About Performance Martial Arts


Performance Taekwon-Do was opened in February of 2014 in Halifax, Nova Scotia by Sean O'Neil and is currently located at 5676 Sebastian Street, Halifax. Martial arts are a good way for students to develop self esteem and a healthy lifestyle that will complement their lives outside of training. Martial arts are also a tool for social development - they teach self discipline and encourage practitioners to be accountable for their progress and training. The instructors are extensively trained in multiple martial arts. The club started as a Taekwon-Do club but given the instructors' involvement in WKF Karate via Halifax Ryuseikan Karate, in Sept 2022 we became recognized by Karate Nova Scotia, rebranded as Performance Martial Arts and added a separate Karate program. We focus on developing elite martial artists with a particular emphasis on the sport aspect of ITF Taekwon-Do and WKF Karate. You can find more information about Performance Taekwon-Do as well as our provincial, national and international governing bodies/organizations at the below links:

KNS - Karate Nova Scotia
KC - Karate Canada
WKF - World Karate Federation
TNSA - Taekwon-Do Nova Scotia Association
CTFI - Canadian Taekwon-Do Federation International
ITF - International Taekwon-Do Federation



Instructors


Sean O'Neil



Sean O'Neil is PMA's chief instructor, a 4th degree black belt in Taekwon-Do, and a 2nd degree black belt in Chito-Ryu Karate. Sean was born and raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia and in 2001, at the age of 6, Sean started training in Taekwon-Do at Tien-Lung Taekwon-Do in Halifax, and 3 years later he moved to Mackenzie Taekwon-Do in Hammonds Plains. Sean has competed at many national and international level competitions and has been the national champion in both patterns and sparring for many years, and has brought home many medals from the following World Cups and World Championships, including 5 gold. He has also been very successful at a national level in Karate. Sean works as a software developer for a financial services company.



Serena MacRury



Serena MacRury started training in Taekwon-Do in 2007 at the age of 9 at Hiltz Taekwon-Do in Lower Sackville. Serena joined Performance Taekwon-Do in 2016 as an assistant instructor. Serena is also a multiple time national champion in patterns and sparring and has represented Canada at the following World Championships and World Cups. Serena works as a veterinary technician at a local practice.




Black Belts

Ryan O'Neil, 3rd Dan (TKD)/Shodan (Karate) - Ryan spent his younger years training with his brother, Sean. He has won 3 consecutive Taekwon-Do World Championships in Senior 2nd Dan Patterns, ending in 2019. He has since retired from Taekwon-Do competition and committed to Karate full time. Ryan trains with Mitch German at Ryuseikan and acts as a Karate coach and advisor for the Karate program at PMA. Ryan has won multiple National Karate Championships, been on the podium at the Pan-American championships and represented Canada at the World Karate Championships. He also attended the Paris Olympic trials for the 2020 Olympic Games. Ryan is a PhD candidate at Dalhousie University in the engineering department.

Evan Peddle, 2nd Dan (TKD) - Evan started doing Taekwon-Do in 2011 at Mackenzie Taekwon-Do in Hammonds Plains. He has won 7 gold medals at a national level, and has also won a bronze medal in 2nd dan patterns from the World Cup in Australia. Evan also trains in Karate and has been a member of the Karate provincial team, attended the nationals and hopes to be able to represent Nova Scotia at the Canada Games. Outside of Taekwon-Do, Evan attends CPA High School and likes to play the guitar and video games with his friends.

Mike Pellichero, 1st Dan (TKD) - Mike started training in Taekwon-Do at Performance Taekwon-Do in 2016 and in November of 2021, he achieved his 1st degree black belt. Mike most recently took gold in junior male red belt/black stripe patterns at the 2021 Canadian E-nationals. He's looking forward to competing internationally as a black belt in the coming years. Mike attends Citadel High School and is in his final year.

Matthew Mackenzie, 1st Dan (TKD) - Matt discovered his passion for Taekwondo later in life at the age of 38, driven by a desire to spend quality time with his daughters and improve his fitness. Matthew started his Taekwondo journey at McKenna Taekwondo and later joined Performance Taekwondo in 2022, Matthew aimed to train with coaches that were still active in the sport with the goal of becoming a competitive Taekwondo athlete himself. Now at 45 years old, Matthew still actively trains and competes alongside his daughters in as many local, national and international tournaments as he can. Outside of Taekwondo Matthew can be found alongside his wife Carmen running their manufacturing companies in the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia.

Bailey Mackenzie, 1st Dan (TKD) - Bailey started her taekwondo journey at McKenna Taekwon-Do in 2016 and later joined PMA in 2022. In 2023, Bailey won gold at Nationals, and competed for Team Canada at the World Championships in Finland. Bailey is in her final year at Auburn Drive High.