OUR INSTRUCTORS
Our instructors all have at least twenty-five years of experience in Eizan Ryu Jujitsu, and have trained extensively in other martial arts as well. Each of them brings a unique perspective to their teaching, informed by an open minded approach to the martial arts. They are not paid to teach at the dojo; they teach out of love of the martial arts and a desire to share that with their students.
Head Instructor
Shihan Maria van Dessel
Shihan Maria Van Dessel began practicing Eizan Ryu Jujitsu in 1981, drawn by techniques which allowed a smaller person to control a larger attacker.She trained at Biwa Ko Dojo under Shihan Felix Berrios, and was granted her black belt in 1987. Shortly thereafter, she began teaching at the dojo. She now holds the rank of Rokyudan and is the head instructor at the New York City Dojo.
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In 1989, Shihan Maria began studying full contact karate under Soshu Shigeru Oyama. She currently holds the rank of Yondan in Kan Rei Kai Karate, and was an instructor at the style’s Manhattan Dojo for many years.
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She now teaches both jujitsu and karate at the dojo, and has appeared at many seminars, teaching jujitsu strategies to practitioners of different martial arts. She has also studied Vee-Arnis Jitsu and Tomiki Aiki-jujitsu.​​​​​​​​
Instructor
Shihan Stephen Rittersporn
Shihan Stephen Rittersporn has been involved in martial arts for over forty-seven years. He began his martial arts studies in Shotokan Karate under Sensei Vincent Butta, and trained in Judo under Sensei Shiro Oishi.
In 1981, he transitioned to Shorin-Ryu Karate, where he currently holds the rank of Kudan (Ninth Degree Black Belt), conferred on him by Eiko Shimabukuro (Grand Master Eizo Shimbukuro's oldest son) during Shorin-Kai International's March 2024 trip to Okinawa.
Shihan Stephen Rittersporn currently holds the rank of Go-Dan in Eizan-Ryu Jujitsu. He's been a student of Eizan-Ryu Jujitsu since 1989, and is respected as a knowledgeable and detail oriented instructor.
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Instructor
Sensei Cari Brentegani
Sensei Cari Brentegani has always been athletic. She was on lacrosse and netball teams in school, and has been a serious runner (completing the NYC marathon) and cyclist (participating in numerous long distance urban bike events).
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Her martial arts journey began in 1995, when she started training in Shorin Ryu Karate under Sensei Robert Weinberg, and eventually attained the rank of Nidan.
Sensei Cari began training in Eizan Ryu Jujitsu on New Year’s day in the year 2000, and currently holds the rank of Sandan. She is well-loved by her students, and is known as a helpful and patient instructor.​​​​​​​​​
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Instructor
Sensei Adi Zukerman
Sensei Adi Zukerman began training in Eizan Ryu Jujitsu in 2002 after his brother joined the dojo and encouraged him to try. Drawn in by the dojo’s warm, family-like atmosphere, he quickly became a dedicated member of the community. Despite frequent travel for work and school, and a period living abroad in Hong Kong for a couple of years, he remained committed to his training, always returning to the dojo whenever possible.
Through determination and consistent effort over the years, he earned the rank of shodan in 2011. He now holds the rank of sandan and now teaches regularly.
Sensei Adi is known for his excellent ukemi skills and brings tremendous energy and enthusiasm to every class.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Instructor - Karate
Senpai Tara Bankoff
Senpai Tara Bankoff Holds the rank of nidan in a full contact Kyokushin offshoot style of karate, and is a brown belt in BJJ.​
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Instructor
Sensei G
Sensei G came to NYC from Dublin, Ireland, where they had trained in Kickboxing. They began practicing Eizan Ryu Jujitsu in 1987. Their training was interrupted for a few years, but once they returned to the dojo, they became a truly dedicated student and, eventually, instructor.
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​ Sensei G has supplemented their jujitsu with training in Kan Rei Kai Karate, Aikido, and Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujitsu. They hold the rank of Sandan in Eizan Ryu, and are especially skilled at weapons work, and at teaching ukemi (falling skills).
In October of 2021, Sensei G moved to Cambridge MA to teach at MIT. They now run the MIT Eizan Ryu Jujitsu Club.
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