# Philly/Boston Trip recap



## Dan Anderson (Oct 29, 2009)

Hi all, 

As you all might know from another thread, I just completed a Philladelphia - Boston mini-tour teaching arnis.  My tour began in Philly.  I taught at the I.E.F. Martial Arts Academy.  This group is headed by Ian Fusco who is primarily a kung fu man.  He had done some training under Mark Wiley for about 6 months before hooking up with me.  I worked with him for about 6 hours total privately so that he can being teaching the Fast Track Arnis Training Program in his academy.  This seminar was a private session with plans to open it up to the general public the next time I come out.  So far we are looking at some time right after the new year.

I was going to spend a couple of days with Mark but his daughter and he got sick one right after the other so I ended up spending a cuple nights over at Joe Briedenstein's house.  Joe hosted a number of the early east coast seminars for Prof. Presas back in the 1980's.  He not only was a great host but I was surprised he and I thought alike on a number of topics outside martial arts.  We watched the Phillies/LA nail biter on the tube the last night I ws there.  Boy, is he a baseball fan.

While I ws there I got to meet Michael Bates.  Mike also hosted Prof. Presas a number of times over the years.  We spend about 5 hours in non-stop chatter back and forth on mostly martial arts.  The thing that impressed me about him was his passion.  He was a very die-hard Remy man and he feels passionately about his current instructor, Ising Attillo, as well.  The time passed all too shortly but we'll hook up the next time I'm out that way.

I then took the train (a wonderfully restful ride, I might say) to Boston to hook up with Jeff Burger.  Jeff is one fo these guys who I'd call a 'closed door master'.  What I mean by that is it is my contention that for every one person who is a master and is in the limelight, there are several equally skilled master who doesn't seek any kind of attention - they're behind closed doors.  Jeff is one of those guys.  I remember being impressed by him on my last trip to Boston but I didn't get to spend much tme with him.  This time I ws with him for 5 dasy and the bredth of his knowledge and experience amazed me.

He has spent, on one occasion, 5 months in Thailand training at the Muay Thai Institute, has gone and lived/trained in China, is a shihan in Shitoryu karate, does Brazillian Jiujitsu and now is branching out into arnis under me.  It's not just his eperience that is cool but how his mind works.  His ability to connect the threads between the systems is quite good.  Prof. Presas would've loved to have himi as a student.

At the Boston seminar we had students from first lesson level to experienced arnisadors and a couple of Systema instructors.  That was a great croud to teach to and it kept me on my toes so that everyone was learning something that would end up useful tothem, no matter the style.  Well, from the reports I received, I did all right and everyone was happy.  It was a good crowd as they were all willing to go with the flow and get something out of it.

I was hoping to hook up with Frank Shekosky and Brian Zawilinski when in Boston (they're only 2 hours away) but the Connecticut Martial Arts Festival was the same weekend so that didn't happen.  Ahhh, next time.

All in all, it was a very successful trip.  My hosts were great and I was treated like royalty.  Hmmm, I could get used to this.  I had a great time but it was good to get home as well.  My body is slowly getting back onto west coast time.  Slowly.  Yesterday morning I woke up at 4 am - wide awake.  All for now.  Over and out.

Yorus,
Dan Anderson


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## arnisador (Oct 29, 2009)

Wow, sounds great! Good for you!


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## Brian R. VanCise (Oct 30, 2009)

Sounds like a great time Dan!


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