Sifu Dane Griffith

Sifu Dane Griffith is the founder and head instructor of Blue Lantern Martial Arts in Fort Worth, Texas, where he teaches the complete Shaolin Wing Chun Kung Fu system, along with Sanda, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong. 

His credentials include: 

• Certified by the Ving Tsun Museum (VTM) as a Certified Lohan Instructor in the Shaolin Wing Chun System
• He is  a 12th Generation Disciple of the Shaolin Wing Chun Lineage under Master John Lambert (11th generation) and Grand Master Benny Meng, 10th generation. 
• He is a certified USA Wushu Kungfu Federation Sanda coach, Class C
• Certified Pan American Wushu Federation judge/referee. 

His martial arts journey spans more than three decades, beginning with Okinawan Kempo Karate, continuing through Kyokushin Karate while serving in the U.S. Navy, and culminating in his dedication to a lifelong study, preservation, and teaching of Shaolin Wing Chun.  Along the way he has competed successfully in national tournaments where he earned medals in forms and sparring.

He founded Blue Lantern Martial Arts initially in Newport, Kentucky, eventually relocating to Elsmere, Kentucky where the academy grew and became a community focal point in Northern Kentucky. In the Spring of 2026 he was offered a career opportunity that required a move to Texas. Leaving his students in Kentucky was one of the hardest decisions of his life, but the opportunity to bring Shaolin Wing Chun to the DFW Metroplex is an exciting challenge!  

Outside the kwoon, Sifu Griffith built a distinguished career in medicine, spending more than twenty-five years in the operating room as a Certified Surgical First Assistant and robotic surgery specialist before transitioning into the Biologics representative field. That background informs his analytical approach to anatomy, biomechanics, and precision in martial arts instruction.

" I strive to live as a protector, teacher, and lifelong student.

I believe strength carries responsibility. To possess the ability to protect, teach, or help someone creates an obligation to use that ability wisely. I value honor, loyalty, courage, compassion, humility, and personal responsibility, and I try to demonstrate those values through my actions rather than simply speak about them.

I believe we should live boldly, love deeply, stand firmly for the people and principles that matter to us, and have the courage to do what is right even when it is difficult.

As a martial artist and teacher, I believe my responsibility extends beyond teaching techniques. My goal is to help students understand the principles behind what they practice—to understand not only the how, but the why. Martial arts should develop the mind and body together, cultivate discipline and character, and ultimately make a person more capable, more confident, more compassionate, and more responsible.

I believe a teacher should never stop being a student. Humility is not weakness; it is the foundation upon which genuine mastery is built. I have inherited knowledge from those who came before me, and I consider it my responsibility to preserve what is valuable, continue learning, and pass that knowledge forward with integrity.

Ultimately, I don't want to be remembered simply for what I accomplished. I want to be remembered for the people I helped, the students I taught, the traditions I preserved, and the lives I made better.

That, to me, is strength with purpose—and a life worth remembering."

Sifu Griffith teaches that kung fu is not simply a fighting system—it is a way of living.

His philosophy blends three complementary traditions:

• Shaolin Wing Chun and its emphasis on efficiency, adaptability, and complete martial development. 
• Wude - 武德 (Martial Virtue), stressing humility, respect, discipline, compassion, and ethical use of force. 
• The Norse ideal of the drengr, emphasizing honor, courage, truth, perseverance, self-reliance, and personal responsibility.  

Rather than creating fighters driven by ego, his goal is to cultivate warrior-scholars—people capable of protecting themselves and others while exercising wisdom, restraint, and compassion. 

• Courage: Physical bravery is emphasized, but true strength means controlling one's fear and ego.
• Fair Play: Treating opponents with respect and avoiding cowardly or deceitful acts.
• Generosity: Showing a magnanimous and noble spirit toward friends, strangers, and even foes.
• Reliability: Keeping one's word and standing firmly by family and community.

Central to his philosophy is the belief that:

"What I think affects how I feel, and how I feel affects what I do."
 

This progression—Thoughts → Feelings → Actions—encourages students to develop emotional discipline alongside physical skill through meditation, mindfulness, and deliberate practice. 

Sifu Griffith's teaching style combines traditional martial arts values with modern educational methods.

Students can expect:

• Practical, reality-based instruction that emphasizes understanding why techniques work instead of memorizing choreography. 
• Individualized coaching, meeting beginners and advanced practitioners where they are while continually challenging them to improve. 
• A structured curriculum The "Green Book" with clear progression and measurable goals. 
• A welcoming, ego-free environment where advanced students mentor newer practitioners and everyone is encouraged to grow together.  

Classes typically begin with meditation to cultivate focus before transitioning into technical training, conditioning, partner drills, and application. Students learn to integrate:

• Combat effectiveness 
• Physical fitness 
• Mental discipline 
• Emotional resilience 
• Personal character 

At its heart, Sifu Griffith's mission is to preserve the authentic traditions of Shaolin Wing Chun while making them relevant to modern life.

His vision is to build not merely successful martial artists, but people of character—individuals who embody courage without arrogance, confidence without aggression, and strength tempered by humility.

For Sifu Griffith, success is measured not only by tournament medals or technical proficiency, but by the kind of person a student becomes through the lifelong practice of kung fu.