Can anyone tell who is Punong Guru Roland Dantes?

[jayla]

While surfing through Professor Remy Presas web site, I came across Punong Guro Roland Dantes. Curious, I decided to look futher into his history and found that he has an impressive back ground. He was not only extreamly skilled in the Filipino arts, he was also a contender in several Mr World and Mr Universe comps. It doesn't stop there, he served as a Police Officer in the Philippines for several years before becoming an international actor. Who is this person?, does anyone know him or train under him. He seems to be well respected by the late Professor Remy Presas. If anyone can help me with more information it would be much appreciated.

JAYLA!

 

[Cruentus]

I have never met him, but I hear that he is not only skilled, but a good guy as well.

People on the West Coast would know a lot more about him. I hope someone will post here and answer your questions.

:asian:

 

[Dijos]

Guro Dantes is a highly respected player of Modern Arnis. He was an actor, Martial artist, and other things. Datu Kelly Worden has a good relationship with him, and if you go to kelly's site, www.Kellyworden.com, he has taped interviewes with Roland and Professor, during and sadly, after Professor's life. Maybe someone that Knows him can give better info.

--Joe

WWW.CSSDSC.Com

 

[Pappy Geo]

JayLa,

To answer your questions about Roland Dantes, here are some URLs to click on.

www.kellyworden.com

http://www.kellyworden.com/home/article/rdantes/index.htm

http://www.kellyworden.com/home/pastshows4.html

Here is a forum on Modern Arnis, there are threads on Roland in the archives,

http://forums.uechi-ryu.com/viewforum.php?f=37

Further we have videos on Roland available.


Here is a short essay on Senior Master Roland history and relationship with us.




ROLAND DANTES





Roland has lived a colorful career utilizing his talents in Arnis, from one of the early Modern Arnis students of Professor Presas to a famous movie star and in his later years as Ambassador to Philippine Martial Arts. It was Roland that was in the Madison Square Gardens ring in 1972 with the Professor in the now famous demonstration of Modern Arnis. That event is pictured on the cover of Professors first book on Modern Arnis published in 1974.



Early in his youth Roland was a body builder, crowned Mr. Philippines and fourth runner up for Mr. Universe, the year Arnold Swartzenegger (sp) won the title. Some of early movies like “Sticks of Death” chorographed by the Professor depicted and popularized stick fighting in the Philippines renewing a national interest in Arnis.



Today, Roland has been traveling around the world from the Pacific Islands to Europe, US and Canada truly as an Ambassador to Philippino martial Arts. He is on the board of directors of the National Olympic Committee and National Arnis committee. Roland is one of a few Senior Masters of Modern Arnis.



Roland came to us at NSI the year the professor passed away, meeting Roland for the first time at Professor’s nursing home in Victoria, Canada. It was an automatic bonding of Brotherhood and Roland came to stay with us in Tacoma for a good month two years in a row, sharing with us his experiences with the Professor and historical lessons on WWII Philippino guerilla warfare. Roland participated in the morning training sessions with the Special Forces, the classes at the gym, and seminars when he was here. We took him salmon fishing and boating here in the Puget Sound waters of our backyard and other Pacific Northwest sight seeing events. He was truly part of the NSI family, bonding with all of us and we consider him a brother!

By Tito Geo

 

[coreymin]

Well Done Tito Geo on the information burst!

Geo has been working his tail off getting things done and putting FMA info out on the stream...In addition to being to being one of the main guys working with Datu Worden on Videos, seminars, radio talk shows, Tito Geo is one of the founding members of the WRCMA, and acts as the Western Regional Director for the state of Washington representing the Washington Research Council of Martial Arts.

I remember talking to him over the phone one day about Datu Worden's concepts on Wing Chun and how he applies it to stick work. Couple of days later, I get this seminar video covering about 4 hours of material. Geo is truly the "Librarian" of the NSI system, and a major force for research in the WRCMA.

Thanks,

Corey Minatani
WRCMA Central Washington Regional Director

 

[Joe Eccleston]

Will PG Roland Dantes still be attending the Filipino Martial Arts Expo in Las Vegas this coming October?

 

[Datu Tim Hartman]

Will PG Roland Dantes still be attending the Filipino Martial Arts Expo in Las Vegas this coming October?

I was told he would be there.

 

[sungkit]

As a student of PG Roland Dantes I amy be able to provide you with some information.

Guro Roland was first exposed to kalis/eskrima/arnis by his own father Brigadier General Climaco Pintoy when he was a boy. On starting to teach him, his father told him that the Filipinos have their own methods of combat that were very effective and that when fighting for your life, effectiveness is of the most most importance. As a teenager he also started his study of shotokan and moo duk kwan both in which he gained black belts.

Joining the police force in the Philippines, Guro Roland was exposed to basic baton techniques which reignited his interest in arnis. At the time he was also studying and it was while doing so that he met the founder of modern arnis, Professor Remy A. Presas. Seeing his keen interest and aptitude to learn, Professor Remy was impressed at how he assimilated the knowledge and material taught to him. In addition to the regulr classes, he received personal training from Professor Remy. It should be noted that this was regular because this was in the years before modern arnis was introduced to the USA.

Starring in his first feature film as the star, "Pacific Connection" made a great impact on martial artists not just here in the Philippines, but also overseas. Even now, so many people approach Guro Roland here and in other countries and they ask about the film. This was later followed up by "Sticks of Death" which featured scenes from the 1979 tournament in Cebu (you can see Grandmasters Ben Luna Lema, Maranga, Cacoy Canete and others in the scenes).

Throughout his career on the entertanment field,he has never left or forgot his martial arts background. When possible, he featured arnis in his movies so that the art he loves so much could receive the exposure it deserves.

Being one of the most senior students of Professor Remy and one of his closest friends (this can be confirmed by the Presas family and Datu Kelly Worden), he travelled to Japan several times with the modern arnis delegation to demonstrate. This group headed by Professor Remy aslo contained Master Willy Anning, Masster Vicente R. Sanchez and I believe, Johnny Pintoy as well as one of the Professor's daughters. As mentioned by Pappy Geo, Guro Roland pivotal in assisting the professor in introducing modern arnis into the USA and to this day, he is immensely proud of the contribution his teacher,mentor and friend, Professor Remy A. Presas made to FMA worldwide.

After Professor Remy moved to the USA, he often requested Guro Roland to come and teach seminars with him and on his own. But due to his family and career, Guro Roland continued along the path he chose. This path was continuing his own training and researching the various systems taught here. This led to him training under, exchanging knowldege with, or both with a virtual who's who of the FMA.

As his student, I am very proud to be afforded the opportunity to be taught by him. As are his other students in Australia. As a teacher, we could not ask for anything else. He is very giving with his knowledge and ensures that each student respects all styles and teachers. This is actually at the heart of his teachings and he always emphasizes to us the importance of placing the art above ourself. Afterall, it was here before us and will be here after us.

 

[Dan Anderson]

Here is two interesting tidbits about SM Roland I learned from Bram Frank. He was a cop in the streets for 23 years and both he and Remy Presas taught the Philippine bolo battalions. His stuff is road tested.

Yours,
Dan Anderson

 

[jayla]

Thanks to all those who replied, the information given has been extreamly helpful. This question is directed to SUNGKIT. Being a student off Punong Guru Roland can you tell me what style of FMA does he teach? and where are his schools?. As I reside in Melbourne Australia I am looking at getting back into training and due to my interest in FMA I would like to train in this art. If Punong Guru Roland hasn't got schools here in Australia would you know anyone here that teaches FMA?. Thanks.

JAYLA!

 

[sungkit]

Firstly, I must clarify the information posted by Dan Anderson. Yes it is true that Guro Roland was a police officer in the Philippines, but it was for 9 years only. Somewhere along the line , Bram maybe has the information confused with someone else. And from my many discussions with my teacher, he has talked of the value his arnis training provided in the execution of his duties. And yes, he has provided instruction to various military groups within the Philippines. This is one of the reasons why he and Datu Kelly connect in that they have been involved in this area of teaching.

Jayla, in regards to what style Guro Roland teaches, it is very interesting. Personally from the time that I started my training with him, he has been very clear in explaining that the material he covers has its origins in several styles. In fact, he always stresses the fact that it is a combination of styles.

For someone from modern arnis, they can see the framework of the style developed by Professor Remy Presas. Yet there is also material which has been infused from Guro Roland's exhaustive training and research with several grandmasters teaching here in the Philippines. This is the beauty of modern arnis in that it provides the student with a very good progression from basic to advanced and thus, the framework on which to further enhance their own knowledge, skills and understanding by studying other systems. It must be remembered that Professor Remy studied under several teachers here in the Philippines before he eventually founded modern arnis.

I must point out though, Guro Roland has not simply added techniques from anywhere. Prior to doing so, he was taught personally by Professor Remy and was recognized as one of he senior masters of modern arnis. The material added has been very well though out and tested before simply being added by Guro Roland. I would also like to add, that he does not claim to bethe grandmaster or founder of someone new system. What he teaches is the culmination of his training and guidance from his own masters, with his own ideas after research.

If you are in Melbourne, Australia then you are fortunate. Guro Roland is based there and has a group of students that he teaches. The object of our training there has never been on developing a big following. This has been the decision of Guro Roland as he prefers to keep the group small. It must be added that it is not a class perse where anyone is accepted. Usually I assist Guro Roland in teaching the class. The problem is that we are both in the Philippines at the present in Cebu.

There are another two instructors that I know of who are teaching and who trained under Guro Roland, but I do not have their details here with me. Their names are Tom Gange and Gary Smith. There are others, but they have not been actively training with Guro Roland for over 10 years and as such, I really cannot recomend them for training. I am not saying that they are not competent, but after so long we are not sure if they are still teaching. And if they are still teaching, we do not know if what they are teaching is still along the lines of the material Guro Roland teaches.

You can PM me your details and we can keep in touch about when we will be returning to Melbourne. It should be in approximately another 2-3 months.

 

[Guro Harold]

I had the pleasure of meeting Punong Guro Roland Dantes in 2001 in Raleigh, NC. He gave an awesome seminar on the history and applications of Cinco Terros. He was a very humble man, very knowlegeable and great instructor of the arts.

If you have an opportunity, please check him out.

Best regards,

Harold (Palusut)

 

[Cruentus]

Good info, Sungkit!