MITCHELL RATCHIK SENSEI (柳風)

GODAN (五段/5th DAN) / SHIDŌIN (指導員) – RYUSHIN SHOUCHI RYU

SHODAN (初段/1st DAN) – MUSO SHINDEN RYU

HEKI-RYU BISHU CHIKURIN-HA (尾州竹林流の基本) – PRACTITIONER

Sensei Mitchell Ratchik holds the rank of Godan (5th Dan) and teaching license – Shidōin (指導員) in Ryushin Shouchi-Ryu (RSR) as well as a Shodan (1st Dan) in Muso Shinden-Ryu. He joined New York Budokai in 2005 and has helped evolve the dojo into a not-for-profit 501(c)-3 organization and is currently a senior instructor, president of the board and helps manage the dojo daily affairs. He has had several visits to the Honbu in Tokyo for personal instruction with Yahagi Sensei. After many years of dedicated practice Yahagi Sensei awarded him the dojo name Ryu Hoou (柳風). For the past 17 years he as also helped expand and develop the RSR brand as well as helping establish affiliated dojos across the United States (California, Connecticut, and Tennessee), as well as groups in Australia (Brisbane), Mexico (Mexico City), Taiwan (Taipei), and Ukraine. He continues this effort by teaching RSR online and has students from all over the world training with him on a weekly basis online. In 2022 he started the Pratt Iaido Club at Pratt Institute his alma-mater, the first college iaido/kenjutsu program in the USA. In 2022 he also began learning Kyudo with Phil Ortiz Sensei and hopes to expand his understanding of Budo.

He also studied Hapkido under Sabumnim Herbert David at the World Martial Arts Center and studied Aikido at the Bond Street Dojo.

Professionally he works as a creative director in advertising and lives with his family in Brooklyn.

Follow him on Instagram at @BudoMitch