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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 2003)
CULTURE ................ W ................ Two with heart Portland m artial arts center branches out to serve the world G ina D aggett ou can feel the positive energy radiating when you walk through the dix>r at O ne with Heart, a martial arts, fitness and wellness center in Southeast Portland. Manifesting her own vision, founder and owner Janesa Kruse, along with her partner, Marian Van Leeuwen, have molded the busi ness into a well-oiled wellness machine. “We encourage healing through movement,” says Kmse, who conceived O ne with Heart more than 20 years ago. “Movement heals more than just our bodies. Movement heals the spirit. Movement creates balance. W hen people are balanced, our community is balanced.” If you’ve driven up Hawthorne Boulevard before, no doubt you’ve seen O ne with Heart. The vibrant dragon mural on the side of the building— which, years ago, drew howlers instead of martial arts enthusiasts— is hard to miss. Si) are the steamy windows on a winter night or the flow of people enjoying one of many mind and body classes. Y Poekoelan Tjimindie Tulen Kung Fu ou’ll have to stop by (or go online) to get a comprehensive list of services and classes O ne with Heart offers, as the list is long and diverse. But if one program reflects the namesake heart, it’s Poekoelan. Kruse, who is a fifth-degree black belt, began her training in 1981. “Poekoelan is a beautiful art. Its beauty is felt when you see it. It stirs up emotions. It has incredible energy,” she says. Poekoelan (pronounced Pixvkoo-lawn) is the ability to move as fluidly on the ground as when standing. This unique form of ground fighting was brought to the U nited States in 1956 by Mas G<x?roe Agoeng Willy Wetzel. W hile m editation and breathing are also important parts of Poekoelan, it’s an Indonesian martial art whose forms, sets and movements are derived from four animals: monkey, tiger, crane and snake. “Pocktxdan has purpose,” says 51-year-old Kruse. “It is compassionate, balanced action. It is a very pure art and very close to its source." Van Leeuwen began practicing Poekoelan in 1985. W ith her second-degree black belt, she explains that in Poekoelan “we use highly versatile movements— on the ground and in Y the air. O ur movements are fluid and effortless. We make very fast, whip-style strikes." Mind, body and weights eyond Poekixdan, mind, Kxly and weight training are also important components of O ne with Heart. W hile offer ing classes in kickboxing, yang- style tai chi, soaring crane chi kung, tribal belly dancing and mat pilâtes, it also has state-of-the-art weight training equipment. With a team of certified personal trainers, One with Heart aims to enhance the performance of athletes in nontraditional sports. Additionally, the center wants to enhance the lives of women by promoting proper training, up-to-date health and fitness information and a comfortable space. B Tulen Self Defense nherent in many O ne with Heart programs is self-defense. By creating an atmosphere of mutual respect, Van Leeuwen says, “Women bond and encourage each other in a supportive environm ent.” In the spirit of self-defense, the couple are on the cusp of something big— they’re launch ing their national nonprofit brainchild Tulen Self Defense in the early part of 2004. The vision is fueled by the desire to help women and children lead safer lives. Dedicated to social change, Kmse and Van Leeuwen hope to provide their self-defense programs to as many people as possible, “regardless of the background and income level,” says Kmse, an Oregon native. The scope of Tulen Self Defense is vast. While not yet officially launched, it was fixind- ed last July. “TSD provides original and compre hensive self-defense programs across the country to women and children from diverse back grounds," says Kmse, noting that it is “really an outgrowth of our practice of Poekcxdan and the self-defense work we’ve been doing for 25 years.” Teaching self-defense is nothing new to either of these women. Since 1988, O ne with Heart has been teaching women physical and verbal skills to prevent assault. Programs at O ne with Heart include Strike Back!, a two- day course with a padded attacker, and Fear to I drive with Pride fi JIT r LIRES M .COM ADVENTURES m MTOW4MV f Visit us online at: www.reyreece.com or schedule your appointment 503 256-3700 - R EY R E E C E D E A L E R S H IP S VOLKSWAGEN-MITSUBISHI-USED 122nd & East Burnside www.reyreece.com rrtC M T TO e m n i o f r r Adventure Club for Women Activities Include: Hiking, Biking, Kayaking, Volleyball, Snowshoeing. and a lot more BY PAIGE by Action, which is offered free four times a year. The last session drew 76 women and girls. “Learning physical skills is very important,” says Kmse, “hut more important is the verbal training." By teaching women to negotiate, de- escalate and set boundaries, O ne with Heart has already touched the lives of hundreds of women. But, Kmse says with anticipation, "TSD will bring this course to thousands of w om en.... Many former students report that they used their self-defense skills to prevent attacks." Empowering children he couple, who met 18 years ago at a mar tial arts conference in upstate New York, are excited about upcoming Tulen events. February will see a free teen self- defense workshop “serving 100 girls," Van Leeuwen says. O riginal ly from the N etherlands, Van Leeuwen, 46, moved to Portland in 1992 and is looking forward to an upcoming workshop at the Girls Initiative Network national conference. O ne with H eart also helps kids with an anti-bullying class called N o M eans No. "This program uses a multidisciplinary approach that involves teachers, social workers and police," explains Van g Leeuwen. T he program is a | success in the N etherlands. T A u to m o tiv e M aintenance & R epair AT ITS BEST! ALL FOREIGN & DOMESTIC AUTOMOBILES QUALIFIED, HONEST, QUICK & FAIRLY PRICED t appears there is no stopping Kruse and Van Leeuwen. You can feel the excitem ent and verve w hen you talk with them — how they truly believe in their vision and love their work. T hese dynam ic lesbians have created an enlightened paradise in Portland at O n e with H eart, one th at continues to grow and blossom. A nd very soon, in their work with Tulen Self Defense, they’ll bring empowering skills to the world com munity. “We believe that everybody needs self-defense,” Kruse says. “It is like learning how to swim if you live in a country with a lot of water.” J H I O ne with H eart is located at 4231 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. Contact the martial arts and wellness center at 503-231-1999 or uxtne. onewithheart. com. •Find Portland free-lance writer GlNA D aggett at www.ginadaggett.com. M arian van Leeuwen egon Camera Everything Photographic We have .) knowledgeaWe, triemlK stillt helping you fimi the right camera, binoculars, or photographic accessories. SATISFIED CUSTOMERS TELL THEIR FRIENDS — THEY ALL COME BACK! (references on file) Call Nikki Becker, owner East Bank Commerce Center 1001 SE Water Ste 220 503-233-4567 www missfitadventures com “In A m sterdam , we have taught approxi mately 3,000 inner-city kids over the past couple years.” Tulen Self Defense would take this program to schools nationwide, teaching children to handle (among other things) peer pressure, bullying, dating violence, kidnapping and assault by familiar adults. AUTO-MARINE 4230 NE SUMNER ST. 503 - 282-0159 \ ‘family' owned and operated business since 199“ . IS2SW AA ibs A vcsk C ernite M Jm J (MOTH-SIS
