East meets West gathering, July 22, 2006

[KempoShaun]

I would like to put out a HUGE thank you to my Kempo brothers Master Chris Hatch and Matt Barnes (www.capecodmartialarts.com) and Master Jesse Dwier (www.dpkempo.com) for putting on one of the best and most well organized seminars I've ever attended. They rented out three ballrooms at the Westford Regency hotel and conference center here in Massachusetts, and brought in Prof. Kimo Ferriera (one of my Martial Arts Idols) and his beautiful wife Kiko-san, as well as Chosei Motobu Sensei with his top student Inaba Sensei (From Motobu Ryu Udunde, Royal Art of Okinawa), Master Bill Chun Jr. (Go Shin Jitsu Kai) and while we were expecting Kagenori Ueno Sensei, he was struck ill at the last moment and sent two of his top students (I'm sorry, I can't remember their names!!!) who put on a JigenRyu seminar. I attended all seminars with my instructor KenpoJoe Rebelo, as well as a cutting and iaido demonstration by the Jigenryu practitioners, which was incredible! It was also EXTREMELY exciting for me to get to see Nancy Lee Cerio (and of course Billy!) again, and for those who haven't seen her lately, she looks FABULOUS! We also got to meet up with a few MT regulars such as Marlon, CTKempoTodd and a few others, and a GREAT time was had by all. When all said and done, while I would have preferred a few days with each of these Masters, my head is still spinning with information. Thank you Chris and Jesse!!! I have a few pictures of myself with the seminar instructors on my school website (address below), and I know Master Dwier will be putting something together on his next week encompassing what I would imagine to be a lot more than just publicity shots like mine Thanks again to the organizers of this event! Oh, and once again, these seminars that showed us our roots, be we Parker lineage, Gascon lineage, or any other Ken/mpo lineage, it truly is the art that teaches you, as KenpoJoe would say, to "rip, gouge, maim and mutilate for fun and profit!"

 

[bill007]

I agree with you, it was a fabulous seminar all I can say is a big BRAVO!!!

 

[MJS]

Thanks for the great review!! It sounds like everyone had a fantastic time!!:ultracool

Mike

 

[marlon]

Thank you very much to Cape Cod Martial arts Academy and Dragon-Phonix Kempo for hosting such an exciting seminar. I, also, wish i could have spent much more time with each master. especially masterChun jr. for whom i had many questions as to his different approach to kempo. Prof. Kimo's semianr was informative painful and eye opening. it was great to see Kiko up and well again. i thank her very much for her inteerpretation for Motobu Chosei and his partner. their seminar based on Naihanchi kata showed the directness and practical power and control in Motobu-ryu. these gentleman in thier late seventies and early eighties moved with speed grace power and accuracy. a marvel to watch and to learn. thank you. I feel the most organized seminar was presented by the two representatives from Japan, Tony and the other gentleman whose name escapes me. The format of thier presentation not only taught practical princiles that all could apply to thier respecrtive arts, but also had each successive part build on the previuos in such a manner that every concept was re-inforced by the next and left us all with a deeper understanding of practical skill and for me personally an improved way of teaching material. Thank you gentleman very much. It was great to meet the faces from martial talk, i wished i could have spent more time sharing and working practically with those of you in attendance. next time i think we should all try to stay an extra night and train and share and just hang out!! This was a wonderful opportunity and i am grateful to all who came and organized and taught. Thank you all for your friendship and your heart in training.

Respectfully,
Marlon

 

[CTKempo Todd]

Same sentiments here Gentlemen...
It was great to meet all of you and like Marlon said, wished we had more time just to kick back together..

On top of everything I was promoted to 3rd Dan by Prof Kimo the night before..This one was a long time coming as my 2nd degree test was in December of 1993.

Also, congratulations to my brother Master Matt Barnes who was promoted to 5th and one of Master Dwyer's students (Dave, can't remember his last name) who was promoted to 1st dan.

However good things come to those who wait...
Among those present at our test were:
Professor Kimo (and wife Kiko), Master Hatch, Master Dwyer, Sigung Rudy Duncan, Motobu Sensei, Inaba Hanshi, Ketaro and "Tony" of the Jigenryu system.
Who can ask for a more distinguished testing board?? My only dissapointment was that my instructor Professor Ingargiola was not present. He did sign my certificate which honored me none-the less.

A big thank you to Professor Ingargiola, Master Matt Barnes, Master Chris Hatch and Master Jesse Dwyer for your mentorship in helping me prepare for my test.

I'll repost this in a separate thread with a few pics as it is a bit of a hijack...

Again great meeting all of you and may we get together again soon...

Todd

 

[Matt]

Ketaro and "Tony" of the Jigenryu system.

Yoshitaka Takunaba Sensei ("Tony" - but I probably butchered the spelling.) and Sugiyama Keitaro Sensei. I really liked those guys. And for a guy who spoke very little English, "Tony" was riotously funny.

I'm working on a sort of "weekend report" summary for my website, but my head is still spinning. It was such a weekend. I hardly know where to begin.

Again great meeting all of you and may we get together again soon...

Todd

Soon. Atlantic City? January? Actually I really hope to get out to see your school before summer is over.

Congratulations again. I'm glad our paths have recrossed Todd.

Matt

 

[HKphooey]

Sounds like you guys had a great time. Wish I could have made it.

Thanks for the overview.

 

[RevIV]

Master Yoshitaka Takunaba ("Tony") and Sugiyama Keitaro Sensei did an excellent job at the seminar. Their teacher who could not make the trip suddenly, def. made the right choice in who to send in his place. I want it to be known that Kagenori Ueno Sensei is doing great and sent a gift of him demonstrating some of the sword techniques for Master Hatch and myself to practice.
The seminar in a whole was interesting with two of the seminars being taught through a translator. The participants picked up on all the movements and when i got back to my school some of my students told me how great it was and no matter what language it was being taught in "kempo was Kempo and we adapted."
Prof. Kimo was in his element teaching again his fast explosive self defense techniques and advanced versions of the Kake Te.
Master Chun Jr. demonstrated the benefits of Tension forms and the presence of two and three person attacks.
I also have the Jigenryu posters going on the webpage. When people who were not at the seminar see them you might go HUH? but for the rest we are going to smile as each element of their seminar isdrawn out in perfect order to make each section flow to the next until by the time you got to the end you really were at the beginning.. Plus the art work and presentation of it was great.
More and more pictures have been flooding in and by next week you will be able to see some on mine or matts webpage.
In Peace
Jesse Dwire