FRIDAY, December 8th, 2023

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Session #1 - OPENING CEREMONIES
12:00 PM (30 minutes)

      Kick off this year's Dojocon with us as we welcome everyone, go over safety info, and warm up our bodies for some training and fun!

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Session #2 - SEVEN STAR MANTIS KUNG FU
12:30 PM (90 minutes)

      Join Grandmaster Derrick Wright of Wrights Kung Fu Association as he instructs participants in the 12 Key Word Formula of the Northern Shaolin Seven Star Mantis Style! All levels and beginners welcome.

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Session #3 - TENSHIN
2:00 PM (90 minutes)

      Get familiar with the most practical form of Aikido you'll ever see by training with an Army Ranger, bounty hunter, and bodyguard. Sensei Gordon Green welcomes martial artists of all levels to join!

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Session #4 - SHAOLIN STYLE KUNG FU 
3:30 PM (90 minutes)

      Returning to Dojocon this year is Master Qi, who was a monk in the Shaolin temple and now runs his own school in St. Louis. After a demonstration by his students, this training session will be in Mandarin, so our interpreter, Austin Adams, will be joining us on the mat for that portion of the session.

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Session #5 - DINNER BREAK
5:00 PM (2 hours)

      This block is reserved for dinner. Please check our list of nearby restaurants for some delicious options. Food is welcome in the eating area, so feel free to bring it back with you or order doordash! HURRY BACK! You don't want to miss the next sessions!

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Session #6 - FENCING
7:00 PM (60 minutes)

      Local author and sword legend Patrick Dorsey offers this hour-long training in the basics of sword fighting. Join him and several of his students for one of last year's favorite sessions! All levels are welcome to participate.

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Session #7 - CLOSE OF DAY
8:00 PM (10 minutes)

      Please join us as we bow out. Have a brief stretch and casual conversation with us as we tidy up and close down the training mat until tomorrow. Jot down phone numbers for new friends! Pick up some reading materials on an art you found interesting. Sign up for a class with a new dojo. 

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SATURDAY, December 9th, 2023

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Session #1 - GENTLE YOGA + WARM-UP STRETCH 
10:00 AM (30 minutes)

      Warm up with some beginner-friendly stretches. You won't want to skip this vital step in preparing your body for a day of new and exciting trainings! 

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Session #2 - AIKIDO
10:30 AM (90 minutes)

      Deep dive into some internal energy work as you experience the awesome power of breath, connection, and flow. Sensei Neil Segal's instruction of Aikido is precise, thought-provoking, and wonderfully spiritual. All levels are welcome!

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Session #3 - SHURI-RYU KARATE-DO
12:00 PM (60 minutes)

      You do not want to miss this amazing session with Renshi Conway Wong (expert instructor rank)as he teaches Hakutsuru Sho - White Crane Form #1. Shuri-Ryu Karate-Do is a blended style of Karate that you may not have encountered before. All ranks are welcome to try this session out!

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Session #4 - LUNCH BREAK
1:00 PM (2 hours)

      This block is reserved for lunch. Please check our list of nearby restaurants for some delicious options. Food is welcome in the eating area, so feel free to bring it back with you or order doordash! HURRY BACK! You don't want to miss the next sessions!

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Session #5 - NINJUTSU: THE HIDDEN ART OF COMBAT
3:00 PM (90 minutes)

      Shidoshi Nick Nelson introduces participants to the hidden art of Ninjutsu during this 90-minute training session. He is the Dojo-Cho (Chief Instructor) of the Akeru Bujinkan Dojo in St Louis, Missouri. All levels are welcome!

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Session #6 - LION DANCE PERFORMANCE
4:00 PM (30 minutes)

      Witness the wonder and spectacle of a traditional lion dance performed by the students of Sifu Wayne Judge of Iron Dragon Hung Gar Kuen. Learn about this ancient martial arts practice!

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Session #7 - TANIKALA DE SERRADA ESKRIMA
5:30 PM (90 minutes)

      Join us again this year as we train under the legendary Master Chuck Cadell, the last master certified by the Grandmaster Angel Cabales. Tanikala De Serrada Eskrima is a Filipino art using stickfighting and Espada y Daga techniques. (We will be using sticks! Bring your own if you have them. Some sticks available to borrow. Sticks for sale $20 at Sacred Sword booth!)

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VIP EVENT: DINNER WITH THE MASTERS
7:00 PM 

      VIP ticket holders ($100 additional) are invited to have dinner on-site and engage the presenters of Dojocon 2023 in martial arts discussion. Ask your burning questions. Get to know a new art more intimately. Connect with new friends! Grow your martial arts practice through association! 

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SUNDAY, December 10th, 2023

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Session #1 - GENTLE TAI CHI WARM-UP
10:30 AM (30 minutes)

      Warm up with some beginner-friendly moves, instructed by Wayne Judge of Iron Dragon. You won't want to skip this vital step in preparing your body for a day of new and exciting trainings!

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Session #2 - JUDO
11:00 AM (60 minutes)

      Join 5th degree black belt, Sensei Russ Little of Kirkwood Judo Club in a beginner level Judo crash course! This course will include both standing, and mat work core Judo concepts and techniques for non-Judo based martial artists. All levels welcome!

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Session #3 - DISARMING TECHNIQUES FOR SMALL FIREARMS
12:00 PM (60 minutes)

      Sensei Gordon Green, a weapons instructor for the US Army, presents this 60-minute training in disarming techniques for small firearms. PLEASE NOTE: No firearms are allowed on the venue premises, so we will be training with fake ones!

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Session #4 - LUNCH BREAK
1:00 PM (90 min)

      This block is reserved for lunch. Please check our list of nearby restaurants for some delicious options. Food is welcome in the eating area, so feel free to bring it back with you or order doordash! HURRY BACK! You don't want to miss the next sessions!

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Session #5 - IAIDO
2:30 PM (60 minutes)

      Hurry back from lunch to experience Instructor Ross Whalen as he teaches Iaido. This art is a spiritual practice designed by the Samurai to maintain their sword skills during times of peace. Don't miss it!

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Session #6 - TRADITIONAL INCENSE LECTURE
3:30 PM (90 minutes)

      A crowd favorite! Martial Arts Instructor and Public Figure John Launius brings this amazing convention to a quiet, thought-provoking summit through his lecture on traditional incense. Relax on the mat and observe the elegance and refinement of an ancient artform.

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Session #7 - CLOSING CEREMONIES
5:00 PM

      Let's bow out together and bring an end to an amazing weekend of training. Dojocon 2024 prep begins right now! Spread the word and don't forget to like and follow on our social media pages! We hope you made some new friends, picked up some valuable techniques, and learned about a new art. DOMO ARIGATOU!