The Dojo – Billerica

The Dojo teaches traditional Okinawan karate mixed with the best of modern exercise science.

We have always seen the martial arts as a vehicle for greatness, not just a physical pursuit. There is something about the way it helps a person grow, whether you are young or old, just starting out or massively accomplished. We are here to build martial artist of a type that are rare, valuable, authentic, powerful, and absolutely extraordinary; We aim to build world-class leaders, teachers, activists, and thinker-doers who are legendary –who innovate, stand for the best-of-the-best, who literally CHANGE THE WORLD as we know it.

I’m Hanshi Steve, at The Dojo Billerica.



Steve Diorio has been studying and teaching martial arts since 1976. His black belts include several different styles of martial arts and he has taught Uechi Ryu at Brandeis University and the Westwood Recreation Department.



"I love seeing kids grow." Steve has extensive experience training kids. But more important than the martial arts skills they learn is the personal skills they develop and carry for life. Because martial arts is so much more than just kicking and punching, and getting the next colorful belt. It’s about developing confidence, discipline, character, focus and respect.

Sensei Janine, also known as Doc, is a third-degree black belt who has been studying Uechi-Ryu since 2014 with Hanshi Steve. She is also an Assistant Instructor at The Dojo - Billerica.



She had been looking to find a new karate school when she met Steve - and it turns out that she studied the same style of karate when she was a child! When she was a teenager, she studied Kenpo karate for a few years, but she wanted to return to a more traditional martial art. And once she tried a class, she knew that Hanshi Steve was an excellent teacher with a great sense of humor, so she stuck with it and is currently studying for her fourth-degree black belt.



In addition to studying Uechi-Ryu karate, Doc is a dually licensed chiropractor and acupuncturist with her own practice in North Andover, MA: Pulley Chiropractic & Acupuncture. Doctor by day, Ninja by night!

Another martial art that has a long history in the United States is karate, which was introduced to the country by Gichin Funakoshi, a Japanese master who founded the Shotokan school of karate. Karate became popular in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s, thanks in part to the influence of Bruce Lee, who popularized the martial art through his films and teachings.