About Todd Ryotoshi Norcross
トッド ノークロス
Sensei Norcross began studying Uechi-Ryu Karate at the age of ten in Massachusetts. He earned his first Black Belt in Karate in 1987.
Looking for a Martial Art with more depth, he began traveling the U.S. to train in Ninjutsu at the Kinryu "Barn Dojo" with An-Shu Stephen K. Hayes in 1984. He continued regular trips to Ohio for weekend seminars with Hayes and Tai Kai with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi. He was first published at the age of seventeen in the Musubi Journal, conducting a training interview with An Shu Stephen K. Hayes. He began training with Shihan Mark Davis at the Boston dojo in 1986. Throughout the years, Mr. Norcross has attended dozens of Tai Kai, Advanced Workshops, Seminars and events with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, Fumio Manaka, Shoto Tanemura, Toshiro Nagato, Tetsuji Ishizuka, Yukio Noguchi, Hideo Seno, Koryu Muramatsu, Arnaud Cousergue in Japan and Mitsunari Kanai Sensei (New England Aikikai) in Boston, Ma.
In 1999, he moved permanently from Massachusetts to Dayton, Ohio to become a personal student of Black Belt Hall of Fame member An-Shu Stephen K. Hayes.
In 2006, he opened his own full-time Samurai/Ninja school (The Dojo Martial Arts) in Mason, Ohio, - 25 miles northeast of Cincinnati.
His hit single "Ain't Nothing Gonna Break My Stride" has earned a double-platinum award on Spotify, with over 2, 195,000 streams.
- Bujinkan Budo (9th Dan) - Sakki Test given by Dai Shihan Arnaud Cousergue (France)
- Budo Taijutsu Shihan 9th Dan (Hanshi)
- Awarded Bujinkan Shidoshi Teaching License by Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan
- To-Shin Do (3rd Dan in 2007) awarded by Stephen K. Hayes
- Uechi Ryu Karate (Shodan in 1987)
- Presented the Eastern Name 'Ho-Un' (Dharma Cloud) in 2004
- Awarded the warrior name 'Ryotoshi' (Knight of the Clear Blade of Truth) in 2007 by SKH
- 刀 能 流 Tōnō Ryu Sword Style Founder (2011)
- Amazon Books Best-selling co-author of Elite Martial Artists in America (2024)
- Double Platinum Musician Award winner on Spotify (2 million plus streams)
He was a member of the Marishi-Kai protectors guild. He has body-guarded several times for the Dalai Lama, Muhammad Ali, and other celebrities and dignitaries.
He is certified through Wright State University in Anti-Bullying Psychology. From 2002-2005, he co-founded and taught hundreds of students at Spirit Quest - a non-profit inner-city youth program with 5 locations.
He has over 25,000 hours of on-the-mat direct teaching and training experience. *
Throughout the decades, he has taught self-defense courses for Local and State Law Enforcement, the U.S. Military, and various Public and Private School systems.
Outside of the dojo, Mr. Norcross has Degrees in Philosophy and Record Engineering (Recording Workshop Chillicothe, Ohio).
He hosted the YouTube learning series "Relaxation Oil Painting" - based on the techniques of television artist Bob Ross.
He has written and recorded 32 original albums of music (including the popular 'Taiken' Taiko Drum training music Series I-IV) and instrumental compositions for television and film.
He co-authored a chapter in the Amazon best-selling Elite Martial Artists in America Volume 2 book in 2024.
He resides in West Chester, Ohio.
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*Mr. Norcross has traveled all over the U.S., teaching workshops and seminars on the Martial Arts and Weapons of Budo. He has many LDS (Long-Distance Students) throughout the world.
If your dojo or training organization wishes to host a continuing education seminar with Mr. Norcross, contact thedojocincinnati@gmail.com for more details and hourly/daily/weekend pricing.
Sensei instructing at the Ninja Gathering Seminar in Dayton, Ohio in October 2024
Sensei training with Soke Masaaki Hatsumi, The Grandmaster of Ninjutsu in Japan.
Dojo Sr. Instructors training at a private lesson at An Shu Stephen K. Hayes' home dojo.
Black Belt Hall of Fame member Hayes is considered the "Father of American Ninjutsu" and has written over twenty books on the subject of samurai and ninja martial arts.
Sensei Norcross has been a dedicated student of Mr. Hayes for more than 40 years.
Photo of Sensei Norcross practicing with nature in 1986
A young Shodan -meditating in 1987.
Todd Norcross (in Kasumi no Kamae) with a Gunto sword from an article from 1987. (Photo from The Brockton Enterprise Newspaper)
Fan Art
Sensei Norcross with
Soke Masaaki Hatsumi in Atago, Japan
Bujinkan Rank - 9th Dan
Todd Norcross
Signed
Soke Masaaki Hatsumi
Studying under Stephen K. Hayes
2001
Sensei Norcross
with two of his teachers
An Shu Stephen K. Hayes and
Rumiko Urata Hayes
after a seminar
at The Dojo.
Mr. Norcross
Sword Training with
Yukio Noguchi
19th Soke Koto Ryu
in Tokyo, Japan
Mr. N. training with
Tetsuji Ishizuka
29th Soke Gyokko Ryu
Mr. N. with the late
Seno Sensei,
after class in Tokyo.
Soke Masaaki Hatsumi explaining the meaning of the scroll he drew
for Sensei Norcross' dojo.
T.N. with Sword Teacher
Dai Shihan
Arnaud Cousergue
(Paris, France)
with
Pencak Silat Master
Richard Crabbe De-Bordes
seminar at The Dojo
1990's news article featuring Sensei Norcross and his musical talents.
Mr. N. teaching a Ninjutsu demonstrating on stage
at a Comicon
in Boise, Idaho 2004.
with Physicist
Michio Kaku
After a lecture with Science Communicator/
Physicist Michio Kaku
Mr. N. at a shrine in
Toshiki, Japan
40 plus years on the Budo path.
Sensei Norcross with a Suburi-to, stomp-kicking tree in 1984.
Mr. N training in the 1980's.
1986 Massachusetts Newspaper photo accompanying an article on the Ninja featuring Mr. Norcross
38 years later...
Marishi Kai
Bodyguard Guild
detail for the Dalai Lama
-2001-20022
Sensei Norcross with other teachers
at Stephen K. Hayes Dojo (around 2001)
Todd Norcross training with Bo, Sword and Taijutsu
in the 1980's
Sparring with Stephen K. Hayes 2002
Studying Meditation with friend Stephen K. Hayes and a Tibetan Monk (2007)
Listening to a story about Toshitsugu Takamtatsu from Masaaki Hatsumi in Japan.
Visiting Masaaki Hatsumi's home in Noda City, Japan.
.
Around 2002,
Mr. N and
Black Belt friends
private training at the home of Stephen K. Hayes.
Hosting a seminar with Rumiko Urata Hayes and Stephen K. Hayes
Mr. N. as a "modern-day shinobi" at a ninja camping event
Sensei Norcross takes down an opponent with advanced triple techniques -
osoto gake, an omote gyaku and a shuto hand strike
all at the same moment
A cover collage of T. N. Albums
Sensei training outdoors with the 6' Bo
Teaching Edo period Sword Draws of the Samurai and Ninja in his Mason, Ohio school
Teaching Iaido
Fast Draw of the Sword.
Practicing the
Togakure Ryu escaping methods
of the ninja
with teacher An Shu Hayes.
Sensei Norcross performs an Ouchi Gake (major inner hook) on an opponent
Sensei Norcross practicing his morning kicks at his dojo in Mason, Ohio.
Sensei Norcross training in Japan with the 34th Ninjutsu Grandmaster,
Soke Masaaki Hatsumi
Sensei Norcross using Shinobi climbing methods.
He has been painting since the 1980's.
Justin B. purchases one of Sensei Norcross'
landscape paintings.
"Winter Moon"
Mr. Norcross paints
in the style of his late teacher,
Bob Ross.
Several DVD's
that Mr. Norcross
has produced with
The Dojo Martial Arts
Feb 2024 - Sensei Norcross with his 40-plus-year teachers An Shu Stephen K Hayes and An Shu Rumiko Urata Hayes in Bellbrook, Ohio.
