Santa Barbara Dojo
Traditional martial arts, taught with patience and heart — changing lives at any age.
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In 1996, a mom and her two sons walked into a martial arts school on the island of Oahu. Melodee hoped her boys would learn self-defense and pick up a little discipline along the way. The instructor, Dave, invited her to try a fitness kickboxing class, and before long she was training too. What began as an after-school activity for the boys soon became something bigger for the whole family. Melodee and Dave eventually married, and the four of them became a family that trained and worked in the dojo together.
As the Curtis boys grew into teenagers, they started teaching classes alongside their parents and helped build a small but strong martial arts community. A few years later, the family moved to California and opened a new dojo in Santa Barbara. People came for the workout, but they stayed because they felt supported, challenged, and welcome. The dojo became known for its KUT fitness challenge, which Melodee grew and licensed to schools around the country.
Today, the same family still runs Santa Barbara Dojo, and it's still built on the same core values: discipline, respect, perseverance, and community. With three locations in Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Granada Hills in the San Fernando Valley, the tradition carries on with the same care, energy, and purpose that started it all.
What we stand for
Our Core Values
The same values shape every class we teach — from the youngest Little Ninja to the adults on the bags. They're how we train, how we treat each other, and how we give back.
Make Discipline Fun
Discipline sticks when it's earned through encouragement, not fear. Kids and adults alike learn to push themselves because they want to — not because they have to — and that kind of discipline lasts a lifetime.
Respect Everyone's Best
Every student starts somewhere. We honor where each person is on their journey and help them grow from there — no comparison, no judgment. Your best is enough, and we'll help you raise it.
Exceed High Standards
We hold ourselves and our students to a high bar, then help each one clear it. The goal isn't to be perfect — it's to be a little better than yesterday, every single day.
The Five Tenets
The traditional martial-arts code we live by, on and off the mat.
Supporting our community
Supporting our community is super important at the Dojo. From charity events to school partnerships, we train to give back — because the strength we build on the mat is meant to be shared.
Austin on the Dojo
A short documentary on the Santa Barbara Dojo.
Come train with us
See the schedule and pricing for your nearest location — and book a free trial class.
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