Dan began his study of Isshin Ryu Karate in 1982 under his father, Frank Popp. He eventually trained under Don Monismith and progressed to the rank of Go-Dan. Dan studied Modern Arnis under John Malaro during this same period of time.
Sensei Dan Popp
In 1990, Dan began his study of Kendo under Duk Yeong Kim, eventually progressing to the rank of Yon-dan. Mr. Kim also provided Dan instruction in the art of Shodo, Japanese calligraphy, concurrently with his Kendo training.
Dan joined the Order of Isshin Ryu in 1996 under the instruction of Toby Cooling. He also opened his first dojo at that time, being accepted into the Order of Isshin Ryu as a Ni-dan. Currently holding the rank of Go-dan, Dan was named the 2008 Male Instructor of the Year by the International Isshinryu Hall of Fame.
On a trip to visit Master Cooling in Nevada in 2009, Dan met and trained with Modern Arnis and Kombatan instructor, Grandmaster Rick Manglinong. Dan continues to train with Rick whenever possible.
In 2010, Dan also began training in the traditional Japanese art of Shindo Muso-Ryu Jodo with Andy Rodriquez Sensei, from Newark, DE. Dan attends seminars in Jodo offered by Yoshihito Sakimukai Sensei, who heads the Chintokan in Jacksonville, FL.
Although Dan’s Kendo sensei, Duk Yeong Kim, passed away in 2007, Dan continues to train in Kendo with Sensei Kim’s top student, Dave Joyner, M.D. Dan also continues to practice Shodo to honor his teacher. Dan has twice held exhibitions at Mulberry Art Studios during Lancaster’s First Friday; in September 2009 and July 2010. The July 2010 exhibition titled “Shodo - The Floating Brush” was listed in Central PA magazine and Lancaster magazine. His next exhibit will be in Harrisburg at Gallery@Second in September 2012. Dan’s Shodo can be found at the New Beginnings Gallery – The Shops at Hager, which is located in Lancaster’s Central Market District. Dan’s website is www.seizanshodo.com.
Dan has also promoted two tournaments for the World Kumdo Association (Korean Kendo) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The 1st World Kumdo Association tournament held in 1998 and the 2nd U.S. Open Kumdo Championships held in 2001 where he received the Kumdo Ambassador Award.
He is currently working on authoring two projects with his former Kendo/Shodo instructor as the subject: Holding Sensei’s Brush, Learning Japanese Calligraphy from a Kendo Master and Final Lessons.
A 1994 graduate of Pennsylvania State University with a B.S. in Professional Accountancy, Dan was employed in 1999 by the National Credit Union Administration where he still serves as a federal examiner specializing in IT audits. In 2011, Dan earned the following certifications from ISACA: Certified Information Systems Auditor and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control. He resides in Dillsburg, PA with his two daughters, Britteni and Kayla.