Major Accomplishments Rising for THREE KIA Students
Chris “Growler” Grau and Kim “Cultivator” Thomas pose with soon-to-be second degree Brown Belt Tristan “Raptor” Ligtvoet upon successful completion of his test on Tuesday, 22 October 2013, 7:00 P.M.
Growler and Cultivator will be completing their requirements for a 4th Dan Black Belt rating with a performance of a few upper division katas. 4th Dan is a highly prestigious Karate Institute of America black belt rank held only by one other Kiado-Ryu martial artist—Dan “Basai” Asay (currently inactive).
Becoming 4th Dans will make Mr. Grau and Mr. Thomas the highest active Black Belts in the KIA, thus rising to the top of over thirty-three hundred KIA students in its long and vaunted thirty-four year history. Raptor’s test and the Black Belt exhibitions by Messrs. Grau and Thomas will be held at Santa Vittoria Park, Laguna Hills, CA beginning at 7:00 P.M. (Santa Vittoria Park: 22181 Santa Maria, Ave. Laguna Hills, CA). Students (past and present) and the public are invited.