Our dojo (martial arts school) name, "Utsusemi", is the title of a chapter in the novel The Tale of Genji. Written in the eleventh century in Japan, it is considered one of the first, if not the first, novels in the world. "Utsusemi" refers to the shedding of the locust shell so as to begin anew. As applied to our approach to the study of Aikido, it means not to be overly dependent on earthly things, not to be overly dependent on technique alone, but to also consider to the philosophical aspects of the art. The second part of our dojo name, "Aikikai", refers to our training in the tradition of O-Sensei's teachings following World War II, in the style that is trained to this day at the Aikido World Headquarters in Japan where he taught, and our affiliation, through Aikido Schools of Ueshiba, with that organization.

Utsusemi Aikikai provided instruction in the martial art of Aikido in Birmingham, Alabama from 2005 through 2012. The dojo relocated to Galveston, Texas in January of 2013.

Instruction at Utsusemi Aikikai is provided by Ken McGrew Sensei. Sensei has trained in the martial arts since 1986. He began training in Aikido in 1991 and became a member of Aikido Schools of Ueshiba in 1993 under the instruction of John Stone and Robin Cooper Senseis, direct students of Saotome Shihan. In addition to training under these senseis, he has frequently attended seminars led by Saotome Shihan (including invitational sessions at the Shrine dojo in Florida), Ikeda Shihan, and other senior instructors in ASU. McGrew Sensei tested for and was promoted to the rank of Sandan by Saotome Shihan in 2011.