Arika Struzinsky is a second degree black belt at US Budokai Karate in Clifton Park, NY under Hanshi Russ Jarem. She also has the good fortune to train specifically on breaking with Master Adam Grogin and Sifu Bill Luciano.
Arika started karate when she was 6 and quit when she was 8. After several years of watching friends and family compete, she decided it looked like so much fun that she wanted to start training again. Since US Budokai Karate traditionally does not break, Arika was introduced to breaking at the 518 Circuit Tournaments where several local schools would get together for a friendly series of tournaments.
Arika attends Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the majoring in Chemical Engineering.
Daniele Serrano, 3rd Degree Black Belt in American Filipino Kun Tao. I began my training in 1992 under Master Michael Byrnes, then continued under Master Drew Serrano. Besides my main style, I trained and taught Capoeira for many years under Mestre Ze com Fome and the group Artes Das Gerais.
I earned my black belt in American Filipino Kun Tao 2009 and my primary focus in the Martial Arts is Self-Defense, the main reason I began my training. It has proven extremely important to me over the years to have this knowledge and training and it was something I always hoped to be able to pass along. That opportunity came when we partnered with Jane Doe No More, enabling us to offer the “Escape Alive Program” to thousands of women throughout CT as well as other states.
The USBA/WBA brought “breaking” into my training in 2004, the year I first compete with this organization. I find breaking extremely important to my training and it has made me a better Martial Artist. I am now proud to be a World Official for this organization and look forward to continuing to learn from my fellow competitors.
- Received the “Dr. Henry Lee Award” for the “Escape Alive” Program, helping prepare and -educate women and girls on how to defend themselves.
- Multiple times USBA/WBA World Champion in Power Concrete Foot and Concrete Power Elbow – ISKA U.S. Open – Orlando, Florida
- 2004 – 3rd place Self-Defense – U.S. Open International Karate Championships – Orlando, FL.
- 2005 – 1st place Self-defense Peter Rogers Spring National Karate Championships-Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino, CT.
- 2006 – 1st place Power Breaking – Peter Rogers National Karate Championships – Mohegan Sun Casino & Resort, CT.
- 2006 – “Female Breakout Action Star”- Action on Film International Film Festival- Los Angeles,CA.
- 2006 – 2nd place Self-Defense – U.S. Open International Championships- Orlando, Fl.
- 2009 – Partnered with Jane Doe No More to run Escape Alive Survival Skills to women across Connecticut.
- 2010 – Hosted the IIMAA Training Conference- Kissimmee, FL- One of the largest Martial Arts Training Conferences in the World.
- 2011 – 1st place- Power Board Elbow- Atlantic City Breaking Championships- Atlantic City, NJ.
- 2011 – USBA/WB – New York State Champion- 1st place – Power Concrete Hand & Foot- North East Open- Albany, NY.
- 2011 – USBA/WBA North American Champion – Power Concrete Hand & Foot- North American Breaking Championships- Fairfield, CT.
- 2011 – Appointed to the Board of Advisors for Jane Doe No More.
- 2018 – USBA/WBA Competition Record – Most 1” Boards Broken by elbow – Double – at the Southeastern Regional State Championships in Orlando, FL.
- 2018 – Female Grand Champion at the Massachusetts State Breaking Championships in Chicopee, MA.
- 2018 – USBA/WBA U.S. Open in Orlando Florida – 1st place Concrete Power Foot
- 2018 – USBA/WBA Northeast Open – 1st place – Concrete Power Foot
