ABOUT

Our school's name:

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Sensei Dan's ancestry is more than 21 percent, Indigenous Native. Colibri means hummingbird. Historical documents report that the Taino were peaceful Native American peoples of the Caribbean islands and Florida. The little bird represented both peace, rebirth, and life. However, when threatened hummingbirds protect their territory, their homeland with the heart of an Eagle. Consequently, the Taino warriors were called Colibri (Hummingbird) Warriors. Come and join Team Colibri!

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Colibri Martial Arts is officially recognized by the:

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United States Martial Arts Federation (USMAF) - Tai Chi Program 

International Uechi-Ryu Karate Federation (IUKF) - Uechi-Ryu Program

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Sensei Dan:

 

Sensei Dan was born in Manhattan, New York, and grew up in the Bronx and White Plains, New York. He has more than 32 years in Federal Law Enforcement as a Special Agent working in New York, Florida, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the DMV. 

 

He began his martial arts journey sampling different styles at age 13 with USA Urban Goju Karate at the Northern Westchester White Plains Family Center, under Shihan William Grady; Shotokan Karate, under Shihan Minoru Horie, and Hung Gar Kung Fu with Sifu Joseph Demundo at Yee's Hung Gar International Kung Fu Association in lower Manhattan. Dan thought his martial arts journey had ended after exposure to Taijiquan at the Westchester County Continuing Adult Education Program in White Plains, New York, where he learned the Yang Style Short Form. He continued his Taijiquan studies at the Tai Chi School of Westchester under Sifu Domingo Colon and Lawrence Galante's Center for Holistic Arts. Daniel studied the Yang Style Long Form and Wing Chun Kung Fu with Sean Leydig, founder of the Hand 2 Hand Chinese Kickboxing Club in Florida. Dan is a Yang Style Taijiquan instructor recognized by the United States Martial Arts Federation, under the in-person tutelage and testing of Shihan Bruce Brethers a senior student of Dr. Herr Yue Wong founder of Ching-Yi Kung Fu. For several years, Daniel taught the Tai Chi Short Form - 37, the Yang Style Long Form, and Two Man Fighting Form at the Workhouse Arts Center, Lorton, VA. While working in Northern Virginia, he began his studies in Uechi-Ryu where he earned a Black Belt from the Okinawan Martial Arts Academy. Sensei Dan appreciates all the teachers and instruction he has received over the years. At this time Sensei Dan's only dedicates his physical training to Uechi-Ryu and Tai Chi. Please note that Uechi-Ryu is taught only for self-defense and not for competition.