Glen Ridge Taekwon-do, Montclair, NJ, held special Black belt training on New Year's Eve. More than 20 Black Belts were there including seven Master Instructors, and many 3rd and 2nd Degree Black Belts.

The 2-hour training session included patterns, self defense, step sparring and camaraderie among all participants.

Asheville Sun Soo, Asheville NC,  conducted its December 2019 belt rank testing on Friday, December 6th and Saturday, December 7th.  The school welcomed 8th Dan Chief Master Brice Bishop as Guest Master Instructor for this event. He and his wife, Donna, own and operate National Black Belt Academy in Conway, AR.

Chief Master Bishop contributed to the testing weekend, serving in the capacity of testing judge, as well as teaching an informative and exciting Masters Club seminar to many of our practitioners in the Black Belt ranks on Saturday morning.  In anticipation of his role as Guest Master Instructor Judge at the December testing, he visited a month in advance so that he could gain some insight into the school, its culture, and students. Asheville sun Soo appreciates his dedication to the art, as well as his desire to acquire a contextual understanding of the school in the spirit of ongoing mutual support.

Chief Master Bishop is a recent acquaintance of Grandmaster Tony Morris. The two met while sharing the experience of being Guest Master Instructors at the belt rank testing for Taekwondo University, a group of schools led by recent Guest Master Instructor Grandmaster Terry Brumley.

Asheville Sun Soo wants to congratulate all of the testing students for all their efforts and accomplishments, and wants to give special recognition to the five students promoted to Black Belt ranks:

Ann Batton - 1st Dan
Leah Dickinson - Junior 3rd Dan
Trey Whitaker - Junior 3rd Dan
Season Jacques - 3rd Dan
Phil Jacques - 3rd Dan

Yang Taekwondo, owned by Master Kathryn Yang and located in New York City, held a year-end testing and holiday party on Sunday, December 15, 2019.  In addition to the degree candidates many color belts tested successfully for higher ranks.  Assisting in administering the testing was Master Lauren Geber, instructor at Yang Taekwondo.

At the test Master Lukas Horn was promoted to 4th Dan Black Belt, Juan Jose Mejia and Alexander Milne were promoted to 3rd Dan, Kathleen Mege was promoted to 2nd Dan, and receiving their 1st Dan Black Belts were Anthony Wade, Yinan Amie Song and Amy Woodin.

Guest judges were Grandmaster S.J. Kim, Founder and President  of Taekwon-do International, Master Laura Giletti and Master John  Meany of Glen Ridge Taekwon-do, and Master Mege Of Yang Taekwon-do.

On Saturday, December 14, 2019, Glen Ridge Taekwon-do in Montclair, NJ, held testing for over 100 students, and promoted a large group of students to new Black Belt degrees.  The day was a grand celebration of the Glen Ridge Taekwon-do community and included a holiday party with special toasts to the parents who make sure the children students arrive to class on time with their uniform and belt; and a toast to the Black Belts to celebrate the solidarity and unity shared with each other.

It’s not unusual for a school to promote many 1st Degrees but to promote a single Black Belt to 4th Dan is unusual, and in this case there was a group of five Black Belts receiving such a promotion.

Hosting the test were Master John Meany and Master Laura Giletti, owners of Glen Ridge Taekwon-do. Judging the test were Master Anna Gong of S.J. Kim Taekwon-do, Master Yvonne Kwok of Gotham Taekwon-do,  Master Chris Malarkey of Complete Taekwon-do, and Grandmaster S.J. Kim, Founder and President of Taekwon-do International. Other Master Instructors present were Master Patricia Papera, Master Heather Youngblood, and Master Ed Meyer, all from Glen Ridge Taekwon-do, It was at this event that Master Giletti was promoted to 7th Dan by Grandmaster Kim.

Junior 1st Dan Black Belt: Spencer Crowley, Dylan Kennedy, Noelle Ogden, and Sophie Harrison
2nd Dan Black Belt: Emily Torres, and Fernando Filian, 
3rd Dan Black Belt: Jairo Leon, Joseph Becker, and Garrett Ogden
4th Dan black Belt: Master Michael Chancey, Master Dewar MacLeod, Master Lauren Spooner, Master Keith Wong, and Master James DiCarli

On December 14, 2019 Grandmaster Kim, Founder and President of Taekwon-do International, awarded 7th Dan to Master Laura Giletti of Glen Ridge Taekwon-do in Montclair, NJ.

Grandmaster Kim says: "I am very proud to present Master Instructor Laura Giletti with 7th Dan promotion. She is the highest ranking female practitioner in Taekwon-do International.

It has been over 30 years since she began training with me.  I am proud to see Glen Ridge Taekwon-do is doing awesome!
I am grateful and it has been a pleasure to have been her teacher all these years.”

Despite the steady rain that began in the early morning hours of November 23rd, over 200 Asheville Sun Soo families and students participated in the 2019 Annual Holiday Parade.

Once again, Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, of Asheville, NC,  was a sponsor of the parade.  Their students showed perseverance by marching the entire parade route, performing Taekwon do techniques and breaking boards, while rain steadily came down!  We are proud of all who braved the elements to participate!

On Saturday, November 2, 2019, at Glen Ridge Taekwon-do in Montclair, NJ, Grandmaster S.J. Kim, Founder and President of Taekwon-do International, led a class for Master Instructors and select 3rd Degree Black Belts on teaching concepts and strategies.

This annual intensive seminar allows instructors a chance to re-inspire their teaching techniques and to touch base with Taekwon-do International initiatives for 2020.  Grandmaster Kim reviewed and refined techniques for colored belt patterns, including Hwa-Rang (see video below).

​Present were Master James Marr, 7th Dan, of Master Marr's Taekwon-do in Shaker Heights, OH; Master Paul D'Ambrosio, 6th Dan, of Aliso Hills Taekwon-do in Aliso Viejo, CA; Master Silvio Borelli, 5th Dan, of S.J. Kim's Taekwon-Do  in New York, NY, James R. De Carli, 3rd Dan, of Southbury Taekwon-do in Southbury, CT.  Also present were Master John Meany, 7th Dan, and Master Laura Giletti, 6th Dan, owners of Glen Ridge Taekwon-do, and Master Edward Meyer, 4th Dan, and Instructor Hunter Finan, 3rd Dan from Glen Ridge Taekwon-do.

Taekwon-do International will hold another Instructors Seminar in 2020.  Member schools will received information about date and location directly from Taekwon-do International as the information becomes available.

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, Asheville, NC, is happy to have supported the inaugural occurrence of Fresh Check Day--a new, student-led annual event held at the University of North Carolina Asheville.

This event was coordinated, organized, and facilitated by Kenda Mullert, Health Outreach Coordinator, with the Health and Counseling Center at UNCA, and was held on October 22, 2019. Fresh Check Day was created in order to bring awareness to the value of mental health issues in the college community. Breakout sessions were held to educate students to experiences around mental health that are common to many, but not highlighted or discussed. These sessions served to help students gain greater awareness of resources and tools available to support their mental health.

Asheville Sun Soo was invited to support the event through facilitating a series of three mini-workshops, emphasizing goal-setting and achievement, while navigating and breaking through limitations and barriers. We provided experiential sessions, with participants ultimately breaking adult boards with a palm strike. This activity served as a metaphor for breaking through obstacles in order to reach target goals. The UNCA students who participated made new connections in awareness around breaking barriers on the way to achievement. Everyone had a great time, and left inspired.

Asheville Sun Soo believes that the fundamental aspects of a consistent martial arts practice contribute to a balanced, high-functioning and excellent life. 

On October 31st, Grandmaster Tony Morris and Master Amy Dexter of Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts in Asheville, NC  contributed to the Career Day at West Buncombe Elementary School. This event, held annually at local schools, is designed with the intent of exposing students to the variety of career possibilities for their futures.
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Grandmaster Morris and Master Dexter, represented Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts, inspiring the kids to build their futures by emphasizing the importance of education, living in excellence, setting goals, practicing perseverance, and living with integrity as they continue to develop. As an example of what it’s like to be a martial arts instructor, Grandmaster Morris and Master Dexter taught the attending kids a few moves. The kids had fun, practiced their manners, and left excited about their possibilities.

Asheville Sun Soo Martial Arts in Asheville, NC was honored to have been the host of the 2019 Fall Taekwon-do International Invitational Tournament. This was the first invitational tournament held at their River Ridge location!

Master Instructors and students from several different schools participated and contributed to a fantastic day! Competition was friendly and healthy, which made the day fun as well as a valuable way to develop and improve martial arts skills.

Students ages 3-80 competed in different areas representing their practice – forms (patterns), sparring (one-steps for beginner students), and board breaks. Competing in these areas provided entrants with multiple opportunities to cheer for their fellow practitioners, make new friends from participating schools, and to notice things about their own practices – all of which can contribute to growth as a martial artist!

Congratulations to all who competed! Asheville Sun Soo looks forward to seeing their sister schools at future events!