~ @ Renzo Gracie Academy, New York City, NY ~
Jiu Jitsu instructor Melissa Bardfield earned the high honour of receiving her black belt from Master Renzo Gracie in New York City on Monday, October 12.
Melissa began teaching youth Brazilian/Gracie Jiu Jitsu in St Maarten as a purple belt in 2010. She moved her academy three times over the last five years and settled in her own dedicated dojo space in Cole Bay one year ago.
Melissa has contributed to the martial arts community on St. Maarten not only with her children, teen and adults Jiu Jitsu and self-defence program, but also by partnering with Muay Thai specialists Marco London and Akeem Lewis to provide another location for Muay Thai kickboxing classes.
Before receiving her black belt, Melissa was an avid competitor. She ranked #1 worldwide by the International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation in the brown belt female master category. Her next competition as a black belt is the No-Gi World Championships in Long Beach, California, on November 8.
Her bigger plans are to hold training camps in St. Maarten with world class athletes and professors and to bring students to international tournaments abroad.
For more information on Gracie Jiu Jitsu classes, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.facebook.com/sxmbjj; phone: 580-3894 (SXM) 1 617 953 0617 (USA); www.sxmbjj.com
