United
States News:
7th World Martial Arts Expo: The Return of HWARANGDO!
Veterans’ Sports Complex
Friday, 20 October 2006
Carson, CA
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. So, too, in a
field of mixed martial arts, of flying apple cores and broken glasses,
did the Hwarang warriors stand out as the premier example of what
is possible at the 7th World Martial Arts Exposition in Carson, CA
last month. Led by Kwan Jang Nim, the demonstration team from the
West Coast Hwarangdo Academy repeatedly shocked, stunned, impressed
and overwhelmed the capacity crowd at the Veteran’s Sports Complex
with their precision and demonstration of over 500 techniques.
From the aerial kicking mastery of Instructor Matthew Kim and Jo
Kyo Nim Nicholas Day, to the Kumdo attacks and spear defenses of Instructor
William Wright and Jo Kyo Nim Olivia Vaatete, the Hwarang of the West
Coast kept the crowd screaming, chanting and breathless from cheering.
Not to be outdone, the West Coast Academy student body turned out
in force, making up over a quarter of the crowd!
No one drew more applause, respect, admiration or awe, though, than
Chief Master Lee with his fluid demonstration of joint-locks and pressure
point application. Perhaps the only person in the building not completely
enamored of Kwan Jang Nim’s skill and power was Sa Bum Nim Scott
Macknight, his demonstration partner! Where Mr. Kim and Mr. Day flew
around the mats of their own volition, Sabumnim’s body left
the ground repeatedly, despite his best efforts to pin Master Lee,
or apply his own techniques!
Accompanied by his wife, the founder of modern Hwarangdo, Dr. Joo
Bang Lee, sat ringside as his eldest son engaged in a rare public
exhibition of Hwarang artistry. Dr. Lee was also honored by the Exposition
for his lifetime’s work of maintaining the integrity of martial
arts in the public sphere. A resident of West Los Angeles for the
past twelve years, Chief Master Lee has worked tirelessly and internationally
to preserve the purity of the Hwarang spirit. This dedication and
commitment drew the entire crowd into his enthusiasm and performance.
From ancient weapons to modern ground fighting, Master Lee and the
demonstration team exemplified the best of what martial training,
and what the daily practice of Hwarangdo truly is.
WLA Annual Halloween Party:
Many HRD and TSD students got together on Friday, October 27th to
prepare for what would be Hwarangdo’s hallway of “HORROR!!”
Skeletons hung from the ceiling while spiders and cobwebs draped the
walls. All the students collaborated and did a great job decorating
the haunted hallway. By the end of the night, Hwarangdo’s hallway
of “HORROR” was almost ready to scare the “Dobok’s”
off the would-be trespassers.
Once the finishing touches were placed, the haunted hallway was ready
for its frightening task. All of the students, friends, and family
members in attendance enjoyed yet another wonderful Halloween party,
courtesy of the Teuk Gong Team (Special Team of Instructors). The
hallway of horror proved to be scarily entertaining, while the delicious
food and treats satisfied our appetites. There were many fun games
for the kids as they enjoyed the various activities such as musical
chairs, best costume, and best mummy contest. In addition, we were
all entertained by Isiah Faulkner and Will Wright as they demonstrated
their Jedi skills with wonderfully colored light sabers.
However, the highlight of the evening was when the children anxiously
lined up to demonstrate their kicking power. The piñata did
not stand a chance as it absorbed many chop kicks, side kicks, and
spin kicks. It was great to see everyone scramble for the goodies
and treats.
All students and family members really enjoyed the event. It was
another fun filled evening with both frightening and fun costumes.
A Special thanks to all the parents, family members, and friends for
their attendance and assistance.
East Coast Battle of the Orient XIX
Benefits Union Municipal Drug Alliance
Union, NJ - The World Hwa Rang Do Association East Coast Headquarters
presented the Union Municipal Drug Alliance with a $2,000 donation
which was raised at the annual Hwa Rang Do martial arts Tournament,
Battle of the Orient, held on October 8, 2006 at the Union High School
gymnasium. Grand Master Ki Nam Yum has hosted the tournament each
year for the past 19 years. This event is an open competition that
brings many different styles of martial arts together to demonstrate
various skills.
Rather than having rivalries though, the event exemplifies sportsmanship,
self-discipline and a healthy and drug free life style. Besides the
competitive events, this years tournament had special exhibitions
from the various Hwa Rang Do schools in the area, including the Korean
Exhibition team which wowed the audience with their acrobatic skills
and speed.
Grand Master Yum professes a strong "do not use drugs"
message within his instruction. In addition to bringing his students
into the exhilarating world of martial arts, Grand Master Yum educates
by example and supplies a solid foundation for his students to follow.
Paul Fernandez, coordinator for the Alliance, said, “It is
support such as this that allows the Dug Alliance to exist. But most
important it is a commitment like Grand Master Yum’s that leads
the way in sending a clear and honest message to our kids”.
The World Hwa Rang Do East Coast Headquarters located at 1070 Stuyvesant
Ave. has been a landmark in Union for the past 15 years. Grand Master
Yum states that businesses in Union should place high importance in
drug prevention efforts. Today’s youth are the future of our
city and we should do everything possible to make sure they get the
right kind of guidance.
October 7 & 8: Wisconsin Seminars (Madison,
WI)
Saturday 7th
Session I Kid’s session (ages 5 to 11)
Session II Defense Against Clothing Grabs
Session III Quick Submit (From takedown to submission)
Session IV Middle Stick Fighting Tactics
Saturday 7th
Session V Tae Geuk (moving meditation similar to Tai Chi)
Session VI Belt Defense (Utilizing your belt to defend yourself)
Session VII Grappling Strategies and Tactics
Chief Master Taejoon Lee visited Madison October 7th and 8th for
a weekend seminar. The timing coincided with the opening of the new
Madison – East dojang and acted as the perfect inauguration.
Chief Master Lee’s visit brought life into the dojang as students
and instructors filled the floor, eager to acquire new knowledge,
skills, and understanding. The two days were well-attended by Hwa
Rang Do and Tae Soo Do students from all over the Midwest, as well
as participants from other schools and people receiving their very
first martial arts experience.
The weekend started with a seminar tailored just for the Little Tigers
and Juniors. Master Lee worked on a variety of skills with the kids,
including kicking, punching, rolling, and grappling. The rest of the
weekend was filled with six adult sessions, all of them overflowing
with step-by-step technical expertise, demonstrations, practice, and
valuable feedback as well as life lessons.
The first day of seminars included defense against clothing grabs
and quick submissions. Falling techniques, takedowns, and lockups
were emphasized as students were shown a multitude of methods for
submission. Master Lee emphasized that it is much more practical to
move your own body than your opponent’s and showed students
how to be more effective in their applications. Saturday afternoon’s
session in middle stick fighting techniques was taken performed outside
in the sun. The rhythmic sounds made by wood striking wood echoed
throughout the entire shopping center. Students performed strikes,
blocks, and chokes with their middle sticks as intrigued passersby
stopped to watch. It was the perfect ending to a day of hard work,
intense training, and enthusiasm.
Peacefulness crept across the dojang Sunday morning as students focused
on their breathing and all sat in silent meditation. Lights were dimmed
and a reassuring energy fell across the room. Master Lee masterfully
directed students and offered his words of wisdom in how to become
a master of mind, body, and spirit. Movement was then added to the
meditation as students again took their training outdoors and followed
Master Lee in the centering, mindful art of Tae Geuk.
Later in the day, participants learned how to use their belts for
self-defense, chokes, strikes, blocks, takedowns, and lockouts. Sunday
concluded with a grappling session. Students were given a plethora
of joint-manipulation and submission techniques, one flowing naturally
into the other. At the end of the session, students had an opportunity
to do some free-grappling by using their newly acquired techniques
in this exercise of practical application. One of the highlights of
the session was Poboksul, the use of the belt as a defensive weapon.
Everyone were amazed on how such a simple item can be used in so many
ways as an effective defensive tool.
Everyone left the dojang Sunday with much to rethink, contemplate,
review, and practice. Master Kijek says that taking a seminar with
Master Lee is like trying to drink from a fire hydrant. These words
were evident to all who attended. At the end of the day, many people
were sitting off to the side frantically writing down notes, in an
effort to capture as much of this new found knowledge as possible.
Master Lee’s charismatic words of advice and wisdom also reverberated
through our minds long after he had left. His words ring true for
all who listen and force people to challenge their way of thinking.
As students left the school, they were excited about the power of
Master Lee's words, the incredible wealth of knowledge that is Hwa
Rang Do, and the importance of maintaining its legacy.
Bonus Pics:
Chief Master Taejoon Lee in action at the
Madison Seminar
Hwa Rang Do has a new full-time academy
in Champaign Illinois.
Instructor Steve Lavigne is the Head Instructor of the Hwa
Rang Do Champaign Academy. He first began his training in Madison,
Wisconsin with Master David Kijek in 1994. After spending some time
in LA at the World Headquarters with Dojoonim, he moved back to the
Midwest to continue on with life. From there, Hwa Rang Do came with
Instructor Lavigne, and has spread some new roots into this central
region of the US. Champaign Illinois, which is 2 hours south of Chicago
and 2 hours west of Indianapolis, is home to the Big Ten University
of Illinois, and is sure to be a home for Hwa Rang Do for years to
come.
In the Midwest Tournament this spring, some of the Champaign members
competed and made their presence felt. Caitlin Meneely (TSD brown
belt) placed second in the TSD Advanced Weapons division and
Ben Toler ( TSD green belt) placed first in the TSD Men's
Intermediate sparring division. They, along with the rest of the students
of this new dojang, are excited about the future and are enjoying
their time breaking in the mats for all of the students that come
later.
Also, congratulations to Zoe Lavigne for celebrating her 5th birthday
in the Champaign dojang. Keep getting stronger, little Hwarang!
The Minneapolis Academy's Halloween
Party
The Minneapolis dojang was turned into a Haunted dojang once again
and with some new additional decorations and monsters, we sure added
to the screams and fun! Many students and families
came in for the party, and along with the neighborhood friends everyone
had a blast with the Halloween Party this year.
Instructor Sirny and the Minneapolis TGT lined up the floor mats,
put up the haunted decorations, got the fog machine working, then
got into costumes and scared all the brave souls who dared to enter
the haunted dojang. Some of the Little Tigers decided to wait for
next year before they go in, but all of the other kids sure had an
experience to remember.
After the haunted house, the fun continued with games and party.
The balloon stomp is always fun, and both divisions, juniors then
Little Tigers battled to the end. Also, thank goodness for all the
kicking practice recently as it sure helped break the pinata! Beginner
ranks got to use a chop kick, intermediate ranks used spin kicks,
and advanced ranks had to throw their jump spins. The pinata sure
got beat up, and of course the kids got their candy!
There were also some great costumes this year. We had a number of
animals, jedi, pirates, and a handful of unique creations by students
- most people never saw a human movie floor before, but Page Bennett
sure won the most creative award this year. The party sure was fun
for all the young Hwarang, and we look forward to hearing more screams
next year. Thanks to all who participated!
Arizona News:
Hwa Rang Do Phoenix Academy 25th (Silver) Anniversary Party
Please join us in celebrating Master Tim Elliott’s 25 years
of teaching the martial and healing art of Hwa Rang Do in Arizona!
In honor of this achievement, there will be a formal dinner banquette
held at the Glendale Civic Center on March 31, 2007. Special guest
will be Dr. Joo Bang Lee, founder of Hwa Rang Do, and his family along
with other fellow Hwa Rang Do Masters and Instructors from around
the country. Please contact the Phoenix Academy to get more information.
You can purchase a dinner ticket from the Phoenix Academy. It costs
$50 for adults and $25 for children under 13 years of age.
Thank you!
From: Master Elliott’s family and Phoenix Academy instructors
and students.
For more information EMAIL or
call (602)-692-0057 to reach the Phoenix Academy.
Download
the Dinner Ticket by clicking here.
International
News
Italy: Demonstration in Milan - October 22, 2006
Video CLICK
HERE
On Sunday the 22nd of October the Hwa Rang Do and Tae Soo Do Club
of Genova took part in a great sports and cultural event highlighting
Martial Arts and other Eastern Disciplines. The location was the Milano
fair, one of the most renowned expositions of northern Italy.
For Hwa Rang Do, taking part of the National Forum of Martial Arts
and Ring Sports was a special occasion, and for this reason Kyosanim
Marco Mattiucci did not hesitate to accept the invitation of the organizer,
Dr. Carlo Di Blasi, granting the club the position of headliner in
the overall demonstration.
Kyosanim has taught the club members to always be prepared, being
ready for action to spread the name of our martial art. What is so
great about our Instructor is that he always surprises us with the
strength of his dreams and convictions, and he always manages to make
us think deeply in believing that everything is possible!
At the Milano Fair he surprised us again, when he put the HRD &
TSD Club of Genova in charge of organizing the demo! We could not
believe what we heard.
There was a culmination of many intense emotions:
- TSD Jokyonim Diego, who has a lot of youthful energy, immediately
volunteered to be the first in the demo.
- TSD Jokyonim Giuseppe, who has a lot vision started to plan the
demo like a film director.
- I must say I was reluctant at first, but after witnessing the strong
spirit of our club members, I felt very proud to represent Hwa Rang
Do in this adventure.
Preparing for this event has not been easy for the Genova team. For
the next 2 months, the whole Demo Team met every weekend to train
many hours under the attentive eye of their instructors.
TSD Jokyonims Luca Gelati, Giuseppe Catania, and Diego Guardione
with thre strong support of their girlfriends (typical characteristic
of Italian girls ^^ ), they taught and trained in all of their
regular TSD and Kyuktoogi classes, then stayed up late night watching
the videos of Do Joo Nim and Chief Master TaejoonLee’s demo
footages.
After studying in detail all the scenes in slow motion with only
a couple hours of sleep on the (not so soft) mats, the instructors
woke up early each morning, started training, waiting for the other
members of the Demo Team.
Then, on Sunday, October 22nd, a bus full of 50 people, Instructors,
students, and their families left Genova ready to conquer Milano…
Many other representatives of other martial arts were there: wushu,
tai chi, tae kwon do, qwan ki do, viet vo dao, ju jitsu, shaolin,
karate, etc. There were also some local and national television stations
present. As we arrived at the Fair, already wearing our doboks, we
sought for the area in which the demo would take place. It was a 12
by 12 meter wide wooden stage, with no mats and there were already
many people present. The tension started to rise, especially among
the junior students.
We were ready, full of HWARANG SPIRIT. Then finally it was our turn.
It was no surprise; both the TSD and HRD groups did an awesome job
in spite of the hard floor. Nothing could stop us; we showed acrobatic
techniques, flying kicks, weapon forms, joint locks, etc…
Then it was the Little Tigers turn, carrying large posters (in some
cases bigger than themselves) with their beloved martial art names
on the banners.
At the end there was a lengthy applause. Impressed by our performances
and fascinated by our convictions, many people approached us to inquire
about our art, our training, especially the children!
However, the greatest satisfaction came when the organizer, after
seeing our demo for the first time asked us to perform it again. Without
thinking twice, we got back in action for the benefit and applause
of the audience.
By the end of the day, we were all very tired, but full of spirit
to honor Hwa Rang Do & Tae Soo Do during such a prestigious event.
On the way back home, we reflected on our performances of the day,
the awesome reception by the audience, and of the hard times spent
in preparation; we came to realize that great reward only comes through
great sacrifice and hard work.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHALLENGE…
Genoa demo – Piazza Sestri
–October 14, 2006
The Tae Soo Do Club of Genoa, Italy arranged a demo in the historical
part of their home city the Piazza Sestri. The club organized this
demo as a trial run for the techniques they were going to present
in Milan during the following week’s headliner demonstration.
Many locals and tourists watched the demonstration, and appreciated
the performance that the adult and junior practitioners put on. The
spectators also gained insight into the comprehensive and effective
nature of techniques that can be found within the curriculum of Hwa
Rang Do and Tae Soo Do.
October 7th & 8th: Demonstration
at the “La Storta fair”
2 days Rich in Training in an Unusual Setting: a Fun Fair!
Between the people eating “porchetta,”(a
special kind of roasted pork meat), and the children with their
candy floss, there was a unique group of people jumping, kicking,
and shouting on the mat. It was the Italian Demo Team!
The preparations to present Hwa Rang Do and Tae Soo Do to the people
at the fair began early on the morning of October 7th. The table was
covered with magazines, flags, flyers, and all of the participants
were organized into sharply arranged formations.
There were many memorable moments from the day. First, a huge group
warm-up followed by the young Hwarang juniors showing off their strength
and precision during a forms exhibition. A lesson of Tae Guek Kwon
for the adults came next, and then light contact sparring matches
for the children. The demonstration ended with everyone performing
techniques that were prepared in the previous weeks of practice.
Throughout the day, the Demo Team also provided lessons that were
open to all of the spectators. In fact, many children participated,
leaving their pop-corn off the mat to try jump kicks with the Demo
Team.
The Tae Guek Kwon lessons also attracted the interest of many people
who were watching from the sidelines. Many of them came to ask for
more information about Hwa Rang Do, and also show their appreciation
for the spiritual side of our martial art. Throughout the day, people
continued to crowd around the Hwa Rang Do section of the fair, and
because of the great success the group was having, the fair organizer
asked the demo team to continue with the presentations for the rest
of the day.
At the end of the day, through the loud-speakers the entire crowd
of people were invited to view the final demonstration. Grappling,
weapon forms, hoshin sul, open hand forms, light contact sparring,
and many self-defense scenarios created by the children were performed.
Many students participated in this exciting demonstration filled with
a lot of solid content. Also, we can't forget about all of the mothers
who watched from the sidelines, waiting anxiously to see the exhibitions
put on by their children. The following day at the fair, the demo
team repeated many of the lessons for a new audience, and also had
an interview about Hwa Rang Do with a local radio station.
The fun fair has proved to be a perfect place to advertise Hwa Rang
Do and Tae Soo Do in this Italian community. Appreciation is also
given to the organizers of the fair who invited the club to present
and perform throughout the 2 days. “GREAT JOB” to the
whole Demo Team!
Elective Didactic Activity at the
University of Genova,October 2006
On the 27th, 28th, and 29th of October, Kyosanim Marco Mattiucci
held a series of practical and theoretical lessons introducing Hwa
Rang Do to a group of students at the University of Genova in the
department of Kinesiology.
These lessons have been made possible by a non-profit collaboration
with the chair of Sports Psychology, Professor Francesca Vitali. On
Friday, the 27th of October, Kyosanim Marco Mattiucci held an exclusively
theoretical workshop where he discussed the main points about Hwa
Rang Do, its structure and curriculum, as well as emphasizing the
study of leadership and group integration along with the discipline
needed to create successful organizational units.
On Saturday the 28th and Sunday the 29th the practical hands on training
took place. This included both martial and gymnastic training in order
to show how Hwa Rang Do puts its theory into practice. The dynamics
of teaching, how to train for fighting, and definitely the art's overall
approach to life were subjects covered in the training sessions. Most
students were surprised about the strong conviction and philosophy
that Hwa Rang Do promotes during normal everyday life activities.
However, by the end of the 3 days they could see and understand the
results and benefits that this approach has.
The practical training was in some parts very hard, and many of the
students had to hustle in order to keep up. However, we have to admit,
all of them did their best, and most managed to take part in all segments
of the sessions from beginning to end, in spite of their exhaustion,
hunger, and thirst, which in some moments was quite large.
Also, many students from the Hwa Rang Do and Tae Soo Do Club of Genova
took part in the training. They were very supportive to the university
participants, but they also had the chance to better focus their own
training and perspective of such a complex martial art like ours.
Showing their pride about Hwa Rang Do in an academic atmosphere was
also an experience to remember.
To conclude, it has been an excellent experience for everyone, and
plans are in the works to repeat the seminar next year due to the
positive results gained in this session
Hwa Rang Do everywhere!
Climbing Training for the Italian HRD
Sulsa Students
The Sulsa Team has been created to be a group characterized by the
study of adaptation and combat in every kind of setting, from water
to air. To get a little bit closer to air, yet keeping in touch with
earth, the Italian Sulsa Team started to attend climbing lessons.
First was the theoretical and safety study, then attempts were made
on the artificial wall, and finally the group went out to the real
mountains.
Some of the team was skilled, others a little less, and most experienced
being way up high for the first time (there were walls of 20-30 meters!).
The team spent hours hanging on the rocks between wonderful landscapes,
and challenging themselves with ever harder walls and cliffs.
When you get higher, every step is as important as the previous one,
there is no thought, just the will to reach the top! Upon summiting,
everything looks different. The effort it took to reach the top loses
its importance, and there’s just the wind accompanied by a sensation
of peace and quiet.
