United States
News:
West Coast:
West Coast Tae Soo Do Black Belt Winter Graduation 2007
On Saturday December 15, 2007, the West Coast Hwa
Rang Do Staff, students, and their families gathered to celebrate
a tremendously successful year. Among those with the most to celebrate
were our black belt graduates who earned their coveted Tae Soo Do
Black Belts -- a mental, physical, and spiritual achievement that
only the few determined individuals who sacrifice, overcome their
fears, and persevere even when it seems they have no more to give,
ever get to experience. After receiving their belts from Do Joo Nim,
the four graduates received a round of genuine hugs from every Hwarangdo
Instructor and student. Welcome to the Hwarangdo Family!
 Irfan
Khan, a 23-year-old college graduate from UCLA, holds a degree
in Electrical Engineering and a minor in French. Apart from
Tae Soo Do, Irfan likes math, art, music, and literature. Many
times you can find him reading with a diabolical grin on his
face. Irfan became interested in Tae Soo Do when he drove by
the dojang several times, and finally decided to check it out.
According to Irfan, “training has helped me understand
and be open to different ideologies while helping me have greater
self-control and accountability.” Irfan would like to
continue training and also continue his academic career. |
 Ken
Leung, also 23 years old, is a recent USC graduate. He likes
playing basketball, poker, electronic music, and DJing. Ken
has been enamored by martial arts since he was a little boy.
“I dabbled in Win Chun kung fu and Tae Kwon Do back home
in Vancouver, Canada.” When he came to Los Angeles for
college he played basketball and was lifting weights, but that
wasn’t enough. He went on the Internet, came across the
West Coast Hwa Rang Do website, and “the rest was history!”
Ken says that, “Tae Soo Do has given me a new focus and
direction in life. I never would have thought that training
can be intense as it was when I first started, and I’m
not just talking about the physical aspect, but also the mental
dimension.” Ken has pushed himself to limit and beyond
constantly. “Your enemy is out there training somewhere,
so you must train twice as much and twice as hard as him!”
Ken would like to own his own company. His family has been in
real estate so he imagines he would follow in their footsteps.
He also would like to help others by opening up a Hwa Rang Do
club in his hometown. |
 Claudine
Lopez, wife of Marco Lopez Sr., began training because her husband
and son were doing it. As a family, Claudine is the third to
receive her black belt. Marco Sr. and Marco Jr. both graduated
in June 2007. Claudine likes to cook and travel. She loves cheese,
chocolate and pasta. Tae Soo Do has changed her life. It has
given her the power to say “no” when something is
wrong. It has also helped her to battle her demons. She has
gained greater energy and it has helped her prioritize her life
better. Claudine hopes to gain greater self-control in all facets
of her life and will continue to strengthen their family by
applying the principles learned in our martial discipline. |
 Sherif
Toma is a 31-year old therapist with a doctorate in Clinical
Psychology. He is active in his church, is a licensed pilot
who gives lessons to others, and loves chess. He began training
in Hwa Rang Do as an undergraduate at UC Irvine. “I enjoyed
it a great deal.” So, Sherif decided to find the dojang,
which just happened to be near his work. Sherif says that, “from
Tae Soo Do, I learned discipline, respect, and owning up to
one’s weaknesses.” He also learned that he is capable
of overcoming his weaknesses. He has made many friends by being
a part of the Tae Soo Do family. Sherif feels that, “I
can overcome obstacles through hard work, motivation, and dedication.”
He wants to continue training and to obtain his license as a
psychologist. |
| |
Congratulations and welcome to the Hwa Rang Do Family!
West Los Angeles 2007 HRD/TSD Winter Demo
& Christmas Party
After the graduation ceremony,
all of the Tae Soo Do and Hwa Rang Do students lined up to prepare
for our annual Christmas Demo. The Little Tigers kicked the evening
off by showing the audience how to break boards. Tae Soo Do students
demonstrated a variety of open hand and weapon forms while the Hwarangdo
juniors and adult amazed everyone with a demo of complex and intricate
techniques. As if that wasn't enough, our Black Sash Instructors Jerry
Kang and Nick Day took such techniques to another level in a one on
one demonstration of Black Sash techniques. It was among the best
ever!
Following the demonstration, certificates were awarded
to students and instructors of 2007 who really earned special recognition
for their performance and dedication throughout the year. Master Lee
brought a very special evening -- and year -- to a wonderful, strong
close, and dismissed us. To go home? No! To party!!!
This year's Christmas party turned out to be the
best ever, as well. As far as potlucks go, we were extremely lucky.
There was hardly enough table top space to contain all the delicious
foods. Nobody left hungry that evening! Jokyo Eric Ruffat showed up
from out of state, as did Jokyo Olivia Vaatete and Instructor Will
Wright. It is an awesome treat to see Master Lee surrounded by all
of his Black Sashes in one evening. There's nothing like a family
reunion to make such an occasion even more special. It was a night
of great happiness and celebration for all who attended. And, we look
forward now to all the excitement and success that the next year will
bring.
Students of the Year Awards:
• Tae Soo Do Adult Male Student of the Year – Irfan
Khan
• Tae Soo Do Adult Female Student of the Year – Claudine
Lopez
• Tae Soo Do Junior Student of the Year – Giovanni Bayani
• Tae Soo Do Little Tiger Student of the Year – Ryan
& Spencer Kent
• Hwa Rang Do Adult Male Student of the Year – Stephen
Ginsburg
• Hwa Rang Do Adult Female Student of the Year – Andrea
Perez-Bertolotto
• TGT Adult Assistant Instructor of the Year – Joey
Klein
• TGT Junior Assistant Instructor of the Year – Luke
Kiefer & Larry Pershing
• Instructor of the Year – Nicholas Day
• Outstanding Loyalty – Sabum Scott MacKnight &
Kyosa Jerry Kang
• Outstanding Support – Juana Rodriguez, Loo Family,
and Reynaldo Macias
Minneapolis Dojang:
Black Belt Demonstration and Annual Christmas Party 2007
As always at the Hwa Rang Do Minneapolis Academy,
the last weekend before the Holidays in December was a day to remember.
Every year, this weekend begins with belt testing, which is followed
shortly thereafter, by a moment long awaited for certain students:
the rite of passage that is the fourth and final test for Tae Soo
Do Black Belt candidates.
This year three extremely talented and dedicated
youngsters completed their Tae Soo Do Black Belt testing. Having proven
their warrior spirit in Tae Soo Do, these three candidates will now
continue on to join their Hwa Rang Do brothers and sisters for a lifetime
of training. The graduating candidates were Max Finch-Raymond (Age
10), Raine Robichaud (Age 11), and Paige Robichaud (Age 10). Each
put on an awesome demonstration, showing synchronized sword and open
hand forms, self defense techniques, and successfully completing their
final board breaks.
Along with demonstrating their martial techniques,
it must be noted that these three juniors also wrote exceptional dissertations
regarding how to apply the martial spirit and sense of character to
the rest of life in the outside world. In fact, the depth of insight
that these three have in regards to this topic is remarkable considering
their age. Not only can they express and articulate the many facets
of dealing with peer pressure and internal doubt and fear, but they
have faced these challenges in their lives persevering through obstacles
to move their lives forward with a solid sense of strength and honor.
For their instructors, families, and all who know them, these three
Tae Soo Do Black Belts really shine with a strong Hwarang spirit!
After hearty congratulations, the students and assistants
left the dojang for a short time, only to return later for the big
Christmas demonstration! The dojang was standing-room only this year,
with row after row of parents, friends, and relatives packed in to
watch the Minneapolis Tae Soo Do and Hwa Rang Do students demonstrate
what they’ve learned and practiced over the previous year.
The demonstration began with an exhibition of empty/open
hand forms, with the juniors performing the Tae Soo Do White belt
form, followed by the Seagate TSD Club members demonstrating their
orange belt forms. After the intermediate juniors and adults demonstrated
a mix of different material, the Hwa Rang Do adults took the floor
with a five-man demonstration of the Yellow-sash form, performed in
an intersecting rosette that first converged, then spread out, and
ended in a stirring tandem circular motion as they completed their
work. The recent black belt graduates were joined by Toma Kelley-Pegg
(Age 10) do to a four person sword form. Starting back-to-back, the
four students demonstrated both precision weapon work, control, and
an absolute trust in one another as they twirled their blades barely
inches apart.
With the forms work completed, the advanced TSD students
and intermediate HRD students displayed the progression of self-defense
techniques required for each belt.
Then the action really started, with demonstrations of Black Sash
knife and stand-up control techniques. Chokyonim Alyssa Marlenee and
Chokyonim Preston Packard displayed just a few of the many different
varieties of locks, throws, take-downs, and reversals are part of
the Hwa Rang Do vocabulary. Later in the evening, Mrs. Alina Cole
showed a slightly more practical and “street” version
of women’s self-defense, displaying stand-up joint manipulation,
some flying kicks, and a potentially lethal grin as she pounded and
grappled her husband into submission. No one challenges the redheads
of Minneapolis!
Jason Ritenouer and Brett Shields showed the assembled
audience what it means to be part of Tae Jun Sa, in a spectacular
display of grappling and ground fighting. As they wrestled through
both positions and locks, the pair demonstrated HRD grappling techniques,
transitioning smoothly back and forth from upright, kneeling and grounded
positions. For the finale, the pair demonstrated that HRD grappling
techniques are not just limited to the ground, as the pair finished
with a stupendous sky high suplex that had Mr. Shields’ toes
twelve feet in the air.
As always, the highlight of the show was saved for
last, with Sabumnim Dylan Sirny returned to an old-school demonstration
of Hwa Rang Do’s fighting skills. Attacked by three assailants
(Mr. Packard, Mr. Cole, and Mr. Shields) Instructor Sirny kicked,
punched, threw, and manipulated his way through various attacks that
appeared from all directions. It is obviously unwise to attach a Hwa
Rang Do 3rd Dan, and even with a 3 to 1 advantage the attackers looked
rather foolish as they were thrown all over the floor as Instructor
Sirny used their arms, legs, ankles, and heads for devastating joint
locks. In a spectacular finish, Sabumnim first threw Mr. Cole into
a huge back flip, and then used him as a launching platform to capture
the other two attackers into a two-man neck-scissors, finishing the
demonstration.
Following the performance, the Minneapolis students
expressed their appreciation for Sabumnim’s continued hard work,
gifting the school with a “BOB” training bag, fully equipped
in Kumdo armor! Then the entire Minneapolis HRD family displayed their
respect for their elders by having the students serve their friends
and family from a banquet spread that left the tables groaning. After
all of that hard work and performing, the only proper way to end the
year was of course building trust and brotherhood among friends, singing
karaoke late into the night.
As always, the Holiday Party demonstration was a
huge success. The school displayed the dedication and spirit that
makes Hwa Rang Do, and Minneapolis, stronger and better every year!
International
News
Italy:
Christmas Party & Seminar in Rome
On December 22, 2007 Kyosa Marco Mattiucci arranged
a Christmas meeting in Rome for Hwa Rang Do / Tae Soo Do students.
Ins. Francesco Biancuzzi hosted the event. The subjects of the lessons
were full contact fighting for adults and children as well as effective
techniques for self defense. There were many participants outside
of our art during the self defense segment (even a Krav Maga instructor).
After 4 hours of hard training, everyone was eager for dinner and
refreshments. We ended the evening exchanging gifts and well-wishes.
You can see the picture of the team and a video clip of the class:
http://www.hwarangdo.it/blog/2007/videos/20071222christmasmeeting.wmv
Italian Demo Team Represented in
Demo Competition
On December 16, 2007 the Italian HRD students participated
in a demo competition in Rome. The demonstration was powerful and
dynamic. Nobody else shouted the name of their art after the performance
except for us. We, the students, instructors, masters, are not important!
ONLY HWA RANG DO IS IMPORTANT!!!
That's the meaning of us shouting: "HWA RANG DO!!!"
You can see the video of the performance in the web site:
http://www.hwarangdo.it/blog/2007/videos/20071216democompetition.wmv
Tae Soo Do Juniors Demonstrates
Their Skills in Rome
On December 8, 2007 Jokyo Francesco Biancuzzi and
Jokyo Maura Floris arranged a set of demos in Rome. Maura Floris performed
a wonderful Tae Guek Kwon form and Francesco Biancuzzi showed a dynamic
acrobatic freeform. Also, TSD juniors demonstrated some self defense
techniques.
You can see the video:
http://www.hwarangdo.it/blog/2007/videos/20071208publicdemo.wmv
