Sifu
Raffi Derderian
Head Instructor Sifu Raffi Derderian began martial arts training in 1973. He
started his training of JKD and Filipino Kali in 1990 and is a certified Full
Instructor of Jeet Kune Do & Filipino Martial Arts under Sifu Kevin Seaman. Sifu Kevin Seaman is one
of the few Jeet Kune Do practitioners to achieve the level of Full Instructor in
Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Kali under the legendary Guro
Dan Inosanto.
Guro Dan, known as the authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts,
is one of only three people personally certified by the late Bruce Lee.
Sifu Raffi holds the following ranks:
· Certified Full Instructor - Jun Fan/Jeet Kune Do & Filipino Martial Arts
· 7th Degree Black Belt - Shinko-Ryu Kempo
· 6th Degree Black Belt - Uechi-ryu Karate
· 3rd Degree Black Belt - Filipino Martial Art Combatives
· 2nd Degree Black Belt -Oki-Ryu Kenpo
· Ranked "Expert" in Knife Combatives by the Congress of American Knifefighters (Hock Hochheim)
· Recognized "Shihan of Martial Arts" by the International Uechi Karate Association
Sifu Garrett Berman
Sifu Garrett was one of the first students to join DAMA when we moved to Johnston in 1998. He has been studying JKD and Kali ever since with us. In 2006 Garrett started running the Filipino class on Tuesday evening. Garrett is an excellent martial artist with a tremendous passion for teaching. Garrett is also a Level 10 in our JKD program.
Sifu Todd Scungio
Sifu Todd had already had some JKD training prior to joining training at DAMA in 2000.
He is a Level 10 in our JKD program and teaches the Saturday class. Todd was also the Captain of the Rhode Island College Wrestling Team.
Sifu Christopher Thompson
Sifu Chris has been a DAMA student since 2000. He is a level 10 in our JKD program and also a Black Belt in our Kempo program. He is an outstanding martial artist and runs the Thursday night JKD class at DAMA. In addition, he has his own JKD group, Oceanstate JKD in East Greenwich, RI.
Assistant Instructor Norm Davis
Norman has been a JKD
and Kali student at DAMA since 2004. In 2009 he became an Assistant Instructor.
Always eager and dedicated to assist with
teaching students, Norm exemplifies the true spirit of an instructor.
Assistant Instructor Eric Vito
Eric has been a JKD
and Kali student at DAMA since 2002. He became an Assistant Instructor in 2009. Despite a grueling
schedule of school and later
his career,
Eric has always managed to attend classes. He is a great
addition to our instructor’s staff.