Historical Timeline of Santa Monica Dojo:

• 1964: Santa Monica Dojo Started:
  1. George Gamble started the dojo with rank 5^th kyu.
  2. Phil Berman started at same time.
  3. Location: Lincoln Park Playhouse in Santa Monica.
• Spring 1965: Santa Monica dojo site found
  1. Location: 20th St. and Olympic
  2. Dojo Leader: Franz Borca
  3. Notable new member: Bruce Kanegai
• 1966: Lee Muhl started training
• 1967: George Gamble and Lee Muhl promoted to shodan
• 1968: Seniors Jack DeNove, Jeff Klein, Brian Maeda, and Danny Schaeffer started training.
• 1968: George Gamble dojo leader
• 1969: Bob Lanzner started training
• 1971: Clabe Hartley started training
• 1971: George Gamble won Nisei Week tournament
• 1975: Deke Keasbey started training.
• 1976: George Gamble and Lee Muhl promoted to yodan
• 1980: Santa Monica dojo moved to Santa Monica Blvd. near 20^th
  1. Dojo members rebuilt dojo from ground up.
  2. Notable contributors: George Gamble, Dick Landau, Simon Kennedy, Manfred Chiu, Danny Schaeffer, Deke Keasbey, Abdi Yamotahari, Mike Trevorrow, Bob Nirenberg, John Fledderjohan.
• 1984: Louis Gottlieb, Peter Klimenko, Dan Sakurai, Lin Myerson promoted to Shodan together.
• 1984: Lee Muhl promoted to godan (in Paris, France)
• 1985: LA Dojo formed
  1. Santa Monica and Melrose dojo combined to form SKA main dojo (LA Dojo) located on La Cienega Blvd.
  2. La Cienega dojo reconstructed
  3. Dojo Leader: Steve Bankes
  4. Manager: Lin Myerson
  5. From 1985 to 1999, Mr. Ohshima led classes open to all SKA Members at the La Cienega dojo:
     1. An all-levels class on Friday nights
     2. Brown Belt practice on Sunday Morning

• Black Belt practice on Sunday Morning

• 1990 Deke Keasbey and Dan Erwin promoted to yodan.
• 1994: 10 Shodans were promoted from LA Dojo.
• 1996: Mark Petrigac won Nisei Week Tournament.
• 1998: Brian Maeda returns to practice after many years hiatus.
• July 1999 SKA La Cienega property sold (profits used for building Ohshima Dojo). LA/Santa Monica Dojo relocated to Westside Academy of Dance in Santa Monica.
  1. Dojo Leader: Deke Keasbey and Louis Gottlieb
  2. Dojo Manager: Cal Sakaniwa
• 2000: Four dojo members were promoted to yodan: Louis Gottlieb, Pete Klimenko (also from Hong Kong), Mark Petrigac, Dan Sakurai.
• 2000: Dojo manager: Dan Sakurai
• 2001: David Affeld promoted to yodan.
• 2001: Mark Petrigac won the Nisei Week tournament a second time.
• 2003: David Affeld becomes SKA secretary.
• 2006: Deke Keasbey promoted to godan.
• 2014: Louis Gootlieb left SM dojo and started Beach Ave. Dojo in Inglewood. Deke Keasbey continued as leader of the Santa Monica Dojo.  Dan Sakurai divides himself between the two dojos, also trains independently.
• Brian Maeda sandan, leads practice Saturday morning at the private dojo of Robert in Pacific Palisades. SM dojo and PP dojo are affiliated.
• 2016: SM dojo active members: Deke Keasbey godan, Tatiana Tatarinova sandan, Alex Levinson nidan, Michael Christy nidan, Gilad Shai nidan, Mike Rummins shodan.
• 2016: Santa Monica Dojo continues with practice twice a week: Thursday evenings, 8 pm, at 1709 Stewart St., Santa Monica; Saturday 10 am in Pacific Palisades (call for details).

 

Other Notes:

 

• In the late 1960s on Thursday Nights, Mr. Ohshima led practice at Santa Monica. Later Mr. Ono and Mr. Okabe came to teach at the Santa Monica dojo and Mr. Ohshima cut back his schedule to teach Friday nights at the Melrose dojo.

 

• During the late 1960s and through the 1970s, the Santa Monica dojo gave periodic karate demonstrations at various LA Westside locations, including:  the West LA Buddhist Church Obon Festival and Hana Matsuri, Santa Monica Shopping Mall, and West LA Community Parks & Recreation facility.