Ernie Reyes, born on February 12, 1947, is an American martial artist, actor and fight choreographer. He is the co-founder and head instructor of West Coast World Martial Arts, where he has been teaching for more than 35 years. The association has more than 35 schools, teaching more than seven thousand students.

 

Ernie Reyes Sr.  has led and choreographed the demonstration team from the West Coast World Martial Arts association, blending modern music and gymnastics with traditional martial arts. The demonstration team has been entertaining and demonstrating martial arts since the early 1980s.

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Ernie Reyes Sr. choreographed the martial arts for the films Surf Ninjas and The Last Dragon. He also choreographed the martial arts for the TV show Sidekicks, using his own West Coast black belts for the fight scenes with his son. He had a role on screen in Surf Ninjas and Secret Bodyguard. Though he did not appear in the film, Reyes portrayed Akuma in the arcade and console ports of the 1994 live-action adaptation of Street Fighter.

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Ernie Reyes has five children: Ernie Jr., Lee, Destiny, Espirit and Ki.