In response to "*The sensei or teacher should have at least a black belt, preferably in more than one form."
I would say at least 3rd dan black belt, i wouldn't ever consider training under someone who was a first or second dan. In Japanese martial arts a person is considered a capable instructor after 3rd dan, and a 'master' after 5th dan.
Another thing i would look for in an instructor is a direct inheritance from the founder of that particular art or style. For instance, i can trace from O Sensei (founder of Aikido), to Kancho Sensei (founder of Yoshinkan Aikido), to Sensei Crawford (my instructor), to myself. This means that the Aikido i'm learning is relatively pure and hasn't been diluted too much.
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