Kang’s Taekwondo Academy celebrated its 50th anniversary with a special evening, Aug. 15, at the Watson Arts Centre.
Founder of the academy Great Grandmaster J.W. Kang and Mrs. Kang were in attendance to celebrate the opening of the first Kang’s Taekwondo Academy in Winnipeg, Aug. 16, 1976.
Dauphin Grandmaster Joey Adamowski said the academy has been in Dauphin for 41 years and is now the provincial headquarters for the academy since the Kangs retired to the west coast.
Having the founders of the academy in Dauphin for the celebration meant a lot to members of all ages.
“With the exception of a handful of the members, this generation hasn’t seen Great Grandmaster Kang or Mrs. Kang in person. They see the history pictures on the wall, they hear the stories. They hear about 30, 40, 50 years ago. But for this generation, I think it was very meaningful,” he said.
“The sad part is that we probably won’t see him again unless we end up going that way. But the significance was a milestone. So it allowed everybody to see him, to hear him, to be a part of the celebration with him here. And when he left, everybody realized there’s a good chance he hadn’t been in this environment for seven or eight years. The next chance? I don’t think the opportunity will present itself again.”
For the academy to celebrate 50 years is a rare milestone, Adamowski said.
“The rarity here is for the club to actually be able to continue beyond 50 years and still hold the founder’s name. In Canada, that’s rare and that’s a common scenario of a traditional martial art that’s passed down through generation to generation,” he said.
“It allows us to not only hold and keep the name, but it also allows us to keep what’s known in the martial art realm as the root, meaning the system and the style that our instructor took.”
The celebration on Aug. 15, started with a colour belt promotion test with members from the Dauphin branch receiving awards:
• Most improved - Marcos V. Bardelli Fillo; Improved - Milana Khalabuzar and Jillian Liann Caraan; and Best Manner - Petra Rooks.
The following Poom and Dan Black Belt members from the Dauphin Branch received awards:
• Most improved - Kaela Perdito; Improved - Stanislav Horchak and Emmett Bartmanovich; and Best Manner - Gavin Berkvens.
Dauphin branch members also took home several academy awards:
• Taekwondo Perseverance Award: 14-and-under - Shilo St. Hilairel 15-and-over - Brayden Nelson.
• Taekwondo Spirit Award: 14-and-under - Dominic Pirie; and 15-and-over - Ben Muoneme.
• Taekwondo Family of the Year: 14-and-under - the Perdito Family; and 15-and-over - Rianne and Kaela.
• Scholastic Achievement Kindergarten to Grade 4 - Milana Khalabuzar.
• Scholastic Achievement Grades 5 to 8 - Kaela Perdito.
• Scholastic Achievement Grades 9 to 12 - Gavin Berkvens.
• Most Improved: 14-and-under - Peter Sebastian Isip; and 15-and-over - Harley Moore.
• Best Manner: 14-and-under - Shiloh Kalsi; and 15-and-over - Alice Racette Koe.
• Taekwondo Role Model of the Year: 14-and-under - Rianne Perdito; and 15-and-over - Justin Nelson.
• Member of the Year: 14-and-under - Mila Marczylo; and 15-and-over - Mark Symchych.
• Taekwondo Special Achievement - Jasmine Flett.
• Instructor of the Year - Master John Ter Horst.
• Branch Club of the Year - TCC/KTA H.Q. Dauphin.
For more information about the Kang’s Taekwondo Academy program, call 204-638-3265.