Antoine Fares
Praying Mantis Shifu
The information presented in this chart was collected from different sources -see Bibliography-, therefore the romanizations in Pinyin according to the Mandarin pronunciation of the characters sometimes is not available. If you find any mistakes or inaccuracies please contact me.
His Chinese name is:
Fan He An.
Nicknamed Dong-Ni (
) by shifu Gao Dao Shen.
Born in Belgium on January 25, 1964. Shifu Antoine Fares started training Chang Quan Tang Lang in 1985 and went to Taiwan and worked under the guidance of shifu Gao Dao Sheng in 1989.
He followed his teaching ever since with yearly trips to Taiwan and finally in 1995 he decided to move to Taiwan on permanent bases.
While still living in Belgium he opened a school that still operates under the name "Fares Kung-Fu Wu-Shu Academy-Chang-Quan Tang-Lang Men". This the only school in Europe recognized by shifu Gao Dao Sheng and it is now in the hands of shifu Antoine Fares' student David Martinez.
Besides training with shifu Gao Dao Sheng, he teaches martial arts at the "American Club" in Taipei and works at the National Palace Museum as a Tour Guide and at the Taiwan Provincial Museum as Exhibit researcher.
In January 2000 he was awarded a third degree black belt in Chinese Martial Arts from the Guo Shu Federation in Taiwan, and he holds a degree in Physical Therapy and another one in Osteopathy.
In early 2004, Mario Ambrosini (6th Dan Black Belt director of the Yoseikan World Federation and full time assistant to Master Mochizuki) made a special visit to Taiwan and gave a master class over there. Following the class, shifu Antoine Fares was awarded with a 1st. Dan Black Belt in all areas of Yoseikan Budo, which covers Karate, JuJitsu, Aikijitsu, Iaido and Kobudo.
In August 2004 shifu Antoine Fares held a seminar in Lebanon upon the invitation of The Lebanese Kung-Fu Wu-Shu Federation, where he exposed the principles of APA (Antagonist Perpetrated Aggression) and FFS (Fares Fighting System) along with the Police Baton.
In late 2004 shifu Antoine Fares worked as Martial Arts Director in the Tang Dynasty play "Autumn Rain", where he choreographed fighting scenes for this play at the "National Concert Hall" in Taipei.
In 2006 shifu Antoine Fares obtainded 4th degree Black Belt from the "Taiwan International Ju-Jiutsu Federation" under shifu Zhang Han Tong. Shifu Antoine Fares developed a Mixed Martial Arts style (FFS-Fares Fighting System ) and has taught seminars in New Caledonia.
Shifu Antoine Fares speak fluent Mandarin, French and English.
Page Updated: 1st September 2006.
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Fernando Blanco Dopazo .