Seito Shito-Ryu Karate-Do
Head Instructor of Albany Seito Shito-Ryu Karate Dojo
Dudley Moon
Dudley Moon’s first exposure to the martial arts (budo) was in 1965 when he spent a year studying Kodokan Judo with a Japanese exchange student. In 1968, he started college and began training in Motobu-Ha Shito-Ryu Karate with Robert Coryer. As his first real teacher, Coryer Sensei had a very significant impact on Moon Sensei ’s study of budo. In 1972, Coryer Sensei awarded him Shodan in Motobu-Ha Shito-Ryu. Also, through Coryer Sensei, he met and trained extensively with Kuniba, Shogo (headmaster of Motobu- Ha). Subsequently, when Coryer Sensei transferred to Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu, Moon and other senior students accompanied him. This led to many classes and training sessions with Hayashi, Teruo (headmaster of Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu) when he visited Coryer Sensei’s dojo. Having three such excellent and skilled teachers, Coryer Sensei, Kuniba Sensei and Hayashi Sensei was truly a gift. Very importantly, they each had very different body builds and their individual Karate form reflected these differences. Unfortunately, organizational politics ultimately led Coryer Sensei to resign from Hayashi Sensei’s group. Then in the late 1980's, Coryer Sensei retired from active Karate teaching. However, his senior students continued to practice and explore what they had learned with Coryer Sensei.
During this time, Moon Sensei was also busy starting a family and training for a career in biomedical science. He received a Master’s degree in Biochemistry (1979), a Ph.D. in Physiology and Cell Biology (1983), and did post-doctoral work at the Cleveland Clinic Research Institute. After serving in several research faculty positions, he joined the faculty at the Albany College of Pharmacy (ACP) in 1991. During his time at ACP, he was promoted to Full Professor with tenure and was selected by the students as “Teacher of the Year” five times. He retired from ACP in 2018.
n 1994, Moon Sensei was asked to host Mabuni, Kenzo (the second headmaster of
Seito Shito-Ryu Karate-Do) for a special one week training seminar at his ACP dojo.
That experience became a turning point in his study of Karate. Mabuni Sensei (as he
preferred to be called) made a deep impression on everyone with his practical manner
of teaching, careful explanations, and calm demeanor. The Karate he taught was
simple on the surface, but profoundly subtle in execution. One had to “feel” his
technique to truly experience what he was teaching. Moon Sensei decided to change his
Karate to Seito Shito-Ryu. Later that year, he was accepted as a direct student of
Mabuni, Kenzo at the rank of Godan (5th degree) with a Shihan menjo (teaching
license). He remained a student of Mabuni, Kenzo Sensei until Sensei’s passing in
2005. Shortly before his death, Mabuni Sensei promoted Dudley Moon to Hachidan (8th
degree) and Hanshi.
In addition to Karate, Moon Sensei has trained in Yamanni Chinen Ryu Okinawan Kobudo under Nishime, Kiyoshi since 1995. He has also trained in Daito Ryu (Kodokai/Kiyama Kai) Aikijujutsu under Roy Goldberg since 2004. He has studied these arts partly to better understand and practice the teachings of Mabuni, Kenwa and Mabuni, Kenzo. It is his goal to maintain and pass on the principles of Seito Shito-Ryu Karate-Do to those who are interested. Moon Sensei maintains a dojo at the Dewey Budokan in Delmar, New York and is available for seminar and workshops.
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