GURO PROFILE: EDESSA RAMOS

Edessa Ramos is a personal student of Master Samuel "Bambit" Dulay, from whom she has been receiving training and guidance since 1994 in Manila. She has been studying, teaching and promoting Modern Arnis since that time. Now based in Zurich, Switzerland, she is the Commissioner for Europe of the International Modern Arnis Federation Philippines (IMAFP). IMAFP, with main headquarters in Manila, was founded by the late Grandmaster Remy Presas a few years before his passing. Edessa is also a personal student of Master Bram Frank who recently appointed her as the Swiss Director for his organization, Common Sense Self Defense/Street Combat (CSSD/SC). Edessa has also trained in seminars under Master Dieter Knüttel, who is one of her teachers and the head of the Deutsche Arnis Verband or DAV (German Modern Arnis Federation). She holds a 3rd degree black belt in Modern Arnis from IMAFP and a 2nd degree black belt in Combat Arnis from CSSD/SC.
Connected with her task of helping to spread Modern Arnis and the Filipino Martial Arts, Edessa has performed in several martial arts shows such as the 2nd Filipino Martial Arts Festival in Germany 2004 and the 1st Swiss Budo Masters Gala in Berne. She also writes regularly about arnis, the Filipino Martial Arts, and various aspects of Filipino martial culture.

Edessa travels to various parts of the world to give seminars to martial artists, most notably in Italy, Mexico and the Philippines. She currently teaches Modern Arnis two evenings a week at Fight World Zurich.
Edessa is calling on all women FMA practitioners to contribute to an upcoming anthology. She is looking for creative non-fiction written by women who practice any style of the Filipino Martial Arts. Entitled "WOMEN WITH WEAPONS", the book is due for publication in mid-2006. You need not be an expert writer to participate. Edessa is also an experienced editor and will help build your article.