2024 School Training Trip - National Parks
American Martial Arts Institute's American Tour 2024
American Tour led by Clifford C. Crandall Jr., World Recognized Grassroots Ambassador of Traditional Martial Arts
The American Tour 2024 is part of the American Martial Arts Institute’s ongoing efforts to share traditional martial arts knowledge, skills, and experience with fellow martial artists and communities around the world.
The American Martial Arts Institute has a long history of engaging with local and international communities. The head and founder of the American Martial Arts Institute and American Eagle Style, Grandmaster Clifford Crandall Jr., led the first American Team to perform in China in 1994. Since that international performance, Grandmaster Crandall has been leading teams of students to spread traditional martial arts knowledge and goodwill worldwide by visiting and performing in countries such as Russia, Japan, Italy, and Australia. Grandmaster Crandall himself has visited and performed his traditional martial arts style, American Eagle Style, in over 22 different countries throughout the world. This documented American martial arts style has solidified the position of the United States in traditional martial arts. The martial arts is a universal language, transcending barriers of communication and cultural differences. That has been demonstrated consistently through all of the trips taken and the internationally available resources published by Grandmaster Crandall and his students.
In July of 2024 the American Martial Arts Institute (AMAI) will continue their longstanding engagement with the community, this time to explore some of the treasured landmarks in their own country, the United States of America. Many of the members of the group participating in this American Tour 2024 have performed in several of the past tours and all are excited to have the opportunity to view the beauty and wonders of their own country.
Eligible participants for this goodwill trip are black belts in the four styles taught at the American Martial Arts Institute, which includes American Eagle Style, American Eagle Cane Style, Takenouchi-Hangan-Ryu-Matsuno-Crandall Iaido/Batto-do, and Americanized Eagle Kendo Style. Instructors in American Eagle Style are also permitted to bring their families and guests. This trip offers participants the chance to experience some of our own country's unique heritage and natural wonders while training together and preparing for future performances.
Commencing on Independence Day, July 4, 2024, the AMAI Team will travel to Rapid City, South Dakota which has the moniker "City of Presidents" and the "Gateway to the Black Hills". It will serve as the group’s gateway and home base for the first three days of excursions. The team will venture to Badlands National Park on Day 2, which offers unique landscapes of jutting stone in vibrant colors.
On Day 3 of the trip, the AMAI Team will start at Custer State Park to see a herd of over 1,000
roaming bison. They will then travel to the largest memorial that is still in process, Crazy Horse
Memorial. That evening the AMAI Team will see Mount Rushmore, perhaps the most well-
known historical landmark on the trip. Those identified as the American Eagle Martial Arts
Ambassadors will be performing at the Mount Rushmore amphitheater from 5:00 to 6:00
pm on July 6 th . Arrangements have been made for our group to have access to the
amphitheater from 4:30 to 6:30 pm for setup and breakdown of our demonstration materials.
Our performance will be in a traditional format of the martial arts. The amphitheater seats 7,500
spectators and is also the primary viewing location for the Mount Rushmore monument.
The following itinerary is planned for the demonstration:
An introduction of our group - we have been identified as the "American Eagle Martial Arts Ambassadors"
Group participation of 20 advanced techniques.
Segment of moving combinations with kicks.
Everyone will perform Tekki 1 together.
Kata demonstration (2 individuals will perform at a time).
Self-defense sets (to include SD1, SD2, SD3, and SD4)
Closing by Grandmaster Crandall
The empty hand and cane katas that will be performed include the following:
Palgwe 8, Old Koryo, Tekki 1, Eye of the Eagle, New Koryo, Tekki 2, Geumgang, Chip Su, Tekki
3, Chip Jang, Taebaek, Bassai Dai, American Eagle, Long Hand, Continuity 2, Pyongwon,
Aoyanagi (Male) , Aoyanagi (Female) , Hansoo, Hookiyu, Sil Lum, Heian 4, Simplicity, Cheon
Kwon, Gekisai 1, Sipjin, Heian 5, Bassai Sho, So San Hyung, Arena, Se Jong Hyung, Hwa
Rang Hyung, Open Hand, Tong Il Hyung, Gauntlet, Wind, Autumn Wind, Anvil, Reflection 2,
Briar Patch, Reflection 5, Reflection 4, and Natural Walk.
On Day 4 the AMAI Team will say goodbye to Rapid City as their home base and go to Sheridan, Wyoming.
Enroute the team will visit Deadwood, which is a restored old Western town with recreations of the original architecture. From there the AMAI Team will have a travel day (Day 5) from Sheridan to Cody, Wyoming through the Bighorn mountains and the Great Sioux Nation, stopping at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.
Day 6 consists of viewing Old Faithful and other well-known national treasures and beautiful wildlife at Yellowstone National Park, ending the evening in Jackson, Wyoming. The final adventure of the trip on Day 7 will be at Grand Teton National Park, home of iconic craggy snowcapped mountains and landscapes of wildlife.
Throughout the duration of the trip the AMAI Team will take time to train together, covering topics such as self-defense, traditional katas from Japan, China, and Korea, as well as the philosophies of the Bushido.
Over 20 adult men and women are part of the American Martial Arts Institute’s 2024 American Tour performance team. Those who are going are excited and looking forward to meeting new people and sharing their martial arts knowledge and experience. We encourage you to ask any instructor of the American Martial Arts Institute any questions you may have regarding this tour.
