Instructor Biography

Jonathon D. Hallberg

6th Dan, Renshi – Ryusyokai Okinawan Goju Ryu
Shidoin – Shinjinbukai Okinawan Shorin Ryu
Sho (1st) Dan – Ryukyu Kobudo

I was born on December 23, 1970, in Muskegon, Michigan USA

I met Paul Babladelis (8th Dan, Kyoshi – Ryusyokai) in 1983. Babladelis sensei and my father both taught at the same high school, where he was conducting an eight-week karate course. I visited the final class to see what eight weeks could yield and was hooked.

On February 3, 1986, Babladelis sensei began teaching classes at the Ebersole Environmental Center in Wayland, Michigan, where he had become the director. At age 15, I attended his first class. The summer prior, Babladelis sensei had traveled to Okinawa and study at the Meibukan hombu dojo in Naha City. In August of 1986, Babladelis sensei traveled back to Okinawa and received formal instruction from Yagi Meitoku Dai Sensei. Upon return, we officially became a Meibukan dojo.

In 1989, as a brown belt, I began teaching kids classes. We had moved the dojo to downtown Wayland, Michigan. The new dojo was called the Okinawan Martial Arts Center.

In the spring of 1990, I began my study of Ryukyu Kobudo under Estrada sensei. In July of 1990, the North American Meibu-kai Association was formed.

On February 11, 1991, five years after beginning my study, I received my Shodan under the North American Meibu-kai and the All-Okinawan Karate Do Association. In August of 1991, I traveled with members of our dojo to Sudbury, Ontario, Canada to attend a Gasshuku with guest instructor, Yagi Meitetsu sensei (then 8th Dan, Kyoshi) of the Meibukan.

On March 11, 1992, I received my 2nd Dan in Meibukan Goju Ryu. In the summer of 1992, our dojo would host an international gasshuku at the Ebersole Center with guest instructor and Meibukan president, Yagi Meitatsu sensei (then 9th Dan, Hanshi).

On April 9, 1993, I received a Shodan in Ryukyu Kobudo under the All-Okinawa Karate Do Association. In the fall of 1993, I began a branch dojo at Western Michigan University, where I was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Public History.

In the summer of 1994, I traveled to Naha, Okinawa Japan to study for three weeks at the Meibukan Hombu dojo and the Nagata dojo under Yagi Meitatsu sensei and Yagi Meitetsu sensei respectively.

In the spring of 1995, I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Public History from Western Michigan University. On September 16, 1995, I received a 3rd Dan in Meibukan Goju Ryu. By November of that year, Babladelis sensei had moved to Costa Rica. For a short period I was part of a coalition of students operating the dojo.

In January of 1996, I moved to Barnesboro, Pennsylvania as an AmeriCorps National Service member, where I trained alone until the fall of that year. Upon completion of my AmeriCorps service, I moved to Ypsilanti, Michigan in October. I continued to train alone with periodic visits to both the Okinawan Martial Arts Center in Wayland to train with my peers and the Shorin Ryu Karate School, Grand Rapids, Michigan, where Estrada sensei was teaching a series of Ti classes. In August of 1996, I attended a large Meibukan gasshuku in London, Ontario, Canada where Senaha Shigetoshi sensei (9th Dan, Hanshi and then Meibukan President) was the guest instructor. Babladelis sensei became his direct student at this time.

I began teaching one of my former students from Western Michigan University in the spring of 1997 outside my residence in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Others joined the informal classes.

In the fall of 1998, I moved to Southfield, Michigan, which permitted classes to be moved indoors at my residence and I opened a branch Meibukan dojo formally. I had begun working for the Southfield Downtown Development Authority.

In March of 1999, Senaha sensei formed the Ryusyokai and we all joined the association. By fall of that year, Babladelis sensei had moved back to Wayland, Michigan, and was again teaching at the Okinawan Martial Arts Center. From 1999 through 2002, my students and I were able to attend a series of annual international gasshukus with Senaha sensei in either Canada or the USA. I attended various gasshuku after this time as well.

In 2000, I moved to Royal Oak, Michigan and transferred the dojo to my residence there.

In the spring of 2001, I received my Masters Degree in Urban Planning from Wayne State University. On July 28, 2001, I received a 4th Dan in Ryusyokai Goju Ryu.

By 2002, I had begun renting commercial space in Southfield for my dojo. Babladelis sensei had moved to Lansing, Michigan and was teaching instructors classes, where I would periodically attend.

In 2003, I moved to Redford, Michigan and began teaching from my home rent due to overhead and for convenience.

In June, 2004, I traveled to Okinawa for three weeks of training with Senaha sensei at the Ryusyokai hombu dojo. On September 1, 2004, I received a 5th Dan, Shihan license in Ryusyokai Goju Ryu. In November of 2004, I traveled to Issaquah, Washington, USA to attend a gasshuku hosted by Dan Kogan sensei (6th Dan Renshi, Shinjinbukan) with guest instructor and founder of the Shinjinbukan, Onaga Yoshimitsu sensei (8th Dan Kyoshi).

In June of 2005, I traveled to Okinawa with my senior student, Matt Loiselle for a month of training at both the Ryusyokai hombu dojo and the Shinjinbukan hombu dojo. In September of that same year, I would again attend the Issaquah gasshuku to study with Onaga sensei.

I spent most of 2006 training, teaching and renovating my home in preparation to sell it so that I could move to Okinawa. I sold my home in October and resigned from my position as Executive Director for the Southfield Downtown Development Authority in November.

On January 11, 2007, I moved to Naha, Okinawa, Japan, and began attending regular classes as a student of the Ryusyokai hombu dojo. I began formally enrolled as a Shinjinbukai member at the Shinjinbukan hombu dojo on January 17, 2007.

In August of 2009, I traveled with Senaha sensei to Chennai, India, as guest interpreter and assistant instructor for a gasshuku hosted by Gopinath Rajarendran sensei (5th Dan, Shihan – Ryusyokai).

On July 1, 2010, I was presented with a Shinjinbukai Shidoin license by Onaga sensei. I moved from Naha, Japan back to Michigan in August. Later in 2010, I attended Shinjinbukan gasshuku in Toronto, Ontario; Dry Ridge, Kentucky; and Plantation, Florida.

On January 11, 2011, I moved to Salem, Illinois to accept a position as Deputy Executive Director for the South Central Illinois Regional Planning & Development Commission. On August 6, 2011, I received a 6th Dan, Renshi license from Senaha sensei under the Ryusyokai.

On January 25, 2012, I was promoted to Executive Director of the South Central Illinois Regional Planning & Development Commission. I held the first class of the Salem Karate Dojo on April 9.

On September 3, 2015, I began my position as Executive Director of the Jefferson County Development Corporation in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. I sold my home in Salem. As a condition of the purchase, I was asked to dismantle the dojo space. I moved to Mt. Vernon on January 12, 2015, where I operated a home dojo until July of 2018. I married my beautiful wife, Christina, on April 9, 2016 and became a stepfather to my amazing daughter, Morgan Robinson.