About Us
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Our Dojo
Bushido Judo School is one of the largest Operating
Judo Schools in N.C. Founded in 1995 by now 4th
Degree Black Belt, Sensei Darian Stokes, The
instructors are compassionate about building the
community through the philosophy of Martial Arts in
teaching that fighters should bend like bamboo, then
strike back when necessary. Bushido Judo School
now offers Judo, Jujitsu, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do
and Women's Self-Defense and Fitness classes in
Burlington and Judo classes in Durham throughout
the week. Classes will include Judo and Jujitsu
lessons, Women's Self-defense and Fitness, MMA
training, and Grappling for Jr/High school students.
Students will have the opportunity to travel to different
cities and states for competition.
Judo Schools in N.C. Founded in 1995 by now 4th
Degree Black Belt, Sensei Darian Stokes, The
instructors are compassionate about building the
community through the philosophy of Martial Arts in
teaching that fighters should bend like bamboo, then
strike back when necessary. Bushido Judo School
now offers Judo, Jujitsu, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do
and Women's Self-Defense and Fitness classes in
Burlington and Judo classes in Durham throughout
the week. Classes will include Judo and Jujitsu
lessons, Women's Self-defense and Fitness, MMA
training, and Grappling for Jr/High school students.
Students will have the opportunity to travel to different
cities and states for competition.
Durham Classes are located at
Bushido Judo School at East Coast Defense
North Duke Mall
3600 North Duke St. Suite# 102
Durham NC, 27704
Bushido Judo School at East Coast Defense
North Duke Mall
3600 North Duke St. Suite# 102
Durham NC, 27704
Burlington Classes are located at
Bushido Judo School
911-A S. Main St. (Corner of 6th and Main)
Burlington, NC 27215
Bushido Judo School
911-A S. Main St. (Corner of 6th and Main)
Burlington, NC 27215
Raleigh Classes are located at
Bushido Judo School at NBS Gym
1249-C Wicker Drive
Raleigh, NC
919-821-7800
Bushido Judo School at NBS Gym
1249-C Wicker Drive
Raleigh, NC
919-821-7800
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| Bushido Judo School And Other Martial Arts |
| In Loving Memory |
Joan Thomas Blanchard was
independent and courageous
enough to make her home
anywhere, but she chose
Burlington — particularly its
theater — as the place she would
leave her mark.
Blanchard was one of the
founding members of the Gallery
Players in the 1960s and led the
push to preserve the Paramount
Theater long before the city of
Burlington took it over. She
remained active in the theater
group, as a board member and
actress, for the rest of her life.
“She was an extraordinary actress
... but she did the grunt work, the
stuff a lot of people don’t want to
do, too. She was a producer and a
fundraiser. And at the same time,
she was taking care of her family,
going to school and working full-
time. She’s a lady very much to be
admired."
She met Morris Noel Blanchard in
the early 1950s. Morris
remembers being stationed in
England during the Korean War
and meeting the young nursing
student at a dance club. He was
struck by her beauty. The two met
and became close quickly.
They were married by her father in
1953.
She was a Girl Scout leader. She
joined the Burlington Writers Club
late that decade. The earliest
Gallery Players group — about six
or eight couples — was forming.
Joan had a leading role in the
company’s first production,
"Barefoot in the Park," as the
mother-in-law.
Close friend Sandi Moulton says
Joan "came alive on the stage."
"She was a very loving person.
She was very easy to love,"
Moulton said. "She had some
rough patches in life but she got
through them. She was a tough
lady, but she always remained a
lady."
She became a copy writer for
WBBB and was an editor and
columnist at The Times-News.
She wrote humorously about daily
life, referring to her husband as
"Whatshisface" and assigning
numbers to her children.
In 1982, at the age of 46, she
graduated Magna Cum Laude with
a degree in English literature.
From there she went on to head
the department of Performing Arts
for the Student Union at UNC-
Chapel Hill for 13 years, bringing
in touring groups to perform for
campus audiences. Though she
retired early this decade, she
remained a fierce Tar Heel
basketball fan. One of her
treasured possessions was an
autographed picture of Phil Ford.
During the last decade of her life,
Joan remained an active reader
and writer, and kept performing
with the Gallery Players.
Paramount Theater Director David
Wright credits her with helping
bring life back to the downtown
theater at a time most people had
forgotten it.
"She was a protector. She was a
trailblazer. She believed strongly
that all people were equal and she
wouldn’t tolerate racism of any
kind," King said. "She raised us to
believe we could do whatever we
wanted. She wanted to make sure
everyone knew they had choices in
life."
independent and courageous
enough to make her home
anywhere, but she chose
Burlington — particularly its
theater — as the place she would
leave her mark.
Blanchard was one of the
founding members of the Gallery
Players in the 1960s and led the
push to preserve the Paramount
Theater long before the city of
Burlington took it over. She
remained active in the theater
group, as a board member and
actress, for the rest of her life.
“She was an extraordinary actress
... but she did the grunt work, the
stuff a lot of people don’t want to
do, too. She was a producer and a
fundraiser. And at the same time,
she was taking care of her family,
going to school and working full-
time. She’s a lady very much to be
admired."
She met Morris Noel Blanchard in
the early 1950s. Morris
remembers being stationed in
England during the Korean War
and meeting the young nursing
student at a dance club. He was
struck by her beauty. The two met
and became close quickly.
They were married by her father in
1953.
She was a Girl Scout leader. She
joined the Burlington Writers Club
late that decade. The earliest
Gallery Players group — about six
or eight couples — was forming.
Joan had a leading role in the
company’s first production,
"Barefoot in the Park," as the
mother-in-law.
Close friend Sandi Moulton says
Joan "came alive on the stage."
"She was a very loving person.
She was very easy to love,"
Moulton said. "She had some
rough patches in life but she got
through them. She was a tough
lady, but she always remained a
lady."
She became a copy writer for
WBBB and was an editor and
columnist at The Times-News.
She wrote humorously about daily
life, referring to her husband as
"Whatshisface" and assigning
numbers to her children.
In 1982, at the age of 46, she
graduated Magna Cum Laude with
a degree in English literature.
From there she went on to head
the department of Performing Arts
for the Student Union at UNC-
Chapel Hill for 13 years, bringing
in touring groups to perform for
campus audiences. Though she
retired early this decade, she
remained a fierce Tar Heel
basketball fan. One of her
treasured possessions was an
autographed picture of Phil Ford.
During the last decade of her life,
Joan remained an active reader
and writer, and kept performing
with the Gallery Players.
Paramount Theater Director David
Wright credits her with helping
bring life back to the downtown
theater at a time most people had
forgotten it.
"She was a protector. She was a
trailblazer. She believed strongly
that all people were equal and she
wouldn’t tolerate racism of any
kind," King said. "She raised us to
believe we could do whatever we
wanted. She wanted to make sure
everyone knew they had choices in
life."
