Business
BY SARAH HERNANDEZ
Seido karate teaches mindfulness and discipline along with the physical aspect of martial arts training.
Sun Dragon Martial Arts and Self-Defense o ers Seido karate and self-defense classes for all ages.
PHOTOS COURTESY SUN DRAGON MARTIAL ARTS AND SELF DEFENSE
Local martial arts school empowers South Austinites Sun Dragon Martial Arts and Self-Defense, a nonpro t martial arts school in South Austin, is dedicated to building a community that values inclusivity and self-defense in all aspects of life. How it started contrary to Kyokushin karate known for its aggres- sive training. About the program
Laura Hayden is the third executive director of the woman- founded Sun Dragon Martial Arts and Self-Defense.
Sun Dragon instructors aim to create a safe space for their students, training them to ght as well as be mindful of their experience and their partner’s. Graham Smith, Sun Dragon’s head instructor, said they also encourage failure as a learning experience. Sun Dragon also o ers a violence prevention pro- gram, o ering workshops and classes for children and adults. Coty DeLacretaz, the program coordi- nator, said classes touch on topics like gender- and identity-based violence, boundary setting, victim blaming and “empowerment self-defense.”
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Suzanne Pinette opened Sun Dragon on Riverside Drive in 1989 as a Kyokushin karate and self-defense school for women and children. The school moved to its current location in Westgate in 2008 under the direction of Joy Williamson, who trained under Pinette. Today, Sun Dragon students of all ages study Seido karate, a style founded by Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura. He wanted to create a style that was accessible to everyone and welcomed women,
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4534 West Gate Blvd., Ste. 101, Austin www.sundragon.org
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