|
Grandmaster Roberto
D. Villalba
8th Dan
Pin # 16519
|
|
|
|
Grandmaster Villalba was born in 1950 in Buenos
Aires, Argentina,
where he first studied Yoga, Judo, and Okinawan
Karate. In 1968 he began to learn Chung Do Kwan, a
style of Tang Soo Do founded by Grandmaster Won Kuk
Lee in 1944. His instructor was Master
Han Chang Kim.
In December 1969, as a member of a selected team of
students, he was introduced to General Choi Hong Hi,
who was on an official tour to unify all Korean
styles under the ITF.
In
1970, Grandmaster Villalba moved to Mar del Plata city to
study Anthropology at the local University and while
there, started to teach Judo at the renowned "Instituto
Vecchio". Grasping the opportunity to spread Korean
Karate in the territory, Master Han Chang Kim asked
him to open a branch. Master Villalba was at that
time just a 2nd Gup and thereby became the first
non-Korean, autonomous instructor in Argentina.
In 1971 he passed his Chodan Dan test under Master
Han Chang Kim. The required hyung at his testing
were the five Pyong Ahn forms, Pal Che (Bassai Dae)
and Chul Ki Cho Dan (Naihanchi). In 1972, as a 2nd
Dan, he opened his own dojang in Mar del Plata, with
three branches in the province.
Grandmaster Villalba
then travelled California in 1974 and began studying
Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan
under Senior Master Ted Mason who introduced him to
Grandmaster Hwang Kee. In association with Gustavo
Poletti, Rodolfo ("Tolo") Arce of Buenos Aires and
Francisco Blotta of Mendoza, founded the U.D.A.M.
Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan Association.
| |
 |
| |
Sr. Master
Villalba with the late
Grandmaster Hwang Kee and
Grandmaster H. C. Hwang |
|
|
The next year, the late Great Grandmaster Hwang Kee designated him
as the official representative of Tang Soo Do Moo
Duk Kwan in Argentina. He remained in New Jersey and
continued study at the U.S. Tang Soo Do headquarters
under Master Hyun Chul Hwang, son of the late
Grandmaster and at that time Chairman of the
Technical Advisory Committee (T.A.C). In November
1977 he moved to Italy in order to spread
Tang Soo Do Moo Duk Kwan as a representative
officially chosen by the late Kwan Jang Nim.
In 1982, at the International Moo Duk Kwan
tournament held in Atlantic City, NJ, Master
Villalba's team took 4th place in the fighting
category and second place in the Master's
demonstration (behind Master Ho Sik Pak who placed
first). In 1984, he was awarded his Cho Dan in
Kendo.
Under the auspices of Grandmaster Jae Joon Kim and
Master Villalba in association with Master Beom Jhoo
Lee of Belgium and Master Peter H. Salm of Holland,
founded the European Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do
Federation in 1987. In 1990 he was officially
designated By Grandmaster Kim as an executive
committee member of the American Moo Duk Kwan Tang
Soo Do Association (currently known as the World Moo
Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do Federation)
In 1994, along with Masters George Mallios and
Kostas Vakallelis of Greece, and Akkouh Moustafa of
Belgium, founded the
International Tang Su Do Academy
(I.T.A.) in Athens, Greece. Senior Master Villalba
is currently President of the organization.
At the
second edition of the Budo awards which took place
in Italy at the Hall of Congress of C.O.N.I.
(Italian Olympic Committee) under the auspices of the
Presidency of the Regional Council of Lazio, and
the National Sports Veterans Federation, and
with more than three
hundred guests in attendance, Sr. Master Villalba
was presented with the
"Oscar of Budo" award for his career in
Martial Arts as well as his 8th Dan.
Over
the years,
Grandmaster Villalba and his organizations have
promoted many black belts in different parts of the
world such as Europe and North America, with several
up to the rank of 7th Dan.
In addition to his study of Anthropology, he also has a Masters Degree in
Philosophy, specializing in Hinduism and Buddhism,
and also wrote two books about Tang Su (Soo) Do, published in Italy
in 1991 and 1994.
