Senior Instructors
Master Joey Haber (Professor Sano Guerreiro) is the lead senior instructor and owner of The Flying Tortoise Academy. His studies have taken him to China, Brazil, California, Japan and Hawaii. Joey has focused his efforts in Beijing on Baguazhang, Taijiquan, Xingyiquan and Sanda. Maintaining an authentic Beijing curriculum that is inclusive and supportive of the studio's diverse student base is his passion.
Capoeira: Shifu Joey’s capoeira rank and name are Professor Santo. He hand his wife, Instrutora Pimenta treasure the relationship they have with their master, Mestre Kinha. They teach all ages 5-100. Good technique, safety and inclusion are central to their capoeira program. Read More
Kate Haber (“Pimenta”). Has been a student of martial arts since 2006. Her favorites are Northern Chinese Kung Fu, which she studied in Beijing with Joey and Capoeira which she still teaches today. What she finds appealing about both these arts is their ability to positively transform the practitioner from the inside out. She runs a rich kids' capoeira program at Flying Tortoise in addition to managing the studio. Read more.
Fritz Rice's martial art career started early and has spanned practice in art form mother countries from India to China. His friendship with Joey as well as his knowledge of Beijing language and culture have propelled Flying Tortoise forwards. In Seattle, Fritz studies Chen TaiJiChuan under Master Derryl Willis. He will be traveling from Seattle to Portland about once a month to teach Chen Tai Chi at Flying Tortoise and offer private lessons. Read More.
Hailing from Mobile, AL, Senna Diaz began her lifelong martial arts career in 1989 at the age of six. For decades she has trained in Seoul, New York, San Francisco, and Portland in a number of internal systems including BaGua, TaiJi, XingYi, BajiQuan, and PiGuaQuan. Sen holds a 4th degree black belt and master instructor rank in the Korean art of Soo Bahk Do and attended 2 weeks of training in Beijing fall of 2016. Read more.
Holly Ng has been an instructor at River City Warrior since 2015, teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Kali to kids and adults, expanding to online teaching in 2020. She’s been studying Inosanto Kali/JKD for over 12 years and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu for nearly 9 years, currently holding the rank of purple belt under the Pedro Sauer Association. Read more.
Junior Instructors
Chris Lum studied basic qigong and mixed martial arts in Hawai’i before becoming a student at Flying Tortoise Academy. His training in Portland centers around Liang family BaguaZhang and XuanLongQuan, in which circle walking and basic Kung fu is a daily practice. Training for 7 years with Joseph Haber and Senna Diaz has been a fulfilling immersion into internal martial arts. Read More
Ian Johnson has been a student since 2017. He traveled to Beijing with Master Joey Haber in 2024. Through Flying Tortoise he accepted 8th generation lineage under Master Yi Biao (Joey Haber). Master Yi Biao is a 7th generation Master of the Cheng BaGua. Ian’s Chinese given lineage name is Ding Cheng. He is credentialed to teach Taiji. Read More
Rose (Amazona) has been a capoeira student at Flying Tortoise since 2013 and has been assistant teaching since 2022. She loves sharing all of her capoeira knowledge with anyone willing to learn. Her beginning capoeira class will give you solid fundamentals and will build your capoeira vocabulary.
Andrew has been studying Kung Fu with Flying Tortoise since 2018. He holds certifications in Taiji, Bagua and Capoeira
Jack has been a student of Flying Tortoise since 2019. His level 3 in Taiji certifies him to teach.
Will has been a student of Flying Tortoise since 2019. He has some experience with Seven Star Praying Mantis Kung Fu and Kun Jung Mu Sul, a variant of Tae Kwon Do. He likes long walks on the beach, tacos, and holding horse stance for hours at a time. His Level 3 in Taiji certifies him to teach.