Dojo drops martial arts stereotype - April 2015

Former WHS student Liza Ciora (on left) and Shanon Casson at the NZ Jiu Jitsu Academy Dojo.

NZ Jiu Jitsu Academy
Community sports with Sport Whanganui
The conventional image of a martial arts dojo is one of neglected warehouse buildings located in the back of suburbia or industrial streets, often with no windows, no obvious entrance and a less-than-welcoming ambience.
Sensei Shanon Casson of the New Zealand Jiu Jitsu Academy is dispelling that myth with the establishment of his professional martial arts dojo. Located in the centre of Wanganui at an attractive spot beside the river (opposite The Warehouse), the Academy's modern building enjoys plenty of window space where interested public can view the classes. As director of the Academy, Shanon understands that contemporary sports clubs need to operate like a business, and that includes receiving and hosting new visitors. His dojo boasts a reception area where new visitors are greeted and welcomed.
Sensei Casson is qualified as a third degree black belt in Jiu Jitsu, known as the 'gentle art' or the 'flexible science'. While acknowledging Jiu Jitsu's traditions and history, the Academy has been created to promote a new style of self-defence, and a holistic approach to the development of life skills. Building character through physical, mental, and spiritual techniques, the Academy aspires to help students unlock and nourish their potential in all areas of life.
The classes cater for a range of age groups. For the beginners ('Toa Kids' aged 5-7 years) the focus is on developing confidence, co-ordination and basic movement skills in a fun and supportive environment. Older Juniors learn leadership skills and respect through a syllabus and coloured belt system, and the Academy's unique badge system.

Shanon supports the theory that it takes 3,000 repetitions of a skill before the skill becomes an instinctive reaction. With this in mind, he devises fun physical games and activities for his students where they perform the required skill in a game, often without realising it.
The 'Colt' grade for youth fosters awareness and self-control through a senior syllabus of modern self-defence techniques. Colts train with the adults, and are included in the senior grading system, but have a shorter training time. Finally the senior classes are designed to develop reactive techniques with minimum effort and maximum efficiency.
A particular Academy specialty is the Protect-Her classes which encourage skills and confidence for women to protect themselves - suitable for ages 15 plus.
With business and life partner Liza Ciora, Shanon supports a variety of learning styles in his dojo. Both Shanon and Liza teach in primary schools, and understand the importance of identifying diversity in learning. The Academy now even supports dyslexic learners with syllabus documents presented in specialist Dyslexie font.
Acknowledging that there is a wealth of martial arts options available in Wanganui, Shanon encourages people to consider the goals and ethos of different dojos, "Personally I am an advocate of modern self-defence Jiu Jitsu. This is the art that suits me, and the art must fit the individual."