I started teaching Tang Soo Do in 2001 after I received my black belt. In 2003, after I earned my 2nd degree black belt, I opened my first dojo at the YWCA in Duluth. I taught Tang Soo Do there exclusively, focusing on the applications in the forms, rather than the traditional canon of TSD techniques. In 2008, I moved to Hawaii and left my Duluth dojo in the hands of my senior student. Out here, I've started programs at the school I've worked at and drawn a lot of interest from communities that I'm directly involved with, but I haven't been able to drum up the interest from outside of those communities and really grow my dojo.
I think it's because people have a particular view of karate and martial arts is so infused into the culture of the island, it's hard to market yourself differently. I've never lived in an area where so many people have had some experience with the martial arts. Literally, every school on the island has at least one martial arts program. Some have two or more. Also, there are a lot of businesses that cater to the market and people who want to train seriously, have plenty of choices.
This is why I've decided to start adding Danzan Jujutsu classes to our dojo. We need to diversify and draw more people in and we need to take advantage of the fact that "Danzan Ryu" has a deep connection with Hawaiian Culture. The name itself is composed of the Chinese characters for Sandlewood Island. That was a common way of referring to Hawaii during Henry Okazaki's time. So, we're adding Hawaiian Jujutsu classes to the dojo. This gives us a connection to the traditional Hawaiian art of Lua and it allows people who have heard the name of "Jujutsu" a chance to come in and train in something a bit different from "the UFC".
In 2012, I earned my black belt in the Hawaiian Style of jujutsu. I started training in the system in 2002, under Gene Esala at the Hayashi No Dojo in Duluth Minnesota. Interestingly enough, when he moved his dojo out of the YWCA, he helped me get a start there to open my own school in 2003. In 2008, after I moved to Hawaii, I started training with Professor Steve Mclaughlin at the Hawaii Zenyo Jujutsu Kai. I started over as a white belt in this dojo because it was part of a different federation than the AJJF. Four years later, I learned the Dojo's way of doing things and my black belt as well.
In a year or so, with some work on Shinnin, I'll have earned the basics to teach Danzan Ryu on it's own exclusively. I don't think I'm interested in that. I love to teach karate and I think there is a strong connection between the two arts. They work well together. Anyway, be on the lookout for new media promoting this. It's going to be exciting and rewarding for all of the current and future students at Makalakula.
I think it's because people have a particular view of karate and martial arts is so infused into the culture of the island, it's hard to market yourself differently. I've never lived in an area where so many people have had some experience with the martial arts. Literally, every school on the island has at least one martial arts program. Some have two or more. Also, there are a lot of businesses that cater to the market and people who want to train seriously, have plenty of choices.
This is why I've decided to start adding Danzan Jujutsu classes to our dojo. We need to diversify and draw more people in and we need to take advantage of the fact that "Danzan Ryu" has a deep connection with Hawaiian Culture. The name itself is composed of the Chinese characters for Sandlewood Island. That was a common way of referring to Hawaii during Henry Okazaki's time. So, we're adding Hawaiian Jujutsu classes to the dojo. This gives us a connection to the traditional Hawaiian art of Lua and it allows people who have heard the name of "Jujutsu" a chance to come in and train in something a bit different from "the UFC".
In 2012, I earned my black belt in the Hawaiian Style of jujutsu. I started training in the system in 2002, under Gene Esala at the Hayashi No Dojo in Duluth Minnesota. Interestingly enough, when he moved his dojo out of the YWCA, he helped me get a start there to open my own school in 2003. In 2008, after I moved to Hawaii, I started training with Professor Steve Mclaughlin at the Hawaii Zenyo Jujutsu Kai. I started over as a white belt in this dojo because it was part of a different federation than the AJJF. Four years later, I learned the Dojo's way of doing things and my black belt as well.
In a year or so, with some work on Shinnin, I'll have earned the basics to teach Danzan Ryu on it's own exclusively. I don't think I'm interested in that. I love to teach karate and I think there is a strong connection between the two arts. They work well together. Anyway, be on the lookout for new media promoting this. It's going to be exciting and rewarding for all of the current and future students at Makalakula.
