James Soviero, Yondan (4th Degree Black Belt) and Shidoin (Certified Teacher by the U.S. Aikido Federation), has been practicing and teaching Aikido since 1991. Two of those years were dedicated to a full-time, live-in apprenticeship as "uchi-deshi" under Rick Stickles, 6th Degree Black Belt and chief instructor of Aikido Schools of New Jersey in Roselle Park. (Click on picture at left for Quicktime video) He continues to train at New York Aikikai, headquarters of the United States Aikido Federation, as well as at numerous seminars nationally throughout the year with some of the world's leading teachers.

A Red Bank native, James attended Red Bank Catholic High School, and earned a Bachelors of Arts degree in psychology at Montclair State University. Besides teaching at Aikido of Red Bank, which he founded in 2002, he is on the instruction staff at Aikido Schools of New Jersey and The New York Aikikai.