Emerald Dragon Karate is bringing months of training to the Carbon County Fair for its Saturday night performance on Aug. 9.

Based in Slatington, Emerald Dragon Karate has been chopping it up in the community since opening in 1989.

Karate Master Brian Kates has been training students for more than 25 years, training that will be up for show on Saturday.

The demonstration will feature 20 performers, of all different ages and skill levels.

“Every one of them are students, anywhere from younger students that have been with me about a year to students that have been with me for 25, 30 years,” Kates said. “We pick the best of the best.”

Outside of showing off their hard work and practice, Kates is hoping to show off another aspect of karate that is often overlooked: the art in martial arts.

“The biggest thing is just getting people to understand that this is a performance art as well,” Kates said. “A lot of people think it’s just about beating somebody up or defense, but it’s about trying to better yourself each day, physically, mentally and spiritually.”

Kates has been practicing karate since he was 3 years old, taking after his late father, who first discovered the practice during the Vietnam War. Emerald Dragon Karate started with his father, and now it lives on in Kates, his sons and the family they’ve built in and out of the dojo.

“Martial arts is my life. You literally have a second family here,” Kates said. “I just enjoy life as it comes. I think a lot of people find that through the martial arts you are inspired to be better for yourself.”

When taking lessons at Emerald Dragon Karate, students are most commonly taught a style that was founded by Kates’ father, known as sagido.

The Korean word “sagido” translates to “the deadliest techniques of the arts,” and that’s exactly what the practice is meant to be.

The practice draws from five different styles to create one well-rounded style that can be used in any situation, Kates explained.

“It’s the best of the best within it,” he said. “A person can learn to do joint manipulation, wrist lock, throws, sweeps, takedowns, kicking, punching and still learning even weaponry.”

Some of these moves, and more, will be on display at 6 p.m. in the arena at the Carbon County Fair. For more information on the dojo, visit emeralddragonkarate.com.