Anderson Martial Arts Academy and Sifu Anderson would like to Congratulate 6 very deserving instructors that have now also been recommended and recognized by Guro Dan Inosanto —
- Pablo Vasquez
- Gerald Mark Sotto
- Chuck Figueroa
- Darren Assante
- Alex Paik
- Henry Watkins
Sifu Anderson could not be more proud of all of you, and he has no doubt that you will uphold the standards set forth by for himself and Guro Inosanto and also evolve and grow even further in your abilities and skills.
You all have worked hard for this and you deserve this and have earned it with your trust, your dedication and your passion and loyalty.
From Simo Anderson,
After and incredible 4 days at Instructor Camp in LA, with 6 more recommended AMAA instructors getting knighted by Guro Dan Inosanto, (14 total now -directly and indirectly- from under my husbands wings) I came away with this…
Through the years I have first hand seen the ability of martial arts to bridge divides, open minds, unlock hearts, unleash courage, heal wounds, and most importantly unite. Martial arts has the incredible ability to bridge the gab between generations and to grow and enhance a community.
In the past decade and a half at AMAA I have seen students have impactful experiences, some singular to an art or a day or a moment, and others more broad and compelling –
Yet somehow, in a busy world we do not stop often enough to consider the years and decades of education, experimentation, bravery, and a complex network of both honed in skill, confidence and nerve our teachers and predecessors have had in order to bring to us something so complete.
Furthermore, the bravery they had to not only give it to us, but to bring it out of us. To build us and guide us. To allow us such freedom in our education and such confidence and ability and in our skill.
Both directly (by way of educating, building their skill and recommending) and indirectly (by way of educating and building their skill) my husband has made 14 instructors under Guro Dan Inosanto (with little argument one of the most prestigious and recognized credentials in all martial arts IAMA).
Only myself and a few trusted people know what it took for him (our Sifu) to acquire the skill and trust under Guro and many others, and to then bring this information to his Academy and what it took (heart and soul) to instill it to his students and fighters and AMAA instructors and blackbelts.
Similarly only a few people know what it took for Guro Dan Inosanto to research, systemize and develop and bring forth the curriculums and knowledge and the arts that so many take for granted now — where do all of you Muay Thai, BJJ, Kali, Krav Maga, MMA (and so on) practitioners think it all came from?
These are the journeys, efforts, risks they took that (too) often go untold and unmentioned and unacknowledged.
There has always been and will undoubtably always be an urgency in the hope for change – for further evolution, for self fulfillment and joy, for growth and ability. And yet in this universal hope, so much goes unmentioned, taken for granted, as if it is owed to you — however it isn’t owed to anyone.
As I congratulate all 13 of the individuals that grew into their ability, knowledge and skill at Andersons Martal arts Academy (and so many others – you know who you are), and as I equally praise all of the incredible Inosanto Academy representatives around the world, many of whom I look up to — I urge all of us, to never stop giving credit to the people that paved our roads bare handed, optimistic, passionate and hopeful for us.
Thank you Guro Dan Inosanto and Sifu Dan Anderson
Congratulations my brothers and sisters (some pictured and some not) –
and all of our students and past students who were touched, mention it or not by what Sifu Anderson has brought into your life.
(and a personal special thanks to Cookie Vassiliou for my ‘second’ recommendation/ leap of faith from you two years ago. You’re one of my additional guiding lights for sure!)
Simo Anderson
