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| Restita DeJesus, Master Instructor, Seattle Wushu Center  Restita DeJesus has over 30 years of experience in martial arts, and has taught Martial arts since 1982. She holds teaching credentials in Wushu, Tai Chi, Qigong, Karate, Kajukenbo, and Filipino Martial Arts. Her other studies have included Aikido, Bagua-Zhang, and Hsing-I. Ms. DeJesus began her martial arts studies under Sensei Peter Gurney in Butokukan Karate. In 1982, she earned her black belt at the age of 15, being the youngest person at that time to earn the "Shodan" rank in Butokukan Karate. She taught Karate at many Seattle community centers until she opened "Inner Concepts Martial Arts" in 1991, with Butokukan Karate taught by Ms. DeJesus, and Kajukenbo taught by her business partner Sherril Johnson. Ms. DeJesus started studying Kajukenbo (a hybrid martial art) in 1991 under Sifu Terry Faircloth, and earned her teaching certification in 1994. Shortly thereafter, she and Sherril Johnson founded the "Seattle Wun Hop Kuen Do Academy" in West Seattle. As their studio expanded, Ms. DeJesus and Ms. Johnson moved another West Seattle location, renaming their studio "Yin Yang Arts Center". During this time, Ms. DeJesus began her formal studies in Doce Pares Eskrima, Eskrido, and Pangamot under the tutelage of Guro Christopher Petrill and Grandmaster Ciriaco Canete. In late 1996, Ms. DeJesus began her studies under Sifu Yijiao Hong. Later becoming a formal disciple of Master Yijiao Hong, Ms.DeJesus received her Wushu and Tai Chi instructor certification in 1999 from Master Hong's Chinese Wushu Taiji Academy (CWTA), Since then, she has regularily taught Wushu and Tai Chi to adults and children at numerous venues throughout the Puget Sound. In 2007, Ms. DeJesus again renamed the martial arts school as "Seattle Wushu Center", to give homage to all the martial arts taught within the school. Also in 2007, Master Yijiao Hong bestowed the title of "Master Instructor" to Ms. DeJesus, in recognition of Restita's continued training and promotion of Wushu and Tai Chi in the Puget Sound area.
In addition to teaching martial arts full time at the studio, Ms. DeJesus is a Reiki practitioner and ordained interfaith minister. Her other interests include reading, motorcycling, recurve bow and longbow archery, social media, sport blowgun targeting, and sport whip cracking. She continues to study and practice Yang style and Chen style Tai Chi with Master Yijiao Hong and Grandmaster Chen ZhengLei.
- Master Council Member, International All-Style Budo Federation
- Reiki & Meridian Energy practitioner
- Member, United States Blowgun Association
- Member, International Fukiya-Do Association
Co-Founder: "Taikabudo" (combined martial arts system) 5th Level Black Belt: under Guro Christopher Petrilli's "Filipino Martial Arts Academy" 4th level Black Belt: Doce Pares Eskrima 3rd Level Black Belt: Pangamot (Filipino unarmed fighting) 3rd Level Black Belt: Kajukenbo-Wun Hop Kuen Do 2nd Level Black Belt: Butokukan Karate 1st Level Black Belt (Shodan): Kyudo (Japanese Archery) NBL (National Black Belt League) regional forms champion, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996. USAWKF (USA Wushu Kung Fu Federation) Southern-Fist Wushu National Gold Medalist, 1997, 1998 USA Tai Chi Team Member and International Champion, World Taiji Health Conference, Hainan China, 2001.
Head of afterschool activities martial arts programs: Madison Middle School and Washington Middle School. Tai Chi Instructor; "Far Fetched Imports Company". Regular Seminar Instructor; annual "Martial University". Regular PE workshop instructor, West Seattle High School. Regular PE workshop Instructor; Seattle Pacific University. Instructor, Summer weekly "Tai Chi at the Beach", Seattle Washington, Alki Beach. 1999-2006
Featured in the book "101 things to do in West Seattle" (Tai Chi) Specialty Seminar presenter, "Yes, you CAN teach Martial Arts! - Martial arts & fitness for Phys-Ed curriculums": West's Best K-12 PE Workshop.
- Writer, "Don't Fight The Tao" (blog). Current project is upcoming book "Don't Fight The Tao"
Restita DeJesus, Wushu, Tai Chi | |
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