Red Dragon Karate School

The instructors at the Red Dragon bring many years of
experience to our classes. Our instructors provide the highest
quality training for students from beginner to advanced.

	Mr. Jeff Melander began his training in the martial arts in 1982. At just 11 years of age he earned his Black Belt, becoming the youngest to do so in the Zen-Do Kai association and NY's Capital Region. Presently a 5th degree Black Belt, Melander is tournament veteran, both locally and on the national karate tour. Twice he as earned the "competitor of the year" award and in 2004 was awarded "Instructor of the Year" by the Zen-Do Kai Association. Nearly 20 years after acquiring the Red Dragon Karate School, "Sensei" Jeff Melander continues to teach daily, overseeing approximately 25 classes per week.
	I stared Karate at the Red Dragon Karate School in 1991 with my husband Earl and daughter Liza who was 5. Working full time at Lockheed Martin as a firefighter/ EMT didn�t leave much family time and Karate was an activity to do as a whole family. Earl and Liza earned their yellow belts and I, my Orange Belt. In 1995 I had to take a break, for I was pregnant with our daughter Sarah. I came back to the Dojo in 2000 with Sarah. I needed something for me and I really enjoyed Karate. I feel that that Karate has made me be able to focus on and prioritize my life. It has also shown me that I am capable of doing anything that I put my mind to. In July of 2005 Sarah and I earned our Black Belts at Super Summers. I decided to go back to school full time in the fall of 2005 while still working at Lockheed Martin. I became a register nurse in May of 2007 and now work at Saratoga Hospital in ICU. And through this all I was still training and teaching at Red Dragon Karate School. I enjoy teaching karate but am always wondering if my classes are any good. It is always much easier to be the student. In July of 2008, again at Super Summers, I earned nidon on my Black Belt.
	Roland Lavigne has been studying Karate at Red Dragon since December, 2002; at the insistence of his nephew, as a way for the two of them to spend more time together. In July of 2004, he received his black belt from Sensei Jeff Melander at Colgate University. While training and teaching at Red Dragon, Mr. Lavigne has participated in numerous demonstrations, tournaments, festivals and seminars. He has run classes in personal safety/self-awareness and women�s self-defense at Red Dragon Karate School, Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, Maplewood Manor, The William H. Ford Neighborhood Center, Troy High School, and multiple elementary and intermediate schools. Mr. Lavigne has been privileged to train in other martial arts: Yang style Tai Chi under Mark Tolstrup, Nemaru Karate under Master Paul Munchbach, and Sun style Tai Chi under Sifu Guy Prentice. He has also been fortunate to train with many world famous instructors, including William C.C. Chen, Larry Tatum, Francisco Vigorux, Casey Marks, and Mike Bernardo. Besides studying and teaching at Red Dragon, Mr. Lavigne continues to study (and occasionally teach) Tai Chi at the Tai Chi Center in Saratoga Springs and through the Arthritis Foundation. He also practices the healing arts of Qi Gong and Reiki. Mr. Lavigne earned the rank of Nidan (second degree) at the Zen Do Kai Headquarters in March 2009.
	Update Pending
	My name is Willie Hewitt. I am 15 years old. I am a 2nd degree Jr. black belt. I have been training at the Red Dragon Karate School for almost 8 years. It has helped me a lot in life. It has given me self-confidence and self-discipline. It has helped me become more physically fit and most of all it has taught me to set some goals that I wanted to achieve, and with hard work and dedication I have done that. As time goes on I have set myself new goals and with the help of the martial arts I know I can achieve them too.

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