• overview
• disciplines
• white crane silat
• yoga
• teachers

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Soane Veamatahau, Instructor, has taught and performed traditional music, dance, martial arts of the South Pacific since a child in Tonga. He has lived in Oakland for over 20 years. Currently he travels the world playing traditional drums and ukulele with internationally acclaimed performance groups such as Te Mana O Te Ra, which recently performed at the 2010 San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival. Soane has trained traditional White Crane Silat kung fu since 2004. He leads the South Pacific Traditional Drumming workout on Friday evenings at 7pm.

Rich Brown, Soja's Kids Program Director, has been a student of White Crane Silat for 17 years and a trainer of the art for the past ten years.  He has previously both directed and taught in after school martial arts programs. Rich is an experienced educator having taught K-12 special, regular, and gifted and talented learning environments for over 25 years.  He directed a K-8 school, instructed and supervised graduate students in the School of Education at John F. Kennedy University, managed a vocational education massage therapy program, coordinated the curriculum at a private middle school for gifted and talented students, as well as managed two health programs in local public elementary schools.  Rich received the San Francisco Education Fund 2001 Golden Apple Award, for a Stress Relief and Exercise Program (using Yoga) he developed at Rosa Parks Elementary School in San Francisco.

Brian Blalock has been teaching martial arts for over twenty years.  He began training in 1981 and has studied American boxing, traditional Taekwondo, aikido, regional and angola capoeira, and American Kenpo.  Brian has studied Vipassana and Samadhi meditation in Sri Lanka and the U.S. and capoeira in Brazil.  He also holds graduate degrees in South Asian Cultural Studies from Columbia and East Asian Religious Studies from Harvard. 

Jason Frye began his dedicated study of Tai Qi and Qigong in 1998 alongside a study of Tui Na and Acupressure with Brian O’Dea in Berkeley, CA. He furthered his studies of Qigong and Tai Qi practicing with Simu Ou Yang Min in San Francisco from 2000-2007. He is an instructor of Tui Na and Acupressure at The Acupressure Institute, McKinnon Institute, and The Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences where he finished his Masters of TCM degree in 2009.   He practices these healing arts in his home office in Oakland just a few blocks from Lake Merritt.

Sophia Campbell discovered yoga in 2001 as an powerful medium for channeling stress, inspiring creativity and promoting mindfulness through growth and transition. Bringing a deep passion for music and dance, her classes reflect an evolving perspective and a practice that reflects her experience as an artist and human being. Sophia has been certified by Antonio Sanchez in 2002, 2004 and Larry Shultz of "Its Yoga" in 2006. She is currently immersed in the teachings of Anusara Yoga, as illuminated by the wisdom of Abby Tucker and Sienna Sherman. Sophia graduated from C.I.I.S in 2007 with a BAC in Interpersonal Psychology.

Ron Lee has been studying Chinese internal martial arts (IMA) and qigong for over 30+ years.  He has received his Sifu certification from Grandmaster Henry Look and a certified IMA Judge for the U.S. Kuoshu Federation.  Ron has also studied under Masters Kuo Lien Ying, Y. C. Chiang, Fong Ha and Sam Tam.  Currently, Ron offers classes on Tai Chi Chuan, Hsing I Chuan, Baguazhang, Yiquan and Qigong.  To deepened his internal arts practice, Ron studied Tui Na, Acupressure and Medical Qigong with Brian O'Dea at the Acupressure Institute.  Currently, Ron is CA-CMTC certified and practices healing arts at the Montclair Wellness Center .

Robin Rosario began studying martial arts in the 1970's. She has been studying for 20+ years with Larry Johnson learning Wu Style Taiji and Taoist Qigong. To deepen her understanding of the principles in her martial arts training, Robin undertook the study of Chinese Medicine including Acupuncture, Herbs, Acupressure & Massage and became a Licensed Acupuncturist in 1986.

Rafael Vasquez, Instructor, has been training and teaching White Crane Silat Kung Fu since 1988. Born in El Salvador, he grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. Rafael has trained Judo, White Crane Silat and Muay Thai. He trained and taught kung fu while residing at the White Crane Silat headquarters in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia for three years.

Laura Mazzola, Instructor, has been training and teaching White Crane Silat Kung Fu since 1988 in Indonesia and throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Her current focus is the Yin System (also called the Women's System) of training and sparring. Her other interests include biotechnology, music and caffeine. Laura grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan and now resides in San Francisco.

Jim Juachon was introduced to the martial arts as a youth in Chicago. He began his studies with Fred Dagerberg in western style boxing and trained in Eskrima (Filipino stick fighting), as well as Muay Thai and Tae Kwon Do. He was fortunate to have studied with Danny Inosanto and other masters Filipino martial arts. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic Tae Kwon Do team from 1980-1989 and operated the Juachon Academy for Martial Arts and Body Fitness in Hercules during the 1990’s. Jim loves to combine fun and hard work in his high energy, mixed martial arts classes.

Bryce Carter, PhD, Instructor, is an internationally renown martial artist with over 30 years of experience. Having trained in Indonesia under the direct supervision of the late Grandmaster Subur Rahardja (Suhu), he has taught individual and group classes in White Crane Silat Kung Fu in San Francisco since 1984, and is currently the Chief of Instructors for White Crane Silat Kung Fu in the United States. Bryce has also been a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco for over 10 years. Bryce specializes in the treatment of depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, anger management, and crises counseling. He has extensive experience in counseling and martial arts instruction with children having worked with the San Francisco Unified School District from 1986-1999 and in the Youth Guidance Center from 1996-1998. Bryce's current clients include adults, children, families, and couples.

Peter Ajemian, Founder and Chief Instructor of Soja, has taught White Crane Silat Kung Fu throughout the United States, and trained at various times at the PGB-Silat World Headquarters starting in 1995. He was first introduced to White Crane Silat Kung Fu while obtaining his BA from Sarah Lawrence College in Bronxville, NY in 1985. Prior to training White Crane Silat he studied Shotokan Karate as a child. Peter is also an instructor of Bay Mountain Wing Tsun, having studied since 2004. In 2006 he decided martial arts needed to be a the forefront of his life and has subsequently opened Soja Martial Arts. He is fascinated with all forms of martial arts, self expression through flowing movement, and human awareness. Peter has over twenty years experience in special event coordination, community development, and management as Executive Director of 501(c)3 arts and cultural programs. In 1995, he received his Master's Degree in Public Policy Analysis and Management of Public Sector organizations from the Graduate School of Public Affairs at the University of Washington in Seattle in 1995.

Cheryl Fralick, Instructor, started her training in White Crane Silat with Dr. Bryce Carter in 1986. She has a 19 year old son in college and runs a small landscaping business. Cheryl has taught kids in SF at the Girls and Boys club as well as an after school class at the El Cerrito community center. Traditional White Crane Silat is taught to kids at Soja with an emphasis on body awareness, body integration and coordination. Jump ropes, Hula Hoops, and juggling are used at times to help facilitate the fun of learning this unique system.

Simone Myles Young (Sat Siri Kaur), Certified Kundalini Yoga teacher, as taught by Yogi Bhajan , Ph.D., Certified whole foods Diet Counselor, and Rebirthing Coach studying under Leonard Ore. She also holds a Certification in Massage Therapy. Simone (Sat Siri Kaur) Introduces Kundalini Yoga, the yoga of awareness, for beginners through meditation, mantras, & exercise sets (asnas). Simone has practiced her sacred healing art forms in the Bay Area for 10 years, and is a mother of four.

Leah Gillman leads Yoga Immersion!, a yoga teacher certification program, practices and teaches Barefoot Bodywork, teaches private and public yoga classes and partner acrobatics.  Still enjoying dance and cycling, Leah can also be found running, in martial arts classes, and participating in the occasional sprint-distance triathalon. Go to her website for more information: www.barefootmovement.com

Leon Kenin grew up in Berkeley where he began learning Judo at age 8. A lifetime member of the United States Judo Association, a member of the United States Judo Federation, and a member of United States Judo Inc., he is a third degree black belt. He has competed in California at the youth level, at the national collegiate level as a member of the Princeton Judo Team, and internationally at the adult level. Leon has studied under many instructors on both coasts and in Spain, but has always remained a student of his first teacher and mentor, Dr. Alex Feng of Wu Tao Kuan Martial Arts Institute. Leon has been teaching Judo since the mid 1980s. Leon practices Traditional Chinese Medicine at Be Well Acupuncture and Herbs in Oakland and is the father of four children.

Have a question about Soja? Drop us an email at info@sojamartialarts.com or call us at 510.832.7652