Greetings
from
Colourful
Colorado!
- Historically, kuntao and silat have been practiced by ethnic groups
divided by language and cultural diversities. Kuntao was the term
describing the ethnic Chinese martial arts and silat was the generic term for
the warrior arts practiced by the indigenous Indonesian peoples. Our
GrandTeacher, Willem de Thouars had the rare privilege of studying both
arts in Indonesia. In the late 1970's and the early 1980's three of the
four de Thouars brothers, Willem, Paul and Victor and a Chinese Indonesian I
shing Ie grandmaster, U. Un Surya came to Colorado to live and teach. A
small group of dedicated practitioners had the honor of studying with these
four world-class grandmasters of kuntao and silat. Steve Gartin
and Chas Clements are among that small group.
- In 1981 KunLun Pai was
introduced to the world in an event hosted by Pak Victor de Thouars in
Southern California. This was the first melding of the two diverse
martial styles.
- The brutally hard training and the extreme contact kept the student rolls
very small during the first 20 years or so. Until 1988, none of the de
Thouars brothers cared to promote their arts publicly.
- In 1993 Steve Gartin introduced KunTao Silat™ to America.
Maintaining the heart and soul of the two great martial arts, Guru Gartin
adapted training methods geared for the American life-style to the tactical
considerations and training required to actually apply silat and kun tao
principles in combat.
Seven levels of training take the novice to practitioner level. We
consider a "practitioner" or Guru Muda to be a very good black belt level
martial artist.
- Denver, Colorado is our home base. We offer classes on Wednesday
evening and Sunday afternoon. It is possible to study at a distance with
modern technology, so we do offer a DistanceTraining Program and a vast
offering of video and DVD documentaries, seminars and training aids. We
also conduct seminars and workshops and are available by email and phone most
of the time.
- Silat
Kilap Betawi:
- Basic elements of Serak® Silat meld with KunTao concepts to
create a direct, no-nonsense approach to personal self defense, whatever your
physical condition. The Founder, Chas Clements, has over a half century
of martial study, training and pursuit to draw instruction from. Chas
conducts classes every Sunday at his home in Aurora. Call for time and
directions: 303-364-0403.
Specialty Self Defense
training for the physically impaired.
- Martial Arts Links:
- Friends and
associates. Karate,
Kung Fu, Kempo, Tae
Kwon Do, Ju Juitsu, Boxing, Wrestling, Kickboxing, and a wide range of
esoteric martial arts will ultimately be found on our links page. It is
now under construction, but worth a visit and a page you will want to add to
your favorites in the Dutch Indo/Chinese martial arts we know as silat and
kuntao..
- Martial Arts for Citizens Only:
- Self
Defense for everyone enjoying good health. The secrets of Indonesian
and Chinese kuntao and silat martial arts applied to a modern American home
self defense training program. Suitable for all ages and all levels of
physical conditioning. KunTao and Silat, as Village-style martial arts,
focus on the individual - rather than the agenda of the King. The
individual must be capable of joining in defense of the Village, and must be
trained to live at peace with his kinsmen.
-
- KunTao
& Silat Teachers:
- the "old
timers" who were there during the inception of Kun Lun Pai and
its early growth, the first American gurus.
- Elder Teachers and Senior Disciples. Video MPGs of forms
and techniques, links to the Founders' WebSites and historic
information about *Serak®*,
Imoa Shantung Chinese kun tao and pentjak pukulan
petjut kilat silat in Indonesia and America
American KunTao Silat™ brings the most effective techniques
and training methods of the Chinese Shaolin and Indonesian Silat arts together
into an easily learned, highly effective, self defense program. Even
learning at a distance is possible now, with the
vast library of training and
documentary videos and DVDs available to the KunTao Silat™ student.
Photo Gallery
Articles
& Stories
Thanks for visiting:
We appreciate you stopping by ~ please drop in again!
*[Serak® is a registered trademark used by permission of Victor Ivan Charlie de
Thouars] *
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This page, and all contents, are Copyright 1996-2003 by
ThunderRock, Colorado USA.
