To step or not to step, that is the question!

I thoroughly agree and reject your opinion!
Static, step by step, but wait...what's this?

I say step by step because it's broken down. Personally, I'm a horribly simple person, for better or worse. Damning evidence aside I don't really like viewing the divide simply as static vs step by step anymore. What I've begun to see more is relational. I believe that static lends itself to the relational approach.

When we begin to see things as relational then we understand why we always see bits of Tegatana No Kata. It's all a simple cause and effect. Now I understand you'll say, but Balanced relational is a motif, not a teaching style! we have to teach static or flowing, and I say that we teach static and as we become less and less knowledgeable (because Aikido as we know is a pursuit of knowledge, which often leads us to own ignorance).

My gripe with flowing: when we think about flowing we start to lose the realism that is Aikido. While I won't deny that practicing flowing can help timing, the down side is it can lead to motion for the sake of motion, something which I find deplorable.

Breaking down the flavors of Quarks:
Static
-great for teaching mechanics
-great for beginners
-Bad for kata demonstration

Flowing
-Great for Kata demonstration!
-Excellent for developing a higher understanding of static transitions
-Can possibly lead to bad habits (but what can't)

Relational
-Happens in static and flowing
-Flowing allows us to focus on the relational transition


(shhh I'm just repeating Headlong, but adding my gripe about flowing.)
-Balanced