in Taekwondo and teaching classes for all age groups and families, while rebuilding Grand Rapids Aikikai through Grand Rapids Martial and Cultural Arts. Burgess became the lead instructor of Grand Rapids Aikikai in January of 2023, having tested for Fukushidoin in the fall of 2024.
Tim Maletic, Instructor, 2nd Dan (he/him)
Tim discovered Aikido in 2013 and hasn’t looked back. He has studied intensively under Dave Mata Sensei (5th Dan) and Roo Heins Sensei (6th Dan), as well as many of the senior instructors of Birankai North America through regional seminars. Tim successfully tested for shodan (first degree black belt) in 2018 and nidan (second degree black belt) in 2024, and is currently continuing to train under Heins Sensei to prepare for the Fukushidoin (associate/assistant teacher) exam.
