“True leaders don’t create followers.
They create more leaders.”
Featured
“True leaders don’t create followers.
They create more leaders.”
Master Curtis is a husband, father of 3 and the Head Instructor at Santa Barbara Dojo. He was named Hall of Fame Instructor of the Year in 2022 and is the California President of Global Hapkido Association. He’s a 7th Dan Black Belt in Hapkido, and is also ranked in Tae Kwon Do and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
Master Garret Curtis is a Husband and Father of 2. He’s the owner of Santa Barbara Dojo in Northridge and has been teaching Hapkido since 1997. Master Garret is a 7th Dan Black Belt in Hapkido and a 1st Dan in Taekwondo.
Sensei Litzy Diaz is a 3rd Dan Black Belt in Hapkido and has trained at Santa Barbara Dojo since she was eight years old! She is currently our Program Director and is in charge of helping new martial artists. Sensei Diaz loves spending time with her family and when she isn’t training or teaching at the Dojo, Sensei Diaz studying hard as a nursing major.
Master Melodee Meyer is the founder of Santa Barbara Dojo, a 7th Dan Grandmaster in Hapkido, bestselling author, speaker, and creator of the KUT Method.
Master Alex Rodriguez is a 5th Dan Black Belt in Hapkido, as well as a Certified Full Instructor in Jeet Kune Do. Master Rodriguez teaches the Black Belt Class and has been at Santa Barbara Dojo for over a decade. He is a California native and resides in Santa Barbara with his wife and son.
Master Ray Janik is a 4th Dan Black Belt in Hapkido and is an instructor in both the Youth and the Adult Hapkido class. He works at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara and when he’s not working, he is at the dojo training! If it’s not Kickboxing or Black Belt class, Master Janik is out scuba diving, and/or traveling on some epic world adventure with his wife.
Sensei Isabelle Curtis is a Black Belt in Hapkido who started her training on Zoom during the pandemic. She is proof that anyone, anywhere, can accomplish their life goals. She is the Martial Arts Instructor responsible for making sure that our students have a great experience on and off the mat. When she’s not at the dojo, Isabelle loves thrifting with her nieces or taking her dog on adventures.
Coach Amelia Neal is a Certified Kickboxing Instructors and has taught Yoga for over 10 years. She found kickboxing to be the perfect balance to her yoga practice and is able to incorporate her yogi roots into her classes.
Coach Eric started at the Dojo in 2019 and quickly became a success story of the 6-week KUT Challenge. When not training or teaching, Eric is immersed in the world of engineering.
Coach Kelsee Haluszka is a mom of 2 boys. She is a NASM certified personal trainer and has been a fitness instructor for over 4 years. From bodybuilding competitions to owning her own gym, she thrives off helping others achieve their goals. In her rare spare time, Kelsee custom paints apparel and loves to work with tools.