Before either brother tied a belt around their waist, Tony and Dean Romanelli were just two kids in love with Ninja Turtles and The Karate Kid. Tony remembers his first class as simply “fun—I just knew I wanted to come back.” Dean remembers the awe of watching intermediate students in their crisp uniforms and thinking, I want to be one of them.
That quiet longing—to belong, to become—still lives in the kids who step onto the mats at Romanelli’s International Martial Arts, a proud member of the Zen Bei Butoku-Kai International martial arts organization. Led by O’Sensei Brian Ricci of Massachusetts, this parent organization has shaped Dean and Tony's approach as direct students and now, as directors themselves.
“We call it ‘walking with the white belt,’” Tony says. “It means we remember what it feels like to start. That’s where the real foundation gets built.”
Learning to Be Seen
Some kids show up ready. Others don’t. But all are met where they are.
“We try to build a place where nobody gets left behind,” Dean says. “If a kid doesn’t feel safe anywhere else, we want them to feel safe here.”
“When a kid’s nervous, we don’t push,” Tony adds. “Sometimes just sitting with them on the side for a few classes is enough to build trust.”
It works. They’ve seen kids who couldn’t make eye contact become instructors. “The kids don’t just look up to us—they look up to each other,” Dean notes. “That creates a real circle of support.”
One child, homeschooled and afraid to join the group, ended up performing confidently in front of a packed crowd.
“He walked in scared to be seen,” Tony says, “and left proud to be known.”
What Parents Don’t Expect—But Should
Most parents come hoping for discipline, focus, and structure—and they get that. But what they don’t always expect is how martial arts begins to shape the rest of a child’s life.
“Sometimes parents come to us and say, ‘I don’t know what happened, but my kid just stood up for themselves at school for the first time,’” Dean says.
“One mom told us the confidence she gained here gave her the courage to leave her job and start her own business,” Tony adds. “It’s bigger than martial arts. It’s a mirror.”
“We want parents to know this is a character school just as much as a martial arts school,” Dean emphasizes. “Kids are learning compassion, respect, perseverance—things they’ll carry into every part of their lives.”
Relationships That Last
The longer I listen to Dean and Tony, the more I realize martial arts here isn’t an individual pursuit. It’s communal. Students help each other rise. Parents connect. Lifelong friendships form.
“Some of our students are still friends 20 years later,” Dean shares. “That’s the kind of community martial arts can create.”
“We’re not just teaching kicks and punches—we’re teaching how to be a person who lifts others up.”
“It’s not just about the kids, either,” Dean adds. “Parents come here and feel like they belong. That matters.”
What Success Really Means
When asked what success looks like, neither brother mentions belts or trophies.
Tony recalls one girl who could barely make eye contact when she started. She’s now earned her black belt and helps teach the younger students. “That’s success,” Tony says. “She changed, and now, she’s changing others.”
“Success is when a student finds their voice,” Dean adds. “Not just in class, but in life.”
“I don’t need a student to win a tournament,” Tony observes. “I need them to walk into a room and feel like they belong there.”
And when I ask what they hope Romanelli’s kids will be in ten years, Dean answers without hesitation: “The best version of themselves.”
Which, I’ve learned from experience, is not a destination—it’s the path itself. So as the interview ends, I really understand what Tony and Dean have built: a place where kids don’t just learn to defend themselves—they learn to be themselves. Or in simpler terms: it’s a dojo for engaging in the quiet, sacred art of becoming.
If you want your child to be a part of this remarkable community, visit internationalma.com
“We call it ‘walking with the white belt. It means we remember what it feels like to start.”
“We want parents to know this is a character school just as much as a martial arts school. Kids are learning compassion, respect, perseverance—things they’ll carry into every part of their lives.”