Our Summer ’08 Advanced Black Belt training and testing seminar was an especially important event.

Yes, as always, participants came from all across the USA, from California to Florida. Yes, as always, training was intense, and included a super-session of full group feedback. And yes, it was wonderful to see two long-distance students with a lot of years in the martial arts – Mike Erwin and Darryl Brazee – pass their tests for Shodan 1st Degree Black Belt in To-Shin Do. And yes, it was heartwarming to see Al Kleinkauf pass his 3rd Degree Black & Bronze Belt test and receive the bu-go warrior name Rentoshi. And it really was great to see my long-time training friend Dennis Fuutoshi Mahoney receive his diploma for 5th Degree Black & Silver Belt in To-Shin Do to honor his decades of dedicated and disciplined training.

Especially meaningful for all was the announcement of our first new SKH Quest Affiliate School in a lot of years. Darryl Brazee (at left above) and Dennis Fuutoshi Mahoney (right above) and third partner Theresa Murphy have opened their own SKH Quest To-Shin Do Affiliate School in Plaistow, New Hampshire, under the name Shinobi Martial Arts. You should also check out Dennis and Theresa’s extremely important work at their LIVE website.

Here’s a little video by Chris Penn of Dennis Mahoney teaching at Festival 2007.