Cassie Johnson Black Sash Test ~ Saturday March 8th 2025
Students and instructors after Cassie’s test.
Front row, left to right: Shifu Karim-Ben Saunders, Shifu Eliot Prisby, Shifu Gary J. LaChapelle Jr., Shifu Cheyenne LaChapelle, Shifu Paul DiCriscenzo, Jiaolian Rosalie DiCrescenzo
Middle row, left to right: Sachi Amatya, Liam Quirk, Hrishi Arun, Allison Mondel, Jo Gao Cameron Christie, Jo Gao Andre Zink, Jo Gao Ana Zink, Beth Foote, Cassie Johnson, Yolanda “Pi” Stafford, Jo Gao Erich Zink, Jo Gao Joncarlo Zink, Jo Gao Grey Shea, Jo Gao Diya Arun
Back row, left to right: Jo Gao Jasper Weeks, Scott Merriam, Mike Quirk, Ryan Mahoney, Ryan Dougherty, Sihing Clayton Burke, Jo Gao Justen Force, Shay Banks, Jo Gao Kevin Sheppard
Cassie, a pilates instructor, joined Metrowest Kung Fu in 2021 and has been training hard ever since. A practitioner of both Kung Fu and Tai Chi, Cassie has attended many workshops and seminars over the years to hone her skills. She is also a regular competitor, frequently taking medals in forms and weapons divisions.
As Cassie climbed higher through the ranks, she used her experience as a pilates teacher to help Shifu Eliot run classes, and is always there to lend assistance or encouragement to her classmates. Cassie progressed quickly through her charting progress and tested for her black sash Saturday March 8th.
She demonstrated a solid grasp of basic techniques. She put forth an impressive display of strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance. She showcased all of her Kung Fu empty hand and weapon forms. She demonstrated her fighting skills, including those picked up in sanda, push hands, jujitsu, and qinna workshops. She fought against twelve black sashes in a row. The test took three hours.
We were honored to have the following instructors sit on the testing panel:
Shifu Gary J. LaChapelle Jr. (New England Kung Fu)
Shifu Cheyenne LaChapelle (New England Kung Fu)
Shifu Eliot Prisby (Metrowest Kung Fu)
Shifu Paul DiCriscenzo (Two Dragons Path)
Jiaolian Rosalie DiCriscenzo (Two Dragons Path)
Shifu Karim-Ben Saunders (Full Circle Tai Chi & Qigong)
We are grateful to the following black sashes who participated in the test:
Laoshi Joncarlo Zink
Jo Gao Diya Arun
Jo Gao Cameron Christie
Jo Gao Justen Force
Jo Gao Grey Shea
Jo Gao Kevin Sheppard
Jo Gao Jasper Weeks
Jo Gao Ana Zink
Jo Gao Andre Zink
Jo Gao Erich Zink
We would particularly like to think Sihing Clayton Burke, who travelled all the way from Nan Bei Wu Kwan on Cape Cod. We would also like to thank all of Cassie’s classmates who showed up to support her:
Sachi Amatya
Arun & Mambilamthode Family
Shay Banks
Ryan Dougherty
Beth Foote
Mahoney Family
Maslow Family
Scott Merriam
Allison Mondel
Quirk & Lee Family
Rogers-Oliveira Family
Yolanda “Pi” Stafford
Cassie worked extremely hard to earn her black sash and we’re proud to welcome her into our increasing pantheon of black sash students.
We thank Shifu Gary, Shifu Cheyenne, and Simo MaryBeth for their continued support and encouragement, as well as Shifu Gregg Zilb for supporting and guiding both of our schools.