Sensei André Dulce's martial art background comes from a very extensive list. Born on April 14, 1943 in Honolulu, Hawaii, he studied the art of Judo at the Kaimuki YMCA & the Nuuanu YMCA from 1954 - 1958. His karate started in 1966 with CHA3 - a Kenpo organization under Professor Marino Tiwanak and Mr.Benny Lagrimas. Attaining the rank of brown belt, he looked for another school that was more traditional rather than the street fighting emphasis that kenpo offered. His next karate school was a Wado Ryu style dojo under Sensei Nariyoshi. After 2 years of Wado Ryu he joined the Karate Association of Hawaii - Shotokan - headed by Shihan Kenneth Funakoshi, who was the first American to head a Japan Karate Association dojo outside of Japan. There he attained the rank of Nidan (2nd Degree Black), moved to Bellevue, Washington and founded Washington Shotokan Association on October 1, 1973. Along with his karate teaching, he was very active in Kendo with the Seattle Kendo Club from 1984 - 1988. Having attained his Rokudan (6th Degree Black) in November, 2001 he continues to do most of the karate teaching at WSA Honbu (Bellevue) and its branches. He has been studying Iaido for 12 years and a member of the Muso Shinden Ryu Kenyu Kai (Musokai) Iaido Dojo for the past eight years. He continues to study Iaido under Sensei Pat Murosako and Sensei Tatsuhiko Konno. Sensei Dulce's karate teaching still comes from his instructor, Shihan Kenneth Funakoshi (9th Degree Black) of the Funakoshi Shotokan Karate Association which is based in Milpitas, California.

You will find Sensei Dulce's traditional karate teaching style both unique and inspirational. With over 495 active students (1999), he manages to remember each student's name and is very sensitive to their needs, no matter what the age and rank one may be. With his extensive martial arts background, you will always feel comfortable with Sensei Dulce's traditional karate philosophy. Besides the physical aspect of karate, he offers each student a spiritual path that they will find through the art of karate. Being a traditional karate instructor, there is no nonsense or frivolity in his classes; but off the training floor one will find him very personable, sensitive, funny, and optimistic about life in general. Feel free to drop by and observe his classes and his unique teaching style that will bring the best out of each and every student!