Guro Jun De Leon is the founder and chief instructor of Kali De Leon. Like most traditional arnisadors, Guro Jun’s journey in the martial arts began informally. As a child he was taught by his grandfather Grandmaster Rosendo de Leon, a practitioner of estocada, and by Grandmaster Pinong Mayuga, a training partner and senior student of Grandmaster Ben Lema, the founder of Lightning Scientific Arnis. His formal training began in 1966 under Grandmaster Lamberto Ticsay at Far Eastern University where Guro Jun was a member of the arnis team. A student of the arts first and foremost, Guro Jun continued to train under some of the best teachers to gain further insight and expertise. Among the masters he’s trained with are: Danny Marfal, Eliseo Javelosa , Ernesto Presas and Dan Inosanto. Despite his own accomplishments and recognition, as indicative of his humility he continues to train with Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje and Guro Rommel Tortal of the Pekiti Tirsia system. Another teacher Guro Jun gives great credit to in developing his art of KDL was the late GM Maning Recto. Unheard of outside his village, GM Recto was famous in his hometown of Hinigaran, Negros Occidental for defeating Moise Padilla in an infamous duel held in 1941. GM Recto was a legend in his hometown and an unsung hero to his country as he also served as a guerilla with the USAFFE during World War II.
With such a diverse background in martial arts, it should come as no surprise that Guro Jun has developed a curriculum for KDL that is at once innovative yet disciplined, progressive yet based in tradition, and at all times functional. Guro Jun has fostered a family atmosphere in KDL where everyone is relaxed and instruction is easygoing, but at the same time self-discipline is maintained by having respect for the teacher, other students and the art. KDL is also respectful of other martial arts and systems. Guro Jun, like many of his students, has also attained high ranking in other martial arts including karate, judo and wing chun.
Enhancing the family structure of KDL,
To promote the arts, Guro Jun believes it should be every teachers aim to produce other good teachers. Guro Jun’s sincere wish is to produce students and teachers who are every bit his equal and even better. KDL has very high standards. In 30 years of teaching, Guro Jun has only promoted 2 students to the rank of “guro.”
Guro Romelle Espiritu is KDL’s senior student. Like Guro Jun, Guro Romelle is also a student first and a teacher second. Aside from Kali, Guro Romelle has also achieved high rank in wing chun, muay thai and is currently studying the Chinese internal arts. Guro Romelle also has expertise in the field of human kinetics with his coaching background in gymnastics. With his understand of how the human body functions athletically, and his knowledge of how best to teach movements, Guro Romelle has introduced many innovative drills and insights that have contributed to each KDL’s student’s progress. Guro Romelle has also served as an inspiration to younger KDL students that excellence in KDL doesn’t mean having to move like Guro Jun. The purpose of training should be to find your own way and Guro Romelle exemplifies that notion.
Burton deSousa, Michael Alan, Ritchie Pazek and Roland Isla have also been given permission to teach Kali deLeon while they themselves continue to study under Guro Jun. Aside from the requisite technical skills, Guro Jun demands that his students continually demonstrate humility, openness and compassion if they are to represent him.
Burton deSousa instructs at the KDL academy in downtown Toronto. Aside from KDL, Burton is a certified instructor in JKD under Guro Dan Inosanto and Sifu Makoto Kabayama. Burton has also had previous martial arts training in the Chinese Martial Arts. A student of Guro Jun’s for over a decade, Burton is able to synthesize what he’s learned from Guro Jun with his own hard earned insights. Burton is an eloquent and cogent communicator who is able to break down seemingly complex movements into simple and easy to learn patterns. Burton was the first KDL student to earn his 10th level in KDL’s student grading system. Burton Sousa instructs at the KDL academy in Etobicoke, west end of Toronto.
Michael Allen teaches at the academy in downtown Toronto (Bay and Bloor). Michael has studied with Guro Jun for over a decade. As a sign of his dedication to KDL, Michael also makes the long trip to Kingston to study with Guro Romelle Espiritu whenever possible. Previously, Michael received training in JKD, boxing and the Chinese Martial Arts. Michael made KDL proud by traveling to Ireland to compete in the WEKAF World Championships and winning two medals, gold and silver. A talented martial artist, Michael can make any movement look easy and any technique easy to learn. Michael has also earned his 10th level in KDL’s student grading system.
Rich Pazek teaches KDL out his school in Buffalo, New York. Prior to coming to KDL, Rich was a senior student and instructor in Pekiti Tirsia Kali. He also has a background in karate. Rich has participated in full-contact Dog Brothers tournaments and placed first in the knife-fighting division in one tournament. Because of his obvious skill and dedication to the art. Guro Jun has allowed Rich to teach KDL after having studied with him for over 6 years. One cannot become an KDL instructor by way of seminars and workshops. Rich has religiously made the long drive from Buffalo to Toronto to study personally with Guro Jun. Deservedly, Rich is currently a level 6 student in KDL’s student grading system.
Roland Isla teaches KDL in Metro Manila, Philippines. Prior to KDL, Roland’s martial arts background was in the Chinese Internal Martial Arts as an instructor, tournament competitor, referee and forms judge. Formerly a resident of Toronto, Roland has been a student of Guro Jun’s for over 10 years. Filipinos don’t really appreciate being Filipino until they’ve lived overseas, and KDL students don’t really appreciate just how formidable KDL is until they’ve lived in the land that produced Filipino Martial Arts. KDL now has a small, but growing and much respected foothold in the homeland of Filipino Martial Arts.
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