East Cape Shotokan-Ryu (ECSR) and the Rhodes University Shotokan Karate Club jointly hosted Bryan Dukas Sensei for a seminar over the weekend.
East Cape Shotokan-Ryu (ECSR) and the Rhodes University Shotokan Karate Club jointly hosted Bryan Dukas Sensei for a seminar over the weekend.
The Seminar was held in the Great Hall on the Rhodes campus and saw over 60 karateka of all ages and levels participating. Dukas started his karate training under the guidance of his father Mike Dukas Sensei (7th dan) at the age of five.
He has been practising karate for 31 years and currently holds the grade of 5th dan black belt. Dukas was first awarded national Protea colours at the age of 16.
Two years later, the national karate body recognised him as the best junior competitor in South Africa.
Since 1991 Dukas has competed in the World Shotokan Karate-Do Federation (WSKF), Japan Karate Association (JKA), Karatenomichi World Federation (KWF) and World Karate Federation (WKF) World Championships on numerous occasions.
Unlike many of today’s competitive karateka, Dukas is equally proficient in both kata and kumite. He has visited Japan on eleven occasions and has trained with some of Japan’s most revered karate masters including Mikio Yahara Sensei, Akihito Isaka Sensei and Hitoshi Kasuya Sensei.
In 2011 Dukas was honoured at the WSKF World Championships in Japan when he received the best competitor award after placing second in individual kata (forms) and second in individual kumite (fighting).
Dukas is currently the technical director of WSKF South Africa and also teaches karate at his dojo in Three Rivers.
According to ECSR instructor Gary Grapentin, the seminar, which comprised a general session for all grades as well as a senior session, was a resounding success. “Dukas Sensei is an inspirational karateka and instructor who is clearly able to inspire and motivate all who train with him. His friendly and humble nature combined with his incredible ability and in depth understanding of karate-do, makes him one of the very best of a younger generation of karate instructors,” said Grapentin.
Dukas is the latest in a line of top class international instructors which ECSR has brought to Grahamstown.
Previous guest instructors include Koos Burger Sensei, Manabu Murakami Sensei and André Bertel Sensei.
Grapentin believes that continued exposure to instructors of this calibre will ensure the further development and improvement of local karateka and indicated that he hoped to bring Dukas back to Grahamstown in 2015.
