June 14th, 2007
The First Annual Atlantic Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation New England Black Belt Camp took place over the weekend of June 8. 2007. A number of black belts and red belts from Cambridge Tang Soo Do accompanied Master Klacko to far western Massachusetts for two days of intensive training, testing, learning, and camaraderie with the students and masters from other New England Atlantic Pacific Tang Soo Do schools. The weekend began with a general workout and a black belt test (including our own Dr. Meetze testing for Third Dan) on Friday evening. Saturday and Sunday morning were filled with training and individual clinics with masters sharing their knowledge of advanced techniques, forms, and weapons. Each evening ended with memorable and inspiring speeches from Master St. James about the history, protocol and way of Tang Soo Do.
For Cambridge Tang Soo Do, it was a weekend of firsts. As new entrants to the Atlantic Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation, many of us were meeting the masters and students from the other schools for the first time. Every student in attendance saw something new and learned something for the first time, from new bong hyungs to advanced takedown techniques to self defense using a cane. It was, of course, all too short and barely an introduction to the wealth of knowledge and experience the masters had to share.
Learning new techniques is only part of what it means to advance in our art form, however. We also practiced the most basic of forms and reviewed the fundamental principles and ancient history of Tang Soo Do. Even though it was a retreat for advanced students, everyone benefited from a return to basics such as practicing forms step-by-step to the beat of a drum. Tang Soo Do is an art form where learning occurs on two levels, the introduction of new material and the continual review and refinement of what we think we already know. The First Annual Atlantic Pacific Tang Soo Do Federation New England Black Belt Camp was an opportunity to do both.