Goju Ryu I.K.O. Italia
Goju Ryu I.K.O. Italia
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I.K.O. Masters in Italy |
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Master Mauro Cancellieri 8th Dan I.K.O. Shihan, Kyoshi
Area: Rome, Monteverde - Portuense district
He was born in Rome on July, 8th 1969 and he began studying and practicing Goju Ryu Karate in 1981, under the technical leadership of Master Alberto Evangelista at the latter's Dojo, the Miyagi-Kan.
After successfully passing all the tests and exams included in the strictest protocol enforced by Master Evangelista in his Dojo, in 2003 he was granted the privilege of taking the exam for 4th Dan I.K.O., which he passed with high honors.
In June 2009, after a detailed examination by Master Evangelista and his Exam Committee, he was awarded his 5th Dan and was dubbed Renshi.
In November 2008, Master Cancellieri had the opportunity to train at the Honbu Dojo held by Master G. Yamamoto in Tokyo, Japan. Later, in February 2010, he had the honor of being invited, together with his Master, at the ceremony where Master G. Yamamoto would be awarded his 10th Dan, which would be held at the Garden Palace Hotel in Tokyo. It was then that he had the chance to get acquainted with all the members of I.K.O.'s headquarters and their associates across the world.
Since February 2012, Master Cancellieri, after freeing himself, along with several other Masters, from the aegis of Master Evangelista and his own school, began reporting directly to the Honbu Dojo in Tokyo and specifically to Master Gonnohyoue Yamamoto, being informally appointed this way as the coordinator of the Goju Ryu I.K.O. Italia group. On November, 1st 2013 in Tokyo he was awarded the Kyoshi rank along with his 7th Dan I.K.O. by Master Soshihan Yamamoto himself. At the same time, he was also officially appointed and recognized as leader and key person of I.K.O.'s Italian branch.
Alongside his study and practice of Kumite (fighting), over the years he got a deeper insight on the various Goju Ryu Kata (forms), their Bunkai, all the while mastering Breathing Techniques, Focusing Techniques, and taking on Kobudo (Karate with weapons, like Nunchaku, Bo, Tonfars etc.) and Personal Defense as well.
He completed his training by participating in uncountable national and international stages.
He also practiced swimming and Hata Yoga for many years, and managed to learn the basics of Katori Shinto Ryu (Ancient Japanese Sword) from Master Alibrandi's lessons. Even though he still deems himself an amateur at that, he admits that such an experience was undoubtedly relevant to his overall understanding of the Martial Arts Way (the Budo).
Website: http://www.maurocancellieri.com
Master Glauco Tornesi 7th Dan I.K.O. Shihan
Area: Terracina (LT)
Born in Pontecorvo (FR) on March, 27th, 1957, he currently lives in Terracina.
He approached martial arts in 1975 during his service years, where personal defense was included among the courses he had to attend, including disarm and immobilization techniques.
In 1980 he signed up for a Karate course, under the guidance of the late Master Marcello Canonico, at the VIS Aurelia training center in Rome.
He was awarded his 1st Dan and his degree as a Karate trainer at the soon-to-be-founded Italian Taekwondo and Karate Federation, and he was assigned the technical leadership of the Terracina Karate Sporting Club, which would later become ASD Karate Pontino. Afterwards, he obtained his subsequent qualifications and degrees at that same federation which would change names over the years - while remaining a branch of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) nevertheless - up to his diploma as a Karate Master in November, 1995, and later with his 6th Dan I.K.O. black belt degree in October, 2011.
In 2006, with a decree dated December, 27th, the President of the Italian Republic Giorgio Napolitano awarded him the Honorary Knighthood of the Italian Republic.
In 2009, at the verge of almost 3 decades of continuous activity, the Sport Veterans National Union, a honorary association of sporting interest officially endorsed by CONI, on behalf of the Presidency of the Regional Council of Lazio, awarded him the Budo Award, "for having dedicated most of his life to the study, practice and spreading of martial arts".
In 2010 he attended Aikido classes taught by Master Prof. Dr. Raffaele Adornato, 6th Dan in Aikido and Judo, as well as athletic trainer of the Italian national Judo club and current member of the FIJLKAM national technical committee, obtaining his 1st Dan in such a discipline.
In his dojo, differently-abled people currently train under his guidance. One of them obtained his 3rd Dan black belt degree at FIJLKAM.
At present, he currently teaches at the ASD Sirius Training Center in Terracina.
Master Nicola Casini 6th Dan I.K.O.
Area: Rome, Trullo - Magliana district
Master Casini was born in Genoa on May, 29th, 1959. After playing a wide range of sports since his teenage years, including track-and-field, soccer, handball, volleyball and so forth, he began studying Karate in the latter half of the seventies with Master Mikuriya Katsutoshi at the Fiamma Yamato Sporting Club until 1996, achieving his 1st Dan degree after a most challenging trial; he kept studying Karate at the Miyagi-Kan Sporting Club with Master Alberto Evangelista from 1998 up to 2011.
As far as I.K.O. is concerned, he obtained the following degrees and qualifications:
- 1st Dan degree in 2000;
- 2nd Dan degree in 2004;
- 3rd Dan degree and Shidouin rank in 2007;
- 4th Dan degree and Jokyo rank in 2011;
- 5th Dan degree in 2013.
Between the end of October and the beginning of November, 2013, he went to I.K.O.'s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, at the Hombu Dojo Kanda Reinsekan, where Master Gonnohyoe Yamamoto 10th Dan in person awarded him his 5th Dan and the rank of Renshi Shihan.
As fas as FIJLKAM is concerned, he obtained the following degrees and qualifications:
- 1st Dan degree in 2004;
- Junior Trainer qualification in 2005;
- Project School Education Operator in 2006;
- 2nd Dan degree in 2007;
- 1st level Instructor title for MGA (Global Self-Defense Method) in 2009;
- 3rd Dan degree in 2011;
- Trainer qualification in 2013.
He attained further qualifications and titles as well, including:
- regional referee at the US-ACLI (now ENDAS) in 2003;
- national referee at ENDAS in 2011;
- ENDAS Competition Officials vice-chair in 2013.
His study has always been characterized by a more traditional approach to Karate, instead of focusing on the sporting elements of the discipline. He keeps attending refresher courses and stages with world-renowned masters.
Master Casini uses to tell the following aphorism in order to explain the ongoing and effective journey a Karateka needs to undertake: "Karate-do can be compared with a tree, where Kihon are its roots, Kata build up its trunk, and Kumite represent its crown. A tree without roots cannot exist (Kihon); a tree without a trunk cannot be a tree (Kata); a tree without a crown is dead (Kumite)."
Today he teaches at the Yamato Kan dojo in Roma, via Orciano Pisano 9, with the purpose of favoring social aggregation for teenagers and young adults via Martial Arts in the tough district he lives in (www.yamatokan.it; Facebook group; YouTube channel). That is why in the latest years he has approached the sporting aspect of Karate, even though he keeps treasuring its traditional elements.
Master Cristian Ruzza 5th Dan I.K.O.
Area: Porto Viro - Loreo (RO)
Master Ruzza is in charge of the Veneto group of Goju-Ryu I.K.O. Italia. Cristian Ruzza was born in Contarina (RO) on June, 6th, 1976. Due to his passion for martial arts shown as early as in his childhood, his parents decided to sign him up for Judo lessons at a local dojo; he practiced Judo for almost 6 years until, at the age of 14, he opted to approach Goju-Ryu Karate. This brand new reality enabled him to find harmony, answers and inner drive, by exclusively relying on his own strengths without fearing his own limits.
In January, 1996, he was awarded his 1st Dan in Karate and the instructor title. From that moment onwards his spiritual and cultural journey began, leading him to master the fundamental elements of Kumite (fighting), Kion (sequence of techniques) and Kata (forms).
Due to his great passion for the technical study of Karate, and especially for Kata, which he always deemed the very soul of the martial arts, he decided to try his knowledge in the competitions, showing a considerable sporting prowess along with his technical mastery.
He achieved several triumphs in both national and international competitions, with an outstanding series of rankings, including more than one national podium.
In 2005 he was summoned by the World Karate Association for participating in the World Championship in Niagara Falls (Canada), attaining a relevant 5th place.
In summer 2006 Cristian decided to leave the competitions in order to fully focus on the Traditional Goju-Ryu Karate, by trying to get a deeper insight on the most important aspects of traditional Kumite and on the applications of Kata (Bunkai). Such a decision would lead him to leave his original school so that he could follow a martial arts path exclusively devoted to the Japanese Traditional Karate.
Today he holds a 4th Dan black belt degree in A.S.I., a 3rd Dan in FIJLKAM at a national level, and a 3rd Dan in I.K.O. at an international level.
Alongside the latter degree, he was awarded the Shidouin (instructor) rank by the Hombu Dojo in Tokyo directed by Soshihan Gonnohyoue Yamamoto 10th Dan I.K.O.
Master Mirko Lombardi 4th Dan I.K.O.
Group coordinator: Master Mauro Cancellieri Shihan VIII Dan - Kyoshi
