Allen Roth and David Roth practicing close-quarter self-defense at the Circle of Masters event. Balas from page 9 Dr. Nabin Shrestha with his son, Nishan, at this year’s Circle of Masters event at Beachwood High School. “I hope everyone gets something out of the program, either physically or emotionally,” Balas says. Most everyone Balas reaches through Taishindoh won’t be placed into a life or death situation, he understands. Common sense self-defense, which he’s taught in Beachwood for 26 years, is aimed at “civilian” men and women. The program emphasizes situational awareness and using whatever’s at hand, be it your fingernails, car keys or a rolledup newspaper, as a makeshift weapon. One of every three women will experience some form of victimization in her lifetime, be it a rape attempt, robbery or unwanted advances, Balas says. He tells his female students to check underneath their car with a small flashlight before opening the door. Check the back seat, and once inside, lock the doors immediately. “Anyone can learn this stuff with a few minutes of training,” says Balas. “I don’t want to make people paranoid, I just want to make them aware.” Indeed, Taishindoh and other martial arts are about using one’s head before using one’s fists, says Allen Roth, a sensei, or teacher of Balas’s who met his sōke as a student more than 30 years ago. He also has the title of sōke dai because he is in line to be Bala’s inheritor of Taishindoh. (Roth is among several instructors that have helped Balas over the years. Dr. Howard Nathan has been teaching Taishindoh for a decade and a half, while Beachwood High School grad, Swathi Apachi, also serves as an instructor.) “If you don’t have training, you can run away,” says Roth, a Taishindoh instructor four days a week at locales in and around Beachwood. “You just want to make sure you’re in control of the situation.” That kind of education can be effective with children as well, notes Roth, a sixth-degree black belt. His classes teach kids focus and balance, along with self-defense best practices should they find themselves in a bullying situation at school or approached by a stranger on the street. Roth, whose son, David, is also a black belt, has witnessed firsthand the determination of students who initially came to him as shy, awkward and uncoordinated. “To see that change for yourself is amazing,” he says. Priyanka Shrestha, 12, has been learning Taishindoh since age 5. While the Beachwood Middle School seventh-grader and competitive karate champion has never had to use the martial art in real life, she’s glad to have it if she needs it. “I’ve learned how to defend against almost anything,” says Priyanka, daughter of Nabian and Rojina. Discipline may be the most critical attribute Taishindoh has taught Priyanka. She practices outside of class three or four hours a week, and is currently training for her black belt. “A black belt is something I’ve always dreamed about,” Priyanka says. “Now it’s a reality.” Bringing self-defense to the most vulnerable members of society, be they younger children or adults with autism, is meaningful to Balas. He has 30 years as a professional educator and family and children’s caseworker, and has been involved in partnerships with drug and chemical dependency programs aimed at Greater Cleveland youth. Balas has also worked in private practice, and has been honored for his efforts with area Vietnam veterans and those impacted by PTSD. Lately he’s been busy with Awesome Heroes, an American Legion-backed support group he founded for PTSD-afflicted veterans. Over the last five years, he’s journeyed to Nepal, Malaysia and other out-of-the-way spots to teach native armed forces members and regular folks alike the ways of Taishindoh. “I have a very active passport,” he says. If his travel itinerary is any indication, Balas has no plans to quit teaching his craft anytime soon. As Balas’s instructor for the last 15 years, Roth is not surprised by his mentor’s commitment to the martial art to which he’s already dedicated most of his life. “You don’t realize Ron’s age, not when you see him moving around the way he does,” Roth says. Note: Check your Beachwood Recreation Guide for upcoming classes. If you are interested in “Personal Safety Solutions for the Modern Woman,” email beachwoodbuzz@gmail.com. 10 Beachwood Buzz n December 2014