eido Hollywood Dojo is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to providing community service through instruction in traditional martial arts practice and philosophy, and through support of other charitable institutions. Seido Karate has been practiced in the Los Angeles Area for more than twenty-five years under the direction of Kyoshi John Greene with the guidance of Kaicho Nakamura in New York City. Seido Karate Hollywood Dojo is dedicated to the continued practice and instruction of this traditional Japanese style of karate as part of the Worldwide Seido Karate Organization. The primary focus of the Seido Karate Hollywood Dojo is not on competition with others. Rather, we seek to maximize the individual's potential in a supportive environment. Community service is an important way for us to improve the lives of those students we are privileged to teach, while also contributing to the larger community we live in. We offer programs that strengthen body, mind and spirit to all students including disabled and disadvantaged groups who have most to gain but often have the least access to traditional martial arts practice.    Instructors Classes at Hollywood Dojo are taught by a staff of trained Black Belt instructors supervised by Los Angeles Branch Chief Kyoshi John Greene. All of the instructors are volunteers with outside professional careers, and almost all of the black belts have been training with Kyoshi John for over 10 years.   Head Instructors Kyoshi John Greene - 5th Degree Black Belt Kyoshi John Greene is the Seido Karate Los Angeles Branch Chief and holds black belts in Seido Karate and Kyokushinkai. He began his formal martial arts training in 1970 training in jujitsu and judo under master Sensei Nobuyoshi Higashi. In 1971 he began his study of karatedo with world renowned karate master Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura at the 14th Street dojo in New York City while at the same time continuing his training under Sensei Higashi. He trained three times a day practicing Judo, Jujitsu, and Kyokushin Karate, and received his shodan from Kaicho Nakamura in kyokushin karate in 1975. In 1976, Kyoshi John arrived in Los Angeles and by 1980 he was overseeing martial arts programs for the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation in Northridge. He returned to New York in 1980 to train with Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura and received his Black Belt in the newly formed World Seido Karate Organization. In 1981 Kyoshi John and his students became members of the World Seido Karate Organization and the official Los Angeles branch was established. For the past 25 years Kyoshi John and his staff of qualified instructors have been teaching Seido karate to children, women, and men in the Los Angeles area. Presently he is teaching at the Hollywood Dojo and oversees all outside Seido programs taught by his students. Kyoshi Veronica Greene - 5th Degree Black Belt Kyoshi Veronica is the Seido Karate Los Angeles Hollwood Dojo branch coordinator. In 1984 she earned her shodan black belt in Seido karate and began assisting Kyoshi John teaching at the Northridge Park. Kyoshi Veronica went on to win numerous awards in kata for her outstanding form at local tournament competitions. She has taught Seido karate programs at numerous locations throughout the Los Angeles area - Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Stephen S. Wise Elementary School in Bel Air, and the Beverly Hills High School Adult Education Program to name a few. Presently she is teaching at the Hollywood Dojo and oversees its daily operation. Assistant Instructors Sensei Steve Berman - 4th Degree Black Belt Sensei Steve began his formal karate training at Honbu in NYC in 1977 under Kaicho Nakamura. Pursuing a career opportunity he moved to Los Angeles in 1990, and began studying under Kyoshi John Greene. For the past 17 years he has studied with Kyoshi John and obtained the rank of Yondan in 2007. Sensei Rob Elk - 4th Degree Black Belt Senpai Rob began his Seido training in 1987 under Kaicho Nakamura at Honbu in New York City. In the winter of 1993 Senpai Rob moved to Los Angeles and was thrilled that he could reestablish his Seido training under Kyoshi John and Kyoshi Veronica in Northridge. For the past 14 years, he has been consistently training with them ever since. He received his black belt in 1994 and over the years has competed in many tournaments both in Los Angeles and New York City. Senpai JT Selby - 3rd Degree Black Belt Senpai JT began studying the martial arts at age 12 at a Tang Soo Do school in Los Angeles. As an adult he joined Seido in 1994 in New York City and trained with Kaicho Nakamura at Honbu and with Shihan Leighton Barker at the Vanderbilt YMCA dojo. He moved back home to L.A. in 1999 and has been training with Kyoshi John at the Hollywood dojo ever since. He recently obtained his Sandan from Kaicho in 2008. Senpai Crystal Greene - 3rd Degree Black Belt Senpai Crystal grew up around karate and started Seido training when she was 4 years old in 1986. She reached her junior green belt, went on to do various sports activities and then resumed her training after high school in 1999. She received her shodan in June 2005 and presently she is a third degree black belt. Other Black Belts Sensei Bill Humphrey - 4th Degree Black Belt Sensei Bill started his Seido training in 1981 at Honbu under Kaicho Nakamura. He relocated to Los Angeles in 1991 and has been studying with Kyoshi John for the past 14 years. Sensei Bill has just received his Yondan black belt promotion and is refocusing himself and all of the students on the fundamental techniques of seido, which is much emphasized at Honbu. Senpai Ramiro Alcaraz - 3rd Degree Black Belt Senpai Ramiro began his Seido training in 1981 and has been a loyal and faithful student of Kyoshi John ever since. He received his black belt in 1986 and received his second degree in 2000. He recently obtained his Sandan from Kaicho in 2008. Senpai Matt Konicek - 3rd Degree Black Belt Senpai Matt began studying Seido Karate in 1993 at the Chicago dojo under Sensei Laura Tesch. In 1998 he began studying at Thousand Waves under Jun Shihan Nancy Lanoue. Two years later, he moved to LA and began studying with Kyoshi John as a green belt. He obtained his shodan and nidan (2nd degree) from Kyoshi John and has been studying with him for the past 7 years. He recently obtained his Sandan from Kaicho in 2008. Branch Advisor Kyoshi Fintan Ryan - 5th Degree Black Belt Kyoshi Fintan began his Seido training under Kyoshi John at the Northridge Park in 1981. After receiving his black belt in 1986 he went on to study at MIT and CalTech. In 1995 he moved to New York and started training with Kaicho at Honbu. He got his first and second degree black belt from Kyoshi John and his third, fourth, and fifth degree from Kaicho. Presently he lives in Nevada and visits the dojo on a monthly basis.