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Business & Tech

Karate Dojo Opens in New Baltimore

Sensei Brandon Slicker offers programs for all ages at Traditional Karate Dojo in New Baltimore.

Traditional Karate Dojo opened its doors Jan. 1 in New Baltimore, giving local martial arts enthusiasts a new space to hone their skills.

Sensei Brandon Slicker, a 24-year-old St. Clair Shores resident, opened the facility at 35224 23 Mile Road in an effort to share his martial arts knowledge with the community while helping students improve their lives in and outside of class.

Slicker has been practicing martial arts for more than 17 years, earning black belt ranks in karate and kobudo. He taught classes at Romanelli’s International Martial Arts for five years, and has a decade of teaching experience at three YMCA locations.

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Slicker said his experience as an instructor has allowed him to see how martial arts training can also help students with personal development and achieving their goals.

“The improvement I was seeing these kids have was astounding to me,” he said. “Kids that were diagnosed with ADD and ADHD functioning just fine in classes. Kids that were too shy to even talk to everyday people coming out of their shell and going out in front of hundreds of people and performing.”

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The main arts taught at the facility are Japanese karate and kobudo, but classes may also incorporate others, such as Tai Chi and Aikido.

Students at Traditional Karate Dojo start with an introductory course, which includes three semi-private classes and a uniform for $29.95. Four programs are offered at the facility: lil’ dragon program, ages 4 to 6; youth program, ages 7 to 13; teen program, ages 14-19, and an adult program, ages 20 and older.

Slicker instructs all programs at the facility, which he says allows for a more personal relationship with the students and their families.

“My goal here is to create a family of martial artists in this community and to better the people through the moral teachings that the martial arts have to offer,” Slicker noted.

The facility is open from 4-8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 2:30-4 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call Traditional Karate Dojo at (586) 601-4220.

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