BEST OF CHATHAM
EVERYBODY WAS KUNG FU FIGHTING BY ELIZABETH EGAN
M
9, are enrolled in lessons at the gym, artial arts has never been about and sometimes help out with classes the belts for Chris Heintzman of alongside other advanced students. The Seven Star Kung Fu Academy. It’s gym has grown into a kind of extended about self-discipline. family. “Our other instructor, Jolon “We aren’t a belt factory, and we don’t Spachtholz, is a really kind and funny just churn out belts,”says Chris, the guy,” Chris says. “Everyone at the gym “sifu,” or teacher, at the academy. “To loves him. He has been with me for over advance, you really have to work hard, 20 years and has become like another and it takes time. When the kids get that son to me and Leslie.” belt, it really means something, and they Chris wants to focus on continuing to know they earned it.” As a 13-year-old growing up in Detroit, build that community, so trial classes are offered to interested students. “I never movies inspired Chris to imitate martial want to force people to take classes arts moves. He would fight with other or be like a car salesman,” he says. kids at school, but after joining martial “I want them to take classes because arts classes, his self-discipline and selfthey connect with instructors, and it’s confidence improved – and he stopped something they really want to do. I’ve getting into trouble. had kids who come into their first class Chris, who has a bachelor’s degree in crying because they don’t want to do it, finance from Michigan State University, and then by the time their parents come studied and competed in several different to get them, they’re laughing and smiling forms of martial arts. He first opened a and say they can’t wait to come back.” gym in 2010 in Fayetteville, where he studied with Grand Master David Chin, head of the Tibetan Hop Gar system. Leslie is the friendly face welcoming Chris now teaches this form of martial students to the “kwoon,” arts at Seven Star. Leslie Heintzman, Chris’ or training hall. Though she ABOVE LEFT wife and a teacher at Seven didn’t grow up with martial Dag shows off his own kung fu Star, says her husband was arts, she regularly takes skills. teaching members of the kickboxing and tai chi classes LEFT Leslie, military, but deployments were at the gym and provides Chris, Maximus disruptive. The Chapel Hillinstruction when needed. and Dag. based couple opened a fitness Students call her “simo,” RIGHT Chris school three years ago in the meaning teacher-mother, leads a Hop Gar Chatham Crossing Shopping which is a term of respect Kung Fu class at Seven Star Kung Center. Students from ages 4 for the wife of the sifu. She’s Fu Academy. to 85 take classes in Chinese also a baker and sells her Sari mixed martial arts, kung fu, Sari Sweets at the Carrboro tai chi, kickboxing, qi gong, Farmers Market. submission grappling for Leslie was adopted from adults and more. the Philippines and grew up in The Heintzmans’ two Roanoke, Virginia, where she sons, Dag, 13, and Maximus, was one of only a few Asian
‘FULL CIRCLE’
66
CHATHAM MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2021