April 2025 Promotion Test Information
Dear Parents and Students,
The next promotion test will take place Thursday, April 10th - Saturday, April 12th. There will be NO regular classes from Thursday, April 10th - Saturday, April 12th.
We will be begin handing out promotion test invitations to qualified students today. Qualified students must return their test invitation and pay the promotion test fee of $80.00 per tester by Monday, March 31st to be able to test.
If you are testing for 1st Dan black belt or above, please come see us at the front office as there are additional steps you need to take in order to test. Additionally, your testing fee is different.
If you are absolutely unable to test on these dates, please let us know as early as possible. Make-up tests will be provided on a case-by-case basis.
If you receive an invitation to test, you are qualified to test.
Return your filled out testing invitation and pay the promotion test fee of $80.00 per student by Monday, March 31st. Failure to make your payment by this date may result in us not having your new belt by your testing date.
Check your assigned testing date and time once assignments have been finalized and posted.
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Testing Day & Time Assignments:
Testing Group 1: Thursday, April 10th | (UPDATED*) Start: 6:30 PM | ~ 3 hours duration |
Testing Group 2: Friday, April 11th | Start: 6:30 PM | ~ 3 hours duration |
Testing Group 3: Saturday, April 12th | Start: 10:00 AM | ~ 4 hours duration |
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Testing List: Coming Soon
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Schedule of Events:
START - Warm-up - Individual Poomsae - Poomsae Competition - Demonstration - Board Breaking - Belt Ceremony - Group Picture - END
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Although you may have qualified to test, you are not guaranteed to pass and promote to the next rank. For this promotion test, please read below what is expected of our students. Passing or failing of a tester is based on the joint decision of the head instructors after viewing a tester’s performance at the promotion test.
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Students who fail the test WILL be either refunded or credited for the next promotion test. Students who fail to pay the promotion test fee and/or fail to follow the uniform and appearance guidelines for testing (explained below) will not be permitted to participate in the promotion test.
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Testing Material:
What students are expected to know/display at the minimum in order to promote:
ALL of their forms - white belt through their current rank
Their board break - see the board break list below
Basic Commands: Attention, Bow, Ready, Begin, Return, At Ease
Basic Exercises, Stretches, Kicks, Strikes, Blocks, and Stances
The Five Tenets
Display of discipline, confidence, focus, effort, and skill
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HOW WE DETERMINE PASS OR FAIL:
When determining whether a student should promote to the next rank, we primarily look at their forms (poomsae). Board breaking is another major part of the test.
There are five major aspects of a student’s poomsae we look at.
Accuracy of the Poomsae Pattern: This refers to whether or not a student performs the correct move during a form. (EX: turning the wrong way, doing the wrong block)
Accuracy of the Technique of Individual Movements: This refers to whether or not a student is performing a specific movement with correct technique. (EX: having a loose fist, shallow bend in the front knee during a front stance)
Speed and Power: Movements should be performed with speed and power.
Rhythm and Tempo: The overall pace of a form should maintain the correct rhythm and tempo. Individual movements should be performed at the correct speeds. (EX: Chambering smoothly, then quickly accelerating into a block VS. immediate acceleration into a striking technique)
Expression of Energy: This refers to the confidence, energy, discipline, and appearance of the performer when performing a form. (EX: having a strong kihap, neutral/serious facial expression, well-kept uniform)
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Promotion Testing Uniform and Appearance Guidelines:
Students are expected to look presentable when promotion testing.
A clean, full-sleeve white uniform must be worn
A correctly tied belt must be worn (https://youtu.be/YEE2ATmvG2A?si=NE3_kBX-hZjEpAxe)
Solid white or black undershirts only
NO jewelry
Hair must be tied up/out of the way of the tester’s face (hair should not drop below the shoulders and not cover the testers face significantly)
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Promotion Test Etiquette:
Arrive early (30 minutes before the start of your test)
Adhere to the uniform and appearance guidelines
Begin warming up, stretching, and reviewing testing material upon arrival
No talking, playing around, or making excessive noise
Be respectful of other testers and be actively engaged in watching others perform
No clapping until a tester has completed all of their forms
Following board breaking, set your broken boards on the ground and do not make noise with them while sitting
When receiving your belt from a head instructor, use two hands when the belt is passed to you, bow, and say “Gams-hamnida” (thank you).
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Poomsae: We have created poomsae follow along videos to help students practice their forms outside of the Dojang.
View the form videos by visiting our YOUTUBE CHANNEL or our VIDEOS TAB
Boardbreaks: Please view your boardbreak. Your CURRENT rank corresponds with the kick you need to break a board with in order to move up to the next rank.
