Sensei Maria has been involved in the martial arts as student, competitor, judge, coach and teacher for nearly twenty five years. After a number of years as a dance student, she was seeking another field of movement training. She began practicing Eizan Ryu Jujitsu in 1981, drawn by techniques which allowed a smaller person to control a larger attacker.
She trained at Biwa Ko Dojo in Manhattan under Shihan Felix Berrios , and was granted her black belt in 1987. Shortly thereafter, she began teaching at the dojo. She now holds the rank of fifth dan, and is the head instructor at Biwa Ko Dojo.
In 1989, Sensei Maria began studying full contact karate under Soshu Shigeru Oyama. Over the years, she competed in tournaments, as well as serving as a judge and referee. She currently holds the rank of third dan in Kan Rei Kai Karate, and is an instructor at the style's Manhattan Dojo. She has also studied Vee-Arnis Jitsu and Tomiki AikiJujitsu..
Sensei Maria has also taught many self defense workshops, to martial artists as well as to those with no martial arts background. Over the years, she has developed a system of simple, easy to remember techniques which are designed to discourage an attacker, thereby enabling a prospective victim to escape. These techniques, which do not require great strength or coordination, can be learned and used by anyone, regardless of previous training. Sensei Maria has taught these workshops to various special populations - women, children, recreational runners, dancers - as well as to martial arts practitioners interested in learning to defend themselves against attacks not commonly encountered in the dojo.
 Photo: Rondell Romiel |
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