Dragon and Crane Dojo
Traditional Karate, Adapted for Today
Dojo News
December Testing and Holidays Holiday Closures Thanksgiving: closed Thurs Nov 28 - Sat Nov 30 classes resume Tues Dec 3rd Year End: …
Oct Triple Events Dear Dojo Community, We have 3 events coming up in October: Sat 5/Sun 6: JCMA Tournament (Dojo OPEN) Fri …
Dojo Picnic with KNMA San Fernando - Sat Sept 14, 2024 Dear Dojo Community, Please mark your calendars for a special class …
About Us
Traditional martial arts train the student not only in physical skills for combat, but also mental skills – the drive to push forward, the resilience to bounce back, and the intellectual curiosity to dig deeper – for daily life.
The dojo is more than a space for practicing the physical skills, it is the underlying set of social relationships – vertical between instructor and student, horizontal between peers – for fostering the mental ones.
The mission of Dragon and Crane Dojo is to provide a community that develops the student at all levels – physical, emotional, intellectual, and social – to meet today’s challenges.
Style and Lineage
Karate: A Tradition of Adaptation
Centuries ago, the Ryukyu Kingdom on the island of Okinawa adapted the kempo of its Chinese trading partners to its native martial arts into a style called te.
Over time, each region – and sometimes even individual aristocratic families – began to develop their own signature styles. One such family was the Motobu clan, who adapted traditional Okinawan dance with their combat into their Motobu-ryu style.
After Okinawa became part of Japan, several of its traditional styles were further adapted by Japan and Korea, contributing to karate and taekwondo, respectively.
Born in Okinawa and trained in a foundation of Motobu-ryu, Ken Nagayama immigrated to southern California in 1976 and adapted boxing, taekwondo, and aikido to found his own dojo in 1988.
In 2021, David Chung, a 2nd dan student of master Nagayama, continued the tradition of adapting his own experiences both on and off the mat into a new kind of curriculum at Dragon and Crane Dojo.
Instructor
David Hakyong Chung (정학용) began training in karate at age 7 under master Ken Nagayama. He left for college with a 2nd dan black belt and a strong foundation for branching into other physical disciplines: Brazilian capoeira, Chinese lion dance, northern Shaolin, and wing chun, as well as a aerial circus arts.
Equally important to his pedagogy are his experiences in Agile software development, Toastmasters public speaking, improv theater, the American college prep system, and the Korean hagwon/EdTech scene.
All these disparate elements have been adapted into a cohesive, multilayered curriculum that comprises Dragon and Crane Dojo.
Partnerships
Dragon and Crane Dojo is proud to be affiliate partners with other organizations in the region.
Cross-training with other schools and disciplines is a great way to add breadth and depth to one’s skillset.
Ken Nagayama Martial Arts in Burbank
Ken Nagayama Martial Arts (KNMA) school in Burbank is where David Chung trained as a youth and earned his 2 degrees of black belt. Established in 1988, KNMA is renowned for its high standards and devoted base of students and black belts. It is where students will go for all belt testings.
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 840-9004
KNMA San Fernando
Chief Instructor Albert Lopez is also an alumnus of KNMA Burbank – in fact, he and David Chung trained and tested for their black belts together. After over a decade teaching at KNMA, he opened his own school in San Fernando in 2014.
Dojo members may train at KNMA San Fernando once per week. Please discuss with Mr. Chung to plan your first visit.
San Fernando, CA 91340
(818) 307-8325
