Sifu Dan Inosanto Wins Blackbelt's Instructor of the Year - 1977
Like the proverbial Olympian, Dan Inosanto
carries the torch ignited by Bruce Lee, originator of jeet kune
do. One of the two individuals who assisted Lee in developing his
art, Inosanto was later chosen by Lee to head the jeet kune do
organization.
"I feel he picked me because I have the
ability to teach," said Inosanto, "although in his
opinion you're not a teacher, you're a guide. But basically,
that's probably where my forte liesto pass on the artwork and to
share knowledge."
In the entire nation, Inosanto is one of only
three individuals who now provide instruction in the system
primarily developed by the best known and most popular martial
artist of all time. When asked why instruction in jeet kune do is
not readily available to prospective students everywhere,
Inosanto said:
"Bruce always wanted our organization to
remain very much in the background. And so we've pushed it that
way. We've just sort of grown up with this philosophy."
Inosanto said part of Lee's philosophy was that a good martial
artist does not have to flaunt his skill.
"He just sort of led us in that direction
and we took to it," he said, adding that students come from
all over the nation to study under him, apparently encountering
few obstacles to their travel.
"But it's always been a very exclusive
organization," said Inosanto. "And in our academy, new
students are voted into the class." Inosanto teaches at a
Filipino martial arts academy in the Southern California
community of Harbor City, where the jeet kune do enrollment
currently numbers only about 18.
"It was Bruce's philosophy and policy that
you keep the ranks or the quantity down and the quality up,"
said Inosanto. Lee instructed him never to have more than six
students in one class. But Inosanto admits that at times when his
class has been crowded, he has taught as many as 12 students at
one time.
Born in Stockton, California, Inosanto gained his
first instruction in the martial arts during the summer between
his fourth and fifth grades in school. His uncle taught him
techniques in jujitsu and Okinawan karate.
"But I never really took an interest in such
things until I got to college," he said. Attending Whitworth
College in Spokane, Washington, where he got his B.A. degree,
Inosanto studied judo and karate. In the service he studied
Okinawan, Korean and Japanese karate and, after his discharge,
settled in Southern California where he began studying under Ed
Parker.
From Parker, Inosanto would gain an interest in
kenpo and kung fu. And in 1964 he would meet Bruce Lee, under
whom he would begin additional training.
"For two years I trained simultaneously
under both Ed Parker and Bruce Lee," he said.
"And on Saturdays I taught part of the day
for Ed and part of the day for Bruce."
In the years that followed, Inosanto would develop closer ties with Lee, appearing in episodes of the Green Hornet television series and Lee's last film, Game of Death, unfinished at the time of his death. Today, at age 41, Inosanto recently completed shooting additional scenes in Hong Kong which will be integrated into the remaining footage from Game of Death and released to theaters.
Designed by Ovidiu Semenea
