For over four decades, Helena’s native Martial Arts Academy has provided world-class training in a clean and safe environment for the entire family. Serving all skill levels, beginners to experts.
Grand Master Dennis Dallas began his martial arts training in the fall of 1970 with Soon Il Choi at Rocky Mountain College in Billing, Montana. A few months later Grand Master Karlo Fugiwara took over the position at RMC after Soon Il Choi relocated. He continued his martial arts training with Grand Master Fugiwara for the next 10 years.
While attending RMC, Mr. Dallas had the unique opportunity to also train with Grand Master Jae Ho Park in Tae Kwon Do, Judo, and Hapkido. Mr. Park, who was teaching Physical Education at Eastern Montana College (MSU Billings), was holding classes at the YMCA on alternate nights to Mr. Fugiwara’s classes. Mr. Dallas took advantage of the schedule to expand his martial arts knowledge.
At the beginning of 1980, Grand Master Dallas was selected to be part of the Montana State Tae Kwon Do team that would be competing at the US Nationals. In April of that year, he began preparation for the competition with Grand Master Shigeki Umemoto, whom Mr. Dallas had trained with intermittently over the pervious decade. Through his relationship with Grand Master Umemoto, he was presented with an opportunity to run a school; in the fall of 1982, Mr. Dallas was granted operation of the Toushi Kan Martial Arts Institute located in Helena under the direction of Grand Master Shigeki Umemoto, the arts founder.
Ten years later, Grand Master Dallas founded his own martial arts school, the Helena Karate & Judo Club in 1992.
Since then, Grand Master Dallas has passed on the knowledge of Tae Kwon Do, Judo, Hapkido and Toushi Kan Karate he had learned from his instructors, Grand Master Jae Ho Park, Grand Master Karlo Fujiwara, and Grand Master Shigeki Umemoto; which has empowered and enriched thousands of lives. 

Grand Master Dallas retired from full-time teaching and passed the dojo to his apprentice Shihan Shem Wold in 2011. Helena Karate & Judo Club was then renamed Helena Martial Arts Academy.
The continuing vision of Helena Martial Arts Academy is to enrich and improve our students’ lives by striving to unify and balance the body, mind, and spirit of each unique individual through the teachings and practices of martial arts.