Morehead City, NC

Phillip and Shannon Henry are owners and instructors of the Morehead City school.  They also manage beginner programs in Ceader Point and Cape Carteret.  The school is one of more than 30 schools in the USA, Australia and Costa Rica teaching Grandmaster Dong's system.  Phillip Henry has achieved master level and beyond in three styles of Korean Martial Arts, is a certified personal trainer, and holds specializations in Youth Exercise, Behavioral Change, and Fitness Nutrition.  He has weekly, personal contact with Grandmaster Dong and passes this knowledge directly to his students to ensure the quality and authenticity of the program.  Get started on your journey today with our 30-Day Beginner Program.

Phillip Henry

Phillip Henry began martial arts in Morehead City when he was 12 and achieved his black belt while attending Barton College in Wilson, NC.  During his attendance at the college, he founded the self-defense club and by the time he graduated, owned Wilson’s only full-time martial arts school.  He also became the Tae Kwon Do instructor for the college PE program and earned many training certifications in the fitness industry.  Phillip later passed the school on to his assistant instructor and moved back to Morehead City to spread Grandmaster Dong’s system.  Master Henry has achieved the title of Master in three styles of Korean Martial Arts - Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, Ta Kyuk Do - and continues his education with Grandmaster Dong. In 2019, he received recognition from the World Martial Arts Grandmasters Federation for his “invlauable service to the martial arts” during a ceremony in Manassas, VA.

Phillip has spent most of his life working with children.  During his years at Barton College, he volunteered as a tutor and mentor at the Eastern NC School for the Deaf in Wilson.  Summers were spent as a camp counselor for Easter Seals where he assisted participants in their daily routines and adapted physical activities to their needs.  Phillip also served seven years as a Guardian ad Litem with Wilson County where he was a voice in court for neglected and abused children. 

Mr. Henry found his martial arts school as a way to reach others and help them improve their lives.  While in Wilson, his program helped hundreds of children and adults improve physically, mentally and socially as well as being able to donate continuously to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Hospital at VCU. 

The philosophy of helping others continues in Morehead City where the school has supported the Domestic Violence Shelter, Carteret County Partnership for Children, Children’s Hospital and a scholarship to Carteret Community College.  Phillip can also be found volunteering at the NC Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores as a scuba diving team leader with more than 1,000 hours of service.

Phillip and his wife, Shannon, have 2 girls, 2 boys, and two other "boys" of the four-legged, furry kind.  In his spare time, Phillip enjoys scuba diving, backpacking, mountain biking, and snowboarding.

Shannon Henry

Shannon Henry grew up near Richmond, VA and moved to North Carolina for college.  While studying Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Barton College in Wilson, NC, Shannon began taking martial arts.  During her time at Barton, she helped establish the Drama Club at the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf.
Shannon has worked with children in Day Cares and After School Programs since high school because of her passion for teaching younger students.  During college, she was also a tutor at the Eastern NC School for the Deaf.  Using her knowledge as an Early Childhood Development Specialist and ten years of martial arts experience, Shannon helped to create the TaeGrr Cubs™  program (ages 4-6) at the Morehead City, NC school.  In 2019, Shannon received an “Exemplary Role Model” award during a World Martial Arts Grandmasters Federation ceremony in Manassas, VA.
During her time off, Shannon enjoys painting, drawing, reading, scuba diving, mountain biking, and snowboarding. She also enjoys volunteer work and is an active member of the community.

MARTIAL ARTS & OTHER CERTIFICATIONS

• 5th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO
• 5th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TA KYUK DO
• EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SPECIALIST
• CPR/FIRST AID/AED CERTIFICATION
• SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER
• BFA IN PAINTING AND DRAWING
• PUBLISHED ILLUSTRATOR

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

• BOARD SECRETARY - CARTERET SMART START
• COMMITTEE MEMBER - SHAPE CARTERET

Instructor ISAIAH HOLMES
Isaiah began martial arts at eight years old under the guidance of  Phillip and Shannon Henry.  He is a 4th Degree Black Belt and is Certified in Adult, Child and Infant CPR & AED.

Instructor GABRIEL NECAISE
Gabriel has been taking martial arts with us since he was 6 years old and is now a 3rd Degree Black Belt. During his free time he enjoys playing lacrosse and beach volleyball.

Instructor’s Assistant
ANGELINA OLIVER
Angelina has been training with us for 4 years and is a 2nd Degree Black Belt.  She is certified in Adult, Child and Infant CPR & AED.

Instructor’s Assistant 
LAUREL HENRY
Laurel has been training in the martial arts and dance for 11 years.  She is a 3rd Degree Black Belt and is certified in Adult, Child, Infant CPR & AED.

 Grandmaster SEUNG GYOO DONG

Grandmaster Dong is a pioneer of martial arts in this country.  He studied several styles of martial arts including Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, Ta Kyuk Do, and Kum Do (sword).  In the late 1960’s Grandmaster Dong served as head instructor at the Korean Airforce Headquarters and came to the United States in 1971 to finish college and teach martial arts.    Grandmaster Dong now has over 30 branch schools in the United States and Australia.

Grandmaster Dong has been the subject of numerous articles in newspapers and magazines, as well as television interviews.  In 1989, he was featured on the cover of an international Tae Kwon Do magazine, Tae Kwon Do Times.  He has also produced eight martial arts videos, which have been distributed nationally.  In addition, Grandmaster Dong has written several books on Tae Kwon Do, Progressive Sparring, Sparring Structure, and Where is My Black Belt? which explores the philosophy of martial arts in the form of a novella.  Grandmaster's most recent book was released in 2015; Martial Arts Mastery: Evolution of Training.

In November, 1999, Grandmaster Dong competed in the "Grand Master's King of the World Martial Arts Tournament" held in Korea.  Grandmaster Dong took the title of the first "King of the World Speed Breaking Grandmaster Champion" in the competition.

Grandmaster Dong continues to seek ways to improve his own knowledge in order to benefit his students and other martial artists.  He recently completed a Master's Degree in Physical Education.  His thesis was on the benefits of low abdomen power breathing in the production of power in the martial arts.

Grandmaster Dong's schools are some of the oldest and most prestigious in the USA.  Although he is a world-renowned Grandmaster, he still actively shares his knowledge with students at all levels and continues to offer personal instruction at his headquarters school in Richmond, Virginia.  He has trained over 7,000 black belts in his career, including more than 50 masters and several World Champions.

GRANDMASTER SEUNG GYOO DONG

• 9th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO
• 9th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TA KYUK DO
• 9th DEGREE BLACK BELT - KUM DO (sword)
• MASTER'S DEGREE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION
• HONORARY DOCTORATE DEGREE
  State University of Physical Education and Sport of Moldova

OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS

• 1st King of the World Speed Breaking Champion
• Producer of 8 Martial Arts Videos
• Published Author of Four Books
• Featured on the Cover of Tae Kwon Do Times Magazine
• Trained over 7,000 Black Belts, over 50 Masters & a Grandmaster
• Donated over $750,000 for the Children's Hospital through his annual tournaments
• Over 30 branch schools in the USA, Australia
• Over 50 years of teaching in the USA

Get started now with our 30-Day Trial Program for Beginners   

Grandmaster Dong's Martial Arts
5270-A Hwy 70 West - Morehead City, NC 28557
252-222-0444