LIFTED Competitor Spotlight Featuring Kimberly Stancavage-Bourelly
“What inspires this master-level blackbelt? Who gave her the toughest challenges along the way? How does she manage to “show up” every day?
Meet Master Blackbelt – Sensei Kim…
Some of you enjoyed our first ever competitor spotlight with martial artist Grand Master Bobby Harris. Now we’re back with another great Competitor Spotlight featuring Kimberly Stancavage-Bourelly – A karate instructor, yogi, wife, and proud mom from Mountaintop, Pa.
This interview was a great time!
Kim began her training in 1986 under Joe Huntzinger at Huntzinger’s Karate when she was 8 years old. Through years of practice and study, she now carries a 5th-degree blackbelt in Fudoshin Kai Karate.
Kim also has experience in Tae Kwon Do, Capoeira, Jeet Kun Do, Shorin Ryu, and Kickboxing.
After a few tech glitches, we jumped right into a funny story about how Kim first came to practice martial arts. It seems she was more into the idea of breakdancing, but her parents offered an alternative that kids like us, growing up in the “The Karate Kid era ” simply couldn’t resist.
How It All Got Started…
About: LIFTED Competitor Spotlight – Sport Karate Series
*Updated 5/25/21
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In the sport karate series of LIFTED Competitor Spotlight, we decided to sit down and chat with some of the talented athletes that have wowed us with their skills through the years, catch up, and introduce them to LIFTED!
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A True Balancing Act
Balancing family life with a Champion-rated hubby (Jason Tankson-Bourelly), a talented young son, adorable pet babes, and a full-time career is already a huge task. Add in teaching martial arts, training for competitions, and teaching yoga – while navigating a national health crisis, and things could get pretty interesting.
A graduate of LaSalle University, Kim is now working in finance. She embraces her extra busy schedule with the true spirit of a master instructor. She uses the intense pace of her schedule as a way to keep herself motivated. She says, “There’s always something to improve on and learn…”
Kim stands by a motto from her earliest teaching years – “I won’t teach something or make others do things that I can’t do myself, so that motivates me to be actively committed to staying in shape, and keeping my karate up to speed.”
Teaching
As it turns out, Kim has been sort of a multi-faceted fitness instructor since her college years. At one point early on, she developed and taught a cardio kickboxing program at Temple and LaSalle Universities in Philadelphia.
After exploring many teaching opportunities along the east coast, she and Jason eventually nurtured their own school – Elite Martial Arts for about 9 years. They have since settled into what is now Bourelly ONE at Dance by DiNote, (a reputable dance school in Sewell, NJ.)
Cardio Kickboxing In College
Training, Teams, & Competition
As we dove into her time spent on Team Jungle Care and Team SideKick mostly as a forms competitor, Kim fondly remembers testing her skills in the creative forms, musical forms, and traditional forms divisions.
She has successfully earned several championship wins throughout the years, competing and performing with and against some of the most well-known names in the sport karate world.
Some Nasty Injuries Have The Sweetest Finish
With all that kata competition going on, she didn’t get serious about competitive sparring until she moved to Philadelphia and began training and traveling to events with the Philly crew out of the infamous Chang Moo Kwan in West Philadelphia.
Some of Kim’s first fight training partners included point-fighting champion Bobby Harris, Tai Kline, a young Tyreé Wright, Kevin Harden Jr, Danny Barnes, Roi Ligon, Guy Bard, Rodney Bailey & lil Rodney, and several others.
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Most Admired Female Competitors
When it came to naming influential female sparring competitors, the likes of Jennifer Santiago and Regina Thompson easily rolled off her tongue. She also mentioned friend and former training partner Tai Kline, as well as Mrs. Conception (a well-respected black belt judge) as giving her the push to help get her confidence going.
Kim also got to later experience a kickboxing match (which she won) under the skillful training and coaching of highly recognized (sport martial arts) competitor husband – Jason Bourelly. Go Kim!
Favorite Combo
Later in our conversation, Casey Marks, another formidable martial arts competitor, quickly became the topic of discussion when we asked Kim about her toughest opponent. Casey is known to be a good sportsman and an amazing martial artist who represented Team Paul Mitchell for quite a few tournament seasons. “She’s a beast in Kata and weapons… I’ve never beaten her..,” she recalls.
Respect for a former opponent…
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More Than A Martial Arts Instructor
Yoga
Karate and Yoga are a great pair of practices to combine together, and Kim actively teaches both!
Her classes are versatile and welcoming for beginners as well as a refreshing exploration for more advanced practitioners. Students enjoy effective stretching and strengthening as she is an experienced, and inclusive yoga teacher.
Members of Cross Keys United Methodist YOGA group can currently enjoy classes on Facebook. However, Kim does make herself available for private instruction as well.
If loyalty is still an indication of the quality of instruction you would receive from this husband and wife team, it’s nice to know that most of their current yoga and martial arts students have been with them from the very start.
Kim’s Inspiration
Inspired by her champion hubby – who is a beast in the ring (forms & fighting), she has some solid advice for their students at Bourelly ONE and everywhere, as they all move forward into whatever is the “new normal”.
Words of Wisdom
“…and don’t be afraid to show others what you know…”
LIFTED Sports Cream
“…I have definitely felt a change”
-Kim Stancavage-Bourelly on LIFTED CBD Sports Cream
Kim’s Sports Cream Review
Kimberly gave LIFTED Sports Cream an 8-9 on the relief scale. She was surprised by the invigorating scent and was able to relax into a restful slumber after the initial application. At one point she compared her comfort level to the relief she feels after a session at her chiropractor’s office.
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For use before, during, or after physical activity to keep your muscles and joints moving in comfort.
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- Penetrates deeply with Cooling and Warming effects of menthol & camphor
- Vegan Formula with Beneficial Essential Oils
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Kimberly’s Fun Facts:
Favorite Tournament Promotors:
- Mark Russo – “He really looked out for myself and my family… and always very accommodating to everyone”
Favorite Tournament Venues:
- Blue Grass Nationals – “I love Bluegrass” First big tournaent making it on stage
- Battle of Atlanta – Favorite road trip with Tai Kline & Kevin Harden Jr.
Favorite Center Referee:
- Johan Vash – “He was always so cool.”
Most Memorable Tournament Experience:
- One of John Chung’s events when I won for overall grands.
What’s Next?
It’s been hard on some of the students that don’t do zoom well, but others have taken a new interest. Bourelly ONE may continue to offer both options as things begin to get underway again.
The Bourellys are ready to move on past the restrictions of covid and get back to regular classes and of course the ring, but this time around for Kim, it’s all about JJ!
As dad is lining up for his own future competitions, Kim is excited that young JJ is getting amped up about getting in the ring again. She plans to sit out more tournaments in order to take on the role of his biggest cheerleader and number one fan!
How to Connect For Martial Arts Training or Yoga
Bourelly ONE teaches Shorin Ryu Karate. The available programs at Dance by DiNote include:
- Bees: ages 3 – 6 years old
Basic karate skills, stranger awareness, and fire safety, easy transition into the Karate I curriculum - Karate I: ages 7 – 12 years old
- Karate II: ages 13 – adult
- Conditioning
- Flexibility
- Private instruction
Look for Kim @phillyfighter13 on Instagram! Watch the video clip for more contact information.
Thank you for taking the time out to enjoy this Competitor Spotlight. We hope to bring you many more in the near future.
-LIFTED
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