Dragonfest Expo in Burbank aims to reignite interest in martial arts
The popularity of martial arts has waned since a surge in the 1980s and early ’90s, but the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank is looking to spark interest in the sports’ various self-defense and attack styles at an upcoming event.
The 13th annual Dragonfest Expo will be a two-day event that raises money for the museum and aims to teach attendees about the cultures behind diverse forms of martial arts, said Michael Matsuda, president of the Martial Arts History Museum.
The main expo will be held in the convention center at the Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport Hotel from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 5. Dozens of icons from the martial arts community, including UFC fighter Lyoto Machida and actor Michael Jai White, will appear along with comic book and anime artists and vendors from the martial arts industry.
A red-carpet event will be held the following day at the Martial Arts History Museum, located at 2319 W. Magnolia Blvd., again from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Matsuda said the expo continues to bring in hundreds of attendees, but he believes the popularity of the martial arts could be more widespread.
“It’s such an untapped industry,” Matsuda said. “There’s one big company that does all the uniforms and equipment.”
A former graphic artist for Disney, Matsuda said the studios in Burbank have an opportunity to create content for martial arts enthusiasts, especially the hundreds of children enrolled in various types of disciplines.
Though there are many children and adults interested in martial arts, Matsuda said that enrollment in schools that specialize in different martial arts tend to peak only when a popular movie plays in theaters.
“Whenever a ‘Karate Kid’ movie came out, the school enrollment quadrupled, but the industry is so unorganized,” he said. “Tennis is organized. They have their different championships. The martial arts industry is all over the place. There’s no governing body.”
Matsuda said he hopes the expo will inspire attendees to find ways to better promote and enhance the martial arts industry.
“I think that conventions like Dragonfest will renew that energy of people being interested in martial arts,” he said.
anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com
Twitter: @acocarpio
