Category: Black Belt Promotions

Black Belt Promotions, Promotion Exam

2026 Adult Promotion Tests; May/Jun

Congratulations on the following Black Belt promotions:

Dr. Jim Reilly: 6th Degree Black Belt (Rokudan)

Rob Conrad: 5th Degree Black Belt (Godan)

Hitomi Kihara: 5th Degree Black Belt (Godan)

Tara Santoro: 4th Degree Black Belt (Yodan)

Michio Suzuki: 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan)

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Congratulations on the Brown & Purple Belt promotions:

Robin X Wilson: 1st Kyu Brown Belt

Kaoruko Todo: 1st Kyu Brown Belt

April McClaine: 2nd Kyu Brown Belt

Kerstin Winglike: 4th Kyu Purple Belt

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Here are some highlights from the promotion tests:

Dr. Jim Rielly performing the kata Seienchin for 6th Degree Black Belt
Dr. Jim Reilly performing the kata Sochin for 6th Degree Black Belt
Dr. Jim Rielly performing the kata Sochin for 6th Degree Black Belt
Rob Conrad performing the kata Gojushiho for 5th Degree Black Belt
Rob Conrad performing the kata Sochin for 5th Degree Black Belt
Rob Conrad performing the sai kata Tsukenshitahaku No Sai for 5th Degree Black Belt
Hitomi Kihara performing the kata Gojushiho for 5th Degree Black Belt
Hitomi Kihara performing the kata Nijushi for 5th Degree Black Belt
Hitomi Kihara performing the sai kata Tsukenshitahaku No Sai for 5th Degree Black Belt
Tara Santoro performing the kata Sochin for 4th Degree Black Belt
Tara Santoro performing the kata Empi for 4th Degree Black Belt
Tara Santoro performing the sai kata Tsukenshitahaku No Sai for 4th Degree Black Belt
Michiyo Suzuki performing the kata Gankaku for 3rd Degree Black Belt
Michiyo Suzuki performing the kata Empi for 3rd Degree Black Belt
Robin Wilson performing the kata Heian Yodan for 1st Kyu Brown Belt
Robin Wilson performing the kata Bassai Dai for 1st Kyu Brown Belt
Robin Wilson performing the sai kata Rinbo No Sai for 1st Kyu Brown Belt
Kaoruko Todo performing the kata Bassai Dai for 1st Kyu Brown Belt
Kaoruko Todo performing the kata Nijushi for 1st Kyu Brown Belt
Kaoruko Todo performing the kata Tekki Sandan for 1st Kyu Brown Belt
April McClaine performing the kata Nijushi for 2nd Kyu Brown Belt
April McClaine performing the kata Tekki Nidan for 2nd Kyu Brown Belt
Kerstin Winglike performing the kata Heian Yodan for 4th Kyu Purple Belt
Kerstin Winglike performing the kata Heian Shodan for 4th Kyu Purple Belt

All of you did a great job ! Congratulations ! OSS !!

Black Belt Promotions

Adult Brown & Black Belt Test: May 4, 2023

Congratulations on the following Black Belt promotions:

Daniel Sangemino: 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan)
Izumi Onishi; 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan)
Tara Santoro; 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan)
Hitomi Kihara; 4th Degree Black Belt (Yodan)
Robert Conrad; 4th Degree Black Belt (Yodan)
Robert Tipp; 5th Degree Black Belt (Godan)

Congratulations on the following Brown Belt promotion:

Alexander Tureaud…3rd kyu Brown Belt

Here are some highlights from the promotion tests:

Hitomi Kihara performing the kata Sochin for 4th Degree Black Belt
Hitomi performing weapon kata Soeishi no Kon for 4th Degree Black Belt
Daniel Sangemino performing the kata Kanku Dai for 3rd Degree Black Belt
Daniel Sangemino performing the kata Gankaku for 3rd Degree Black Belt
Izumi Onishi performing the kata Kanku Dai for 3rd Degree Black Belt
Izumi Onishi performing the kata Gankaku for 3rd Degree Black Belt
Rob Conrad performing the kata Sochin for 4th Degree Black Belt
Rob Conrad performing favorite kata Tekki Sandan for 4th Degree Black Belt
Tara Santoro performing the kata Gankaku for 3rd Degree Black Belt
Tara Santoro performing favorite kata Tekki Sandan for 3rd Degree Black Belt
Robert Tipp performing kata Gojushiho for 5th Degree Black Belt
Robert executing weapon kata Sokan no Nunchaku for 5th Degree Black Belt
Alex Tureaud performing kata Bassai Dai for 3rd Kyu Brown Belt
Alex Tureaud performing favorite kata Heian Nidan for 3rd Kyu Brown Belt

All of you did a great job ! Congratulations ! OSS !!

Black Belt Promotions

Black Belt Promotion Test; Aug 6 & Aug 20

Congratulations on the following Black Belt promotions:

Amalie Modesto – 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan); Aug 6
Noelie Couderc – 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan); Aug 20

Here are some highlights from the two promotion tests.

Amalie Modesto performing the kata Gankaku for her 3rd Degree Black Belt (Aug 6)
Amalie Modesto performing the kata Kanku Dai for 3rd Degree Black Belt (Aug 6)
Amalie Modesto performing the kata Nijushi for 3rd Degree Black Belt (Aug 6)
Noelie Couderc performing the kata Gankaku for her 3rd Degree Black Belt (Aug 20)
Noelie Couderc performing the kata Kanku Dai for 3rd Degree Black Belt (Aug 20)
Noelie Couderc performing the kata Heian Godan for 3rd Degree Black Belt (Aug 20)
Sensei Takahashi providing feedback and suggestions.

Congratulations to Amalie and Noelie… You did a great job…

Black Belt Promotions

Adult Black Belt Tests; June 16 & July 16, 2022

Congratulations on the following Adult Black Belt promotions:

  • Holly Rivlin – 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan); June 16
  • Fabien Couderc – 2nd Degree Black Belt (Nidan); July 16
  • Tony Sciscioli – 3rd Degree Black Belt (Sandan); July 16

Here are some highlights from the two promotion tests.

Holly Rivlin performing the kata Gankaku for her 3rd Degree Black Belt (Jun 16)
Holly Rivlin performing the kata Kanku Dai for 3rd Degree Black Belt (Jun 16)
Fabien Couderc performing the kata Jion for 2nd Degree Black Belt (Jul 16)
Fabien Couderc performing Tsukenshitahaku No Sai for 2nd Degree Black Belt (Jul 16)
Tony Sciscioli performing the kata Gankaku for 3rd Degree Black Belt (Jul 16)
Tony Sciscioli performing the Bo kata Choun No Kon for 3rd Degree Black Belt (Jul 16)
Sensei Takahashi providing feedback at the end of the test (July 16)

Congratulations to each of you… Well done…

Black Belt Promotions

Adult Black Belt Test December 18, 2021

Congratulations on the following promotion:

  • Chris Winfrey – 1st Degree Black Belt (Shodan)
Chris Winfrey performing the kata Chinte for his 1st Degree Black Belt
Chris Winfrey performing the kata Bassai Sho for his 1st Degree Black Belt
Chris Winfrey performing Heian Godan as his favorite kata for his 1st Degree Black Belt
Chris Winfrey performing the Bo kata Rinbu No Kon for his 1st Degree Black Belt
Sensei Takahashi providing feedback on the kata Chinte
Sensei Takahashi awarding Chris Winfrey his 1st Degree Black Belt

Congratulations Chris on achieving Shodan !