Black Belt magazine's "Instructor of the Year" for 2007, Prof. George Kirby holds the rank of judan and is an internationally recognized martial arts instructor and author. He has been teaching jujutsu since 1967. He was the head instructor at the Burbank YMCA and the Burbank Parks Department . He currently teaches Budoshin Ju-Jitsu classes through the Santa Clarita Parks Recreation Department and at the College of the Canyons, both in Santa Clarita, CA. Prof. Kirby  is chairman for the Budoshin Ju-Jitsu Dojo Inc. and the American Ju-Jitsu Association, as well as founder of Budoshin Ju-Jitsu Yudanshakai. In addition to numerous articles for various martial arts magazines, Prof. Kirby is the author of Ju-Jitsu: Basic Techniques of the Gentle Art, Ju-Jitsu: Intermediate Techniques of the Gentle Art, Jutte: Power of Ten Hands Weapon, Budoshin Ju-Jitsu: The Big Book, Jujitsu Nerve Techniques: The Invisible Weapon of Self-Defense, Advanced Jujitsu: The Science Behind the Gentle Art, and Jujitsu Figure-4 Locks: Submission Holds of the Gentle Art.

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Training since 1971 and teaching since 1973, Mr. Philip Scudieri has earned a 3rd degree black belt from United Tae Kwon Do Federation, a 5th degree black belt from American Independent Karate Instructors Association, and renshi menkyo in kenjutsu and aikijutsu from Tenshin Ryu. Named Martial Arts Hall of Fame Grand Master of the Year 2009, Mr. Scudieri is president and Pan-American representative of Kenjutsu International Association of Instructors (KIAI), as well as a member of Chikurin Ha Heki Ryu and the United States Judo Association.  He is also the U.S. Director of Kobudo for All Japan Budo Federation, Zen Ni Hon Budo Renmi. Mr. Scudieri has been an instructor to several law enforcement agencies in Maryland and Delaware for 20 years including an exclusive two-year contract to instruct the Bethany Beach Police Department. Mr. Scudieri also received hanshi from the European Budo Council, Serbian Budo Council, and KIAI. His students have placed in international competition. Mr. Scudieri has appeared in several magazines and publications. He currently teaches his own system called San Sai Ryu.

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Lt. Col. Gary Ducote (Ret.) was born in Alexandria, LA, in 1957. He graduated from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL) with a BS in Psychology and was commissioned as an officer in the USAF in 1980. Lt. Col. Ducote was an A-10 Fighter Pilot, serving in many flying/instructor assignments during his career. He flew 35 combat missions in Desert Storm 1991 and has been deployed many times while in the USAF. He earned a Masters in Education from Oklahoma State University in International Relations in 1991. His last duty station was at Fort Polk as Commander of a Tactical Air Control Party Detachment. Lt. Col. Ducote retired from the USAF in 2005. Lt. Col. Ducote started martial arts training in 1972 in the Keichu Ryu system and competed in numerous tournaments. He founded his own style, Shisei Ryu Aikibudo, in 1991, which he now teaches.

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Brett Denison, PhD, has been a student and practitioner of traditional Japanese martial arts for 30 years and holds a menkyo okuden license in Senshin-ryu Jujutsu. He has also studied Shotokan karate (earning the rank of nidan) and holds a menkyo okuden license in Katsujin-ryu Bujutsu. He is head instructor of the Mizukan Dojo. He has been studying Japanese Swordsmanship for over 20 years, focusing on iaijutsu and kenjutsu. Dr. Denison is a student of Yamauchi-ha line of Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaijutsu and trains directly under Sekiguchi Komei sensei, 21st head of the ryuha. He is a menkyo holder and the Shibucho (state representative) in Colorado for Yamauchi-ha Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu and Komei Juku. He is also a student of Shimizu Nobuko sensei in Ryoen-ryu naginatajutsu. He has been studying the Japanese language for over 18 years and is currently a student of Kampo-ryu shodo (calligraphy) under Tsuyoshi Takemori sensei. In addition to B.S. and M.S. degrees in Computer and Information Science, Dr. Denison has a PhD in Anthropology with a specialty in Japanese studies.

Mr. Kasey Keckeisen holds a 3rd degree black belt (sandan) and teaching certificate from the International Yoshinkan Aikido Federation and is a 1st degree black belt (shodan) in Nippon Kan Aikido. Mr. Keckeisen also has an extensive background training in other budo, holding a 3rd degree black belt (sandan) in Mizu Ryu Ju Jutsu, and a 3rd degree black belt (sandan) in Traditional Kodokan Judo. Mr. Keckeisen is an experienced police officer and SWAT operator who has taught aikido for law enforcement to universities, law enforcement agencies, and special operations teams across Minnesota. Mr. Keckeisen has incorporated practical techniques from Yoshinkan Aikido, traditional judo/jujutsu, and karate (along with western boxing and wrestling) into his Keishoukan Dojo teaching method.

Dr. Ivica Zdravkovic, M.D., is founder and head instructor of Shinbukan, a private non-profit school of Japanese martial arts located in Pozarevac, Serbia. Shinbukan jujutsu and Shinbukan kenjutsu form a complete martial arts system named Shinbudo. A specialist in family medicine and author of a handbook for family practice physicians, Dr. Zdravkovic is also head of the Serbian Budo Council. He holds advanced budo ranks from organizations in Europe, USA and Japan. Dr. Zdravkovic also serves as a CEO of International Shinbudo Association, a sport-focused governing body of International Shinbudo Games, a traditional annual gathering of national teams who promote modern sport formats based on Japanese martial arts.

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Mr. Maurizio Colonna is founder and head instructor of Rakurai Dojo, a school of Japanese martial arts located in Bari, Italy. In addition to practicing and teaching bujutsu, Mr. Colonna is a Sekiguchi Ryu Battojutsu practitioner and Shibu-cho for Italy. He holds black belt degrees in karate and ninjutsu. Mr. Colonna is an experienced security counselor specializing in self-defense tactics. He works for a private investigation and security agency as an industrial counter-espionage specialist for private agencies, military and police officers, and various companies.

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An experienced judo instructor, kendo and jujutsu practitioner, and former international tournament competitor, Don Cunningham, PhD, is ranked by the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo. He has trained extensively in both Japan and the U.S. and has coached several judo champions. Dr. Cunningham is a respected university professor, renowned lecturer, and the acclaimed author of three major books on aspects of Japanese feudal era culture and the history of classical Japanese martial arts. Titles include Secret Weapons of Jujutsu, Taiho-Jutsu: Law and Order in the Age of the Samurai, and Samurai Weapons: Tools of the Warrior. In addition to B.S. and M.S. degrees in Journalism from Texas A&M, Dr. Cunningham has a PhD in Technical Communications from Illinois Institute of Technology.