FMA Filipino Kali At TAMA
TAMA has pioneered the Filipino Kali Martial Arts in this greater Dayton area. Grandmaster Taningco is responsible in bringing his family Filipino Kali system of Willow style from his grandfather Lorenzo Robles. Taningco also brought the three different instructors in this area for the promotion of Filipino Kali – Philippine Martial Arts. There are Grandmaster Leo Gaje, Guro Dan Inosanto, Grandmaster Diony Canete and Grandmaster Cacoy Canete of the Doce Pares. Taningco is the highest rank Doce Pares member that has actually tested under the auspices of Eulogio Canete (the late President of Doce Pares for over 50 years) and the original of the Doce Pares Club in Cebu, Philippines. Taningco had studied for over 15 years under Dan Inosanto who is the protege student of the late Bruce Lee. Grandmaster Leo Gaje has bestowed Mandala Master Rank to Taningco for over 30 years of study of Pekiti Tirsia.
Two Students Achieving their Brown Belt in Filipino Kali at TAMA.
Doug Vaughan began studying martial arts many years ago. Doug’s previous experience included Okinawan styles where he earned his rank of Sho-Dan and Ni-Dan (1st and 2nd-degree black belts). During his early years of training, likes millions of people around the world, he had deep admiration for the late Bruce Lee. He also admired Bruce Lee’s protégé’, Danny Inosanto. Doug was fortunate in the late 70’s to attend a Kali seminar being given by Grandmaster Manuel Taningco. Doug attended the seminar because he learned Grandmaster Taningco had trained under Grandmaster Inosanto. He fell in love with the art of Kali that day and swore he would train under Grandmaster Taningco one day. Unfortunately, a delay was put on his plans since he spent the next 30+ years serving in the United States Air Force that required him to move several times. Once he retired from the Air Force, he accepted a job in Saudi Arabia where he began studying a similar Filipino style known as Arnis. When he returned to Dayton, Ohio, he decided to fulfill his dream of training under Grandmaster Taningco at the TAMA Martial Arts Center in Dayton.
Filipino Kali is a martial arts style that focus on the ability to transition from fighting with weapons to empty hands fluidly, as there is always the possibility of losing or being without a weapon. Doug saw Kali as a very practical martial art. He was able to practice this martial art without the continued stress he experienced with the other martial arts he practiced that focused more on kicking and punching. He was able to improve his skills with offensive and defensive techniques with a knife. He also loves learning the use of the baston or baton, a weapon he first saw Bruce Lee use in the dungeon scene of “Enter the Dragon.”
Since he started training with Grandmaster Taningco, Doug has dedicated himself to the study of Filipino Kali. You can see him walking on the bike path practicing his techniques. You may also see him beating a telephone pole by the bike path as he practices his sinawalis, techniques that are done with the baston. Since starting in the summer of 2014, he has earned his brown belt. He hopes to test for his black belt in the next year.
Cheryl Basil has been training under Master Taningco for 14 years. After being awarded her Black Belt in Kenpo in 2010, she began training in Tai Chi and Kali. She has continued to work for her second-degree black belt in Kenpo while achieving rank in Tai Chi and brown belt rank in Kali. The opportunities to train in multiple martial arts afforded at TAMA has enabled Cheryl to improve in all areas as each discipline adds to the others. The many teaching experiences with children and adults have afforded her the opportunity to not only improve her techniques but to pass on the knowledge given to her by skilled instructors at TAMA.