Count Dante and the Dojo Wars???

[ciriaco88]

Who was Count Dante? I want to know what you guys know about him and the Dojo Wars. We are trying to compile as many facts we can to create a database for our documentary, The Search for Count Dante.

I know this subject has been visited before. I am looking at Dante not representative of the martial arts in general, but as a individual of eccentric personality and touch of the Brnum and Bailey, and still, a serious martial artists who may or may not have made significant contributions to American Martial Arts.

Ask your elders what they know folks? It was 30 years ago that he died.

 

[Rich Parsons]

This thread has some information:
http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2574&highlight=count+dante

You can also search the forum using Count Dante.

 

[Dozer_D8]

During the 1970's Dante affiliate with a William Augiar from New Bedford Mass. They ran a few of the first, full contact, no holds barred matches in Mass. I believe that Dante's real last name was Keene or something like that. He was originally from either Chcago or Detroit, (1960's era). I hoped that helped some.

 

[mcjon77]

Count Dante's real name was John Keehan. He was affiliated with Robert Trias' organization for a while. He lived and taught in Chicago, and produced many skilled students. I actually studied under 2 sensei who were from Dante's lineage. The first was as a small child, the second was as an adult. Everyone mentions the Dojo wars and the comic book mess. Yet I find it extremely rare for others to mention some of the good things he did for the martial arts community (at least in Chicago). Keehan/Dante was one of the first sensei to openly teach African-Americans martial arts in Chicago. Because of that, he has left a particularly lasting influence on the African-American martial arts scene in Chicago. Up to about the early to mid 80's, if you were taking martial arts at a recreation center or YMCA and your instructor was black it was a pretty good chance that they were from the Dante Lineage.

Jon

 

[ciriaco88]

Jon, thanks. That is what I have been hearing here in Chicago, about his daring to accept Black and hispanic students in the Apartheid era in America. My research is taking me down a lot of different pathways. My teacher, Gregory Jaco, while not from the Dante School had instructors who were. I have two interviews this coming week with people who were students of his students. I was instructed by one of his students in "poison hand." This is not something I am proud of, merely part of a youthful experience. It appears that by the late 60s Keehan had made the transformation to Count Dante. I am trying to find out what lead him to this identity.

Do you have any names, Jon? I am looking for photographs and film footage of the times and life of the martial arts in the 1960s.

 

[Mark Weiser]

This is interesting because my Instructor and I talked about this very subject this evening.

If you do not know Mr. Walter Justice is of African-American descent and was trained under Count Dante while in the Chicago area. He has some very interesting stories about the Dojo wars. Count Dante was a very great Instructor and Friend to Mr. Justice. He also told me what really happened at the Golden Dragon Studio. However I will keep this to myself for now by his wishes ( Mr. Justice that is).

Count Dante according to MR. Justice was very fast and excellent fighter and was very acomplished on the Full contact circut. He made many challenges and back them up 110%.

If you need more information. I can give you Mr. Justices contact info if he approves for an interveiw.

 

[ciriaco88]

No I do not know Walter Justice. I seem to remember his name. You might ask him if he knows Ray Cooper(Tolona) or Gregory Jaco. I would love to be in touch with him. my email address is [email protected].

I am looking for credible people who can really tell me something about the man John Keehan. I am interviewing Ken Knudson tomorrow. Knudson was a champion competitior in the Midwest and was taught by Jimmy Jones, a student of Keehan/Dante.

My film, The Search for Count DAnte is about the history and development of martial arts in America. It has been said that "Count DAnte is a metaphor for a black perspective." An awkward declaration but truly indicative of the times. Dante, like Bruce Lee, had a close connection with members of the African American community. The influences were reciprocal. It is explaining how these men, Lee and Dante used the martial arts to practice a humanism not found in the general society. I digress...Please let Mr. Justice know I am interested in speaking to him.

 

[Grenadier]

Here's a Wikipedia link:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_Dante

As the Wikipedia rules state, it's written in as much of a neutral point of view as possible for this subject, which can easily get touchy.

I trained under one of Robert Trias' first generation of students, and have met several of his other top students. I found it hard to believe that any of them that stuck with it that long, would turn out like that, but I will not dispute the history of what was stated and done.

It's a sad story, indeed, especially since the dojo wars ended up in a friend of Keehan's getting killed.