I studied the Tang Soo Do version of Bassai Dai back in the later 70's under Frank Trojanowizc (Cindy Rothrock's original instructor). There were no TSD application studies at that time (nor in most of the arts I trained in at that time).
What a difference 10 yrs., or perhaps a different
dojang, make. As mentioned, I crosstrained with a TSD teacher in the late 80's. The moves were less stylized, more grounded. The
bunkai (I.e: The situation envisioned and the response to it) was clear to me just from watching the form.
Several years later I trained in the Tristan Sutrisno Shotokan Bassai Dai, which contained an entire universe of application studies and very solid Bassai Dai practice.
I only know Sutrisno-
sensei by reputation (I understand from "elsewhere", where they speak nononsense (
), that you two are friends).
But from all I've heard, I'm not surprised to read what you wrote about the
kata experience at his
dojo.
You do have to admit, though, that he's not your run-of-the-mill JKA instructor.