Sensei Dara Masi

The Dojo Cho (Head Instructor) of Suigetsu Dojo is Dara Masi. She founded Suigetsu Dojo on December 1, 1994. She began her study of the martial arts in 1986 and received her Shodan (1st degree black belt) in 1993. She was promoted to Nidan (2nd degree black belt) in 1995 and received her Sandan (3rd degree black belt) in 1998. She has studied JuJutsu with many prominent masters both in the United States and Japan. Her focus remains with Hakkoryu JuJutsu as a student of Dai Sensei Dennis Palumbo.

Sensei Masi also studies Soshoryu Iaido (the art of drawing the sword) with Sensei Michele Benzamin Miki and is ranked at Shodan. She is a member and instructor in the Sosho Shinrenbukai Federation, founded by Sensei Masa Tazaki, Michele Sensei's instructor. Sensei Masi teaches classes in Iaido for adults and children at Suigetsu Dojo and is one of very few martial arts instructors training and ranking children in the martial art of Iaido.

Sensei Masi is a prominent instructor in her own right and has taught JuJutsu seminars throughout the United States, for private schools and large organizations. She has served on the Board of the National Women's Martial Arts Federation for 4 years as its Treasurer, and is the President of the Association of Women Martial Arts Instructors which she founded in 1998.