Our Masters Join the Global Hapkido Association

We're bringing back the newsletter, just in time for the holiday season! November is a busy month at the dojo, and it starts with big news for our Hapkido family.

Here's our news from the Global Hapkido Association, plus a milestone black belt test, our annual Basket Brigade and an invitation to celebrate the year together.

Welcome to the Global Hapkido Association

Earlier this month, Master Austin Curtis and Master Bill Keiran traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to attend a Global Hapkido Association black belt test with the organization's Grandmaster Lee.

Master Curtis was honored with an appointment as President of the GHA's California chapter, and Master Keiran was appointed Vice President. While they were there, they connected with other GHA masters and instructors, got to "nerd out" over Hapkido and even took part in a short stick seminar with Grandmaster Lee.

We believe great instructors never stop being students. When our masters train with masters from other schools, they bring new ideas, refined technique and fresh energy back to our mat, and that's what our students get to learn from. We can't wait to hear what they learned.

Being part of a larger association also gives our students a bigger community. Hapkido practitioners around the world share the same art, and our students now have a direct connection to that wider family of masters, instructors and fellow students.

A milestone black belt test

All are invited to watch our upcoming black belt test and demonstration, where students who have worked hard and are ready to promote will test for their next rank.

This test is especially exciting. Our own instructor, Sensei Ray Janik, is testing for an advanced black belt rank that will make him Master Janik. It's a rare chance to watch that kind of dedication come together on the mat. The day begins with the advanced black belt test and continues with the black belt test for new candidates.

There will be kicks, boards and people flying in all directions. If you've never seen a black belt test, you won't want to miss it.

Watching an instructor you've trained with step up and test reminds everyone that the journey doesn't end at black belt. The best teachers keep learning, keep testing themselves and keep showing their students what commitment looks like.

Our annual Basket Brigade

Every year, we pool our resources as a community to put together and deliver Thanksgiving dinner baskets for families in Santa Barbara who otherwise might go without this season. It's become one of our longest-running traditions.

You can help by donating, or by coming to the dojo on Basket Brigade morning to help make and deliver the baskets. We teach kindness and service on the mat. The Basket Brigade is where we live them, together, as a dojo family.

Celebrating the season together

Thank you for voting for us in the Best of Santa Barbara! We won runner-up for Martial Arts Studio this year. Thank you for voting and for supporting local businesses.

To celebrate a successful year and the holiday season, we're inviting all dojo students to a Holiday Potluck BBQ at the dojo. Bring your family, bring a dish to share and come enjoy time with the people you train with all year. Some of the best moments at the dojo happen off the mat, when families who usually pass each other at pickup finally get to sit down and talk.

A dojo is only as strong as its community, and ours keeps growing, from our new connections around the world to the families who show up for each other right here in Santa Barbara.

See you on the mat!

Have questions or want to learn more? Contact us using the form below, and we'll be glad to help.