A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
Sensei Joe Colarusso teaches martial arts every Tuesday night at the St. Regis Mohawk School. Assisting him for a while is Tim Brown.
On Tuesday April 22, there were kids of all levels at the class. For some it was their first night, and some are as advanced as green belt.
Every Tuesday night the St. Regis Mohawk School hosts martial arts classes. Sensei Joe Colarusso, Proprietor and Senior Instructor of He Yee Dao Karate Association, has been instructing classes for about three years at the school. As long as there is school, he will be there. From 6pm to 7pm Joe holds class for kids from about ages six to 12. At 7pm he teaches a teen and adult class. "The Mohawk School has been wonderful, we have a great partnership," said Joe. They usually use the multipurpose room.
The class is open to everyone, boys, girls, men and women, including those with special needs, but it takes a degree of dedication and commitment. The primary style of the class is Tae Kwon Do, which is a Korean style martial art. They focus on kicking and strikes and also spend a lot of time on self-defense.
Because Joe partners with the school, his rates are reasonable at $45 for 3 months for kids and $60 for 3 months for adults and teens. He also teaches classes at Norwood-Norfolk School and some from the Mohawk School class travel there too.
"Martial arts are a great confidence builder. We focus on conditioning, confidence and camaraderie, not competition. You are only competing against yourself. You get out of it what you put into it," explained Joe.
Students do move up in rank. You start at a white belt and as you progress Joe tests you and you advance.
Joe instructs classes all over Franklin and St. Lawrence Counties, teaching about 11 classes a week. An average class starts with meditation for focus, moves to stretching, punches and kicks, then to forms, which is a series of techniques in a pattern, then they work on self-defense and end the class with meditation. Sometimes they do obstacle courses and, what Joe says is one of the kids' favorites, breaking boards.
Every June his class does a demonstration for the public and around that time they are also tested to advance.
Joe has been practicing martial arts since high school. "People think it's just fighting, that's a misconception. We stress avoidance but do work on self-defense. It's also great for balance and stress." In Joe's class there is also no sparring required until you get to brown belt.
On Tuesday April 22, the Mohawk School's own Tim Brown was assisting Joe with the class. Tim has been there a couple months. He is a brown belt and with that comes the requirement to assist teaching classes.
If you are interested, just show up at the Mohawk School on Tuesday night. As long as there is school there will be class, for example they do not have class on holiday breaks or over the summer. If your not sure about martial arts, Joe welcomes people to try it for free. For more information check out the website at http://heyeedaokarate.blogspot.ca.
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