We are honored to have Errol Bennett, Godan, leading Spring in the South 2011.
The Chapel Hill Shotokan Dojo opened in the Hillel Foundation, April 1978, with a single twelve-year judo student from South Africa. By autumn, Javier Narvarte and Mike Erisman formed a strong nucleus, eventually expanded by other members including Hugo Castillo (1979), and Nora and Oleg Favorov (1980). Ray Berry (Randolph-Macon College), administered the first kyu test in spring 1979, followed in that autumn by Carl Jacobson (Delaware). The Dojo continued to grow in spurts and starts throughout the years, however, produced many fine black belts by the end of its first decade. At that particular time, Salah El Mestikawy (Paris) joined us for three years bringing a pragmatic approach to kumite; and shortly thereafter Kitty Gallagher continued inspired kumite practices gleaned from the realistic teachings of Tom White and Ray Berry. Demolition of the Hillel Foundation in 1999 shifted practices briefly to McDougle Elementary School, then to the Recreational Therapy gym, UNC Memorial Hospital (2000-2007), where Rob Clark fully established his leadership credentials. In 2007 the hospital gym was repurposed. After a period of practice at Millennium Fitness in Chatham County, we are now settled in our current home in the lower school gym of Duke School, in Durham, just a few miles north of Chapel Hill
Over the years, former members spread out seeding new dojos: Scott Swartzwelder (Duke University, NC), Leslie S. Jones (Columbia, SC), Bill Taylor (Austin, TX), Keith Hasson (Atlanta, GA), and John Foster (Carrboro, NC). Or, assumed leadership of established dojos: George Washington University, DC (Kitty Gallagher) and Duke University (sequentially by Rob Clark, Keith Hasson, Al Sternberg, and Mary Prasad assisted by Ravindra Prasad, Ken Brumer and Shanon Schuster). In 2008 John Foster took over leadership of the Duke University dojo. A reciprocal association developed between Duke University and Chapel Hill enabling members to train in both dojos.
This will be the 32th annual Spring in the South hosted by the Chapel Hill and Duke University dojos.