About the Instructor

Dan was born in Cleveland Ohio and until the age of 24 grew up in rural eastern Ohio in “Amish Country”. At the age of 24, Dan took up ballet classes as part of his physical therapy for injuries sustained in a severe car accident. As a complete fluke, that led to him being accepted into a local prestigious performing arts college in the aptly named Painesville, Ohio a few years later. During his study for a BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) in fine performing arts, he danced for several small companies and had a one season premier dance gig for the Ohio Light Opera Company as well as a decent stage acting career, singing in musicals and light opera productions.  That led him to an acting career which included 3 years, in residence and touring, with The Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, television and film spots and more stage acting in London. Due to a second almost identical car accident in England, Dan took up ultra-distance running, clocking up approx. 35,000 career miles while training for and carrying out events in many countries around the world to raise money for children’s charities and hunger issues. His charity vehicle for those events is responsible for raising roughly £2 million.  

His Karate career began as a gift to himself for his 50th birthday in 2008, as he decided to move away from ultra-distance running. Having seen and been inspired by his son at karate training at an after-school club, he decided that Karate was a physical pursuit that he strongly connected with; athletically, due to his long career in running, artistically, due to his previous involvement in ballet, and ideologically. This fresh start at a turning point in his life has now lead to him start his own dojo, and to commence teaching others, mainly children, the art of Karate-Do after 10 years of training. Despite this being a relatively short period, Dan believes that he can call on and incorporate his own experiences from previous endeavours, bringing in training ideas from the world of ultra-marathons, classical ballet and stage performance, to the way he teaches karate to those who train at his dojo. The dojo officially opened on August 8th 2018, to mark his 60th birthday. All are welcome and there are no excuses good enough for him for anyone to not take up karate as a healthful, exciting pursuit. Karate and Karate Do is for everyone.  

Gamabate  (try your best) 

OSU 

Benefits of Karate

To learn more about the benefits of Karate, click on the links below!

Karate for Kids

Karate offers a host of benefits to both physical and mental health and wellbeing of your kids, find out more here!

Karate at School

We offer a variety of classes for kids at schools in the London area. To find out which schools we teach at, and how Karate fits in with Key Stage Physical Education, follow the link below!

Karate for Adults

Karate doesn't just benefit kids! To find out how Karate can help you as an adult, follow this link!