The Bushi Dojo

Sensei Perry has over 40 years of martial arts experience beginning in 1968 under the instruction of Her Peters while stationed in the U.S. Army in Germany. From 1970 to March of 1972 Sensei Perry trained with Ed Steward in California.

Upon returning to the Detroit area in 1972 Sensei Perry trained with Dr. Bill Pogue in Isshinryu until 1977 when Dr. Pogue moved out of state. From 1977 to present, Sensei Perry has trained under Master Richard Gibki at the 7 Mile Dojo. Master Gibki is the last of Master Doug Noxon's Black Belts. Sensei Perry has also trained under Masters Pittaway, Bob White, Tyron Melton, Bert Ross, Dan Barkley and Jim Larocco. In 2006 Sensei Perry was inducted into the "International karate and Kickboxing Hall of Fame". In May of 2009 Sensei Perry was promoted to 7th Dan by G.M. Jim Larocco.

After being drafted into the Army and serving over a year in Vietnam, I was looking for inner peace and fulfillment. I was too restless to find it in yoga, so I tried martial arts, beginning in February of 1973 at Lloyd Russette’s east-side Detroit Isshinryu dojo. Attending 4 or 5 classes a week allowed me to progress to brown belt by the fall of 1974. Angi Uezu was in the U.S. during this time and taught our classes extensively.

I dropped out of karate when I got married early in 1975 and went back to college. Eventually I earned a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State in Mathematics & Computer Science. My career and family kept me busy, but I always said one day I’d start training again. That day finally came in the spring of 1991 when I started taking Shotokan classes. That fall my wife told me of a nearby Isshinryu class, and preferring our style, I immediately started training under Sensei Carol Peterson.

While still a kyu I also attended classes held by Masters Danny Bartley (my sensei) in Berkley and Tom Perry in Warren. Master Bill Pogue took over the Berkley class when Master Bartley took a hiatus from teaching, and I trained under him for about 3 years. I still train whenever possible with the senseis mentioned above, as well as at Master Robert White’s dojo in Northville, where JuDan Ken Pittaway is a frequent visitor.

I was promoted to ShoDan in 1994, and eventually RokuDan in 2009.

I work as a software developer with Compuware. I have 2 grown daughters; one is married and has 2 young children, the youngest and her husband just had a son in August of 2010. Cyndi, my wife of 36 years and I live in St. Clair Shores.

Bill Baldwin began his martial arts training in 1988 at the Berkley Karate School under the direction of Master Bert Ross and Master Sue Schunn. In 2002, after a 10 year break, he resumed his training in Berkley with Sensei Adam Perry. Bill currently trains at the Warren Bushi Dojo under the direction of Master Tom Perry, Master George Rodenbach and Master Stuart Evanson.

He was promoted to Sho Dan in March of 2006, to Ni Dan in May of 2008 and to San Dan / Sensei in August of 2009.

I started doing Isshin-Ryu Karate at the Bushi Dojo in 2003. During my time here I competed in the Michigan State Karate Circuit in 2006 and 2008 as an underbelt, coming in first place for sparring in my division both years. I also placed third in forms in 2006 and second in forms and weapons in 2008 for my division.

I was promoted to Sho Dan in August of 2008 and Ni Dan in October of 2010. I currently help instruct classes on Monday night.

We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.
-Aristotle