The key thing with the Tachi kumiuchi is to stay balanced which means not to lose your balance. It means that you have to stay up standing. Being balanced actually means to be equally unbalanced in all directions at the same time.
We all know that the techniques done on the ground are called “suwari waza” and that the standing techniques are called “tachi waza”. And understanding the habit of sensei to play with words maybe one of the key principle for this year is to master our ability (kon) to stand up and not to fall. we have to learn to be toatally, and equally unbalanced.
A closer look at the various meanings can help us here; Roku is “6”, Shô is award, and Jô is emotion. The concept for this year being “rokkon shôjô” through Tachi we can understand the “rokkon shôjô and tachi” concept and theme in a very different manner. Also the number “6” can refer to the four direction plus up and down (some other understanding of Juppô sesshô).
So if we replace all these terms by their different meanings we get:
“rokkon shôjô tachi kumiuchi” = developing the ability to be (un)balanced in all directions (tachi) by developing our emotions (be happy) when meeting with others.
Shiro Kuma 