Disney’s Martial Arts Festival 2007

Disney World hosts its seventh annual “Disney Martial Arts Festival” October 26-28, 2007 in Orlando Florida, at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex.

Two major championships, KICK International Junior Nationals and the Finals Series and second year of the Tiger Claw National Elite Championship. This will also be Tiger Claws first out of 11 National Qualifiers in 2007 across the U.S.

In addition to variations on different forms of kickboxing, this year the multi faceted event includes Breaking and Savate Continuous Sparring. Other categories at the festival will include Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, American Kenpo, Breaking, Koshiki (Continuous Contact Karate), Contemporary Wushu, Sports MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), Judo, Olympic Style Taekwondo, Puerto Rico ITF, Federation Nacional de Taekwon-Do,Traditional, Musical Martial Arts, Sparring, Savate Continuous Sparring, Taiji, Traditional Kung Fu, Classical Chinese and Okinawan Karate, Filipino Martial Arts, KICK/USA Karate, Sport Grappling, Sport Jiujitsu.

The festival has grown from 850 athletes in 2001 to 1200 athletes and coaches in 2006. Last year's festival also show cased the Cirque du Soleil casting team, and introduced a live web cast of the Saturday Night Showcase.

These demonstrations are guaranteed to be a true display of stamina, flexibility and strength. There will be seminars by Former UFC heavyweight champion Bas Rutten and martial artist and writer Mr. Lee Welake. Moreover, a business symposium with topics ranging from fund raising for tournaments to "How to Run a Women’s Self Defense Course" offer additional educational value. Past speakers have included top Martial Artist Grand Master,Jhoon Rhee, and a former women’s boxing world Featherweight champion, Bonnie Canino.

Savate, a Frenchfoot fighting style that varies greatly from its better known counterpart cardio kickboxing, is featured at the Disney festival for the second year in a row. The organization representing the sport at the Disney festival is the North American Savate Association. In addition to the Disney World event, the NAASA has participated in the west coast Disney Land Martial Arts Festival in Anaheim, Ca and will again this year, on Sunday February fourth. Duke Dudley, an administrator for the North American Sport Savate Association informed us that they were “enjoying the festivals” thoroughly and that they were currently trying to gain as much exposure for the little known sport as possible, by participating in these events.

Duke explained further: “The form of savate practiced at the festival is a light contact version of “Boxe Française Savate” or in English, French Shoe Boxing (because it allows the use of shoes), a style that dates back to the 1600’s. In France during the 1600’s time, fighting with the fists was considered obscure and kicks were the usual fashion that street fights were carried out. When French sailors traveled to the orient and witnessed the martial arts performed there, those techniques were adopted and savate was created."

This year at the Disney tournament Jean-Claude Luyuer (seven time world kickboxing Champion) and Jerome Turcan (French Savate champion and second time World Kickboxing champion) will be officiating. There will also be a live web feed from the Saturday October 28th evening show of the festival and sport savate will be participating. To view the feed go to www.disneyworldsports.com.

For more information on savate contact:
Coordinators: Duke Dudley and Jerome Turcan
Phone: (510) 252-1131
Website: sportsavate.org

For more information on Disney's Martial Arts Festival or to register visit: http://www.tournament.info/conference.htm