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Posted by Andrew on 10/17/2001, 9:14 am
I'll answer a few of your questions and some others will have to be handled by Sifu. The teacher at the school is Sifu Tony Kariotis. Currently he runs an open gym with a very loose atmosphere. You come a lot then you learn a lot. You don't come a lot and you will take forever to learn. Initially, Sifu likes to show you all of the 1st week basics and then allows one of the assistant instructors to continue. He mostly wants assitant instructors to get their feet wet in teaching. Sifu is almost always there and interrupting assistant instructors to correct us or to individualize the program to the student or he does it to get a better understanding of the student or he does it for the sheer pleasure of it. No joke. He gets a kick out of teaching. Sifu's credentials are long and impressive. I believe he's the real thing. See the website under school info. And that doesn't even scratch the surface. I think he started teaching martial arts since 1969. If you want to learn quick and hard or you're in no rush and want to take it easy he'll accomodate you. However, he will always show you what fighting reality is like which is always disconcerting. All of his assistant instructors are competent to teach 1st level - 1st form Wing Chun. These assistants Sifu has certified himself. Usually that's enough for the average student if they want practical defense. There are 4-5 assistants. Anything beyond 1st level will always be under Sifu's supervision. I believe that currently there are two price plans: One - in which you can come 2X per week and, Two - unlimited times up to 5X per week. Also he gives private lessons. You will have to discuss prices with Sifu for specifics. There are all sorts of students at the gym. Waiters, doctors, radiologists, teachers, alarm installers, computer repairmen, lawyers, genetic researchers, college students, bartenders, retired people, government workers, security workers and more. Those are the people that I have met and know and have practiced with. But to learn in this school YOU have to have the self-discipline to come in and practice. There are no contracts. Sifu will only show more stuff to you when he sees you have practiced and have the desire and self-discipline. This type of loose atmoshpere is not conducive to many people. Consequently, the school is very small compared to other places. But the good news is that you will get individual instruction. On the bad side when Sifu has other commitments that takes him away from the school such as a wedding or a funeral the school is closed for a day or maybe two. Occassionally he has his assistants open up for him. But closings rarely happen. Maybe once every 3-4 months. I hope this information has helped you. Call Sifu and tell him you are coming in. The school is open evenings on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Afternoons on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. And he sometimes opens on Sundays. Come in so we can chat.
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