The Story Behind Midtown Toronto’s Leading Martial Arts Sanctuary

I’ve been attending Evoke’s kickboxing classes for a few sessions so far. I have enjoyed coming in every time. The instructors are both highly personable and knowledgeable, plus they make a great effort to make everyone feel included and challenged in the best way. I had never considered a martial art previously, and I’m very glad I chose Evoke! I’m looking forward to integrating kickboxing into my health and wellness goals which feel slowly but surely more attainable in no small part due to this excellent environment to learn in. Huge thanks to the Evoke team!! 🙏

I joined Evoke almost 2 months ago and I’m really enjoying it! The teachers are attentive to each student and make you feel empowered to get through each tough workout. I have a Shotokan Karate background and have been quite out of shape so I was looking for something where I could use my passion for martial arts but also get my body back in shape and Evoke is the perfect place for that. I’m very happy I joined and highly recommend it! If you’re scared or shy, try one class and I’m sure you’ll be back again!

Our 7yo and 4yo both attend T.H.A and we couldn't be happier with the decision to join 2 years ago. What appeals most to us about Hapkido is the value system that is instilled within each person there. Our children learn about personal responsibility, respect, discipline and honour. The environment is warm and friendly, and the instructors are really wonderful with the kids. We're proud to call this our Dojo and will continue to send our children here for many many years to come.

My son started the Lil’ Dragons program with the hope that he would learn self defense skills as well as discipline the Martial Art is known to offer. He is not only learning Hapkido, but life lessons that serve him well on and off the mat. We are blown away by the care and dedication the staff continue to show our family. They create such a warm community for kids and adults alike. We have 2 children registered in Lil’ Dragons with our 3rd waiting patiently to start.

My son has been attending clases for over a month now and I can say he loves it! He is always eager to go to class and really enjoys stripe week, it keeps him engaged and to feel appreciated for his hard work.

When I started the teen Hapkido classes late last year I knew this was the activity for me. Since then, I have started the Muay Thai classes too. I am now only in grade ten but I know that Toronto Hapkido Academy will be a significant part of my high school career. Every time I leave class I feel a sense of accomplishment. I know that every minute on the mat is a minute well spent. The other members and inspiring staff all send a positive vibe that encourages me to push myself further. I would recommend Toronto Hapkido Academy to anyone looking for a fun, challenging, physical improvement program.

Have been going here for the Muay Thai classes. The team is absolutely amazing!!! Very supportive, provide clear instructions and help for the classes, friendly and kind, and know you by name which I believe shows how much they care. The place itself is very clean, bright, and overall suitable for the classes. I do a biweekly membership and it's definitely worth it if you can go consistently, otherwise they offer class packages too. I really enjoy going here and would recommend anyone considering a place to join here!

As a beginner to Muay Thai, I love the friendly & encouraging atmosphere at Evoke! Classes are fun & the instructors are amazing. Highly recommend for anyone starting their martial arts journey!

Hi praise for the wonderful team at Evoke. My 7 year old daughter loves the Little Dragon program and is exited to go to every single class. It's incredible to see the added boost in her confidence and focus in such a short period of time. Special events, such as the parent's night out, was also a fun and exciting time for the kids and certainly appreciated by the parents.

My son started the Lil Dragons program in September and loves it. The entire instructor team has been fantastic in ensuring each child is engaged, having fun and learning valuable life lessons. They truly want each child to be successful and earn their stripes. My son has absolutely shown improved confidence and self control since starting. He was just old enough to do this past March Break camp and had a blast. The entire instructor team took great care of him and he can't wait for summer camp. My husband also does adult classes and loves it! He calls it his second home! If you are looking to enrol your child into martial arts, T.H.A is a wonderful family friendly place that I highly recommend.

I have been going to T.H.A. for about three months now and never once did i not look forward to coming to class! T.H.A offers three different classes: Hapkido, Muay Thai, and Fitness kickboxing. I started off with the Muay Thai class out of curiosity and end up with sampling all three of them. The Muay Thai class is challenging but fun. The instructors make sure that everyone understands and grasps the basic before advancing to a more complicated technique. A mixture of this and a little bit of cardio work makes this class an awesome class. The Fitness Kickboxing class is as equally fun and challenging as the muay thai class. This one is a combination of fast-pace and high intensity activities. From the way the class is designed and the instructors to the attending members, it makes you want to better yourself and not slack. Last but not least, the Hapkido class. This class involves more ground work (grappling), a little different from the first two classes due to its technicality. However the instructors always pay careful attention and make sure that each technique is done properly. This might look scary and intimidating when watched, but it is actually very enjoyable. Overall, T.H.A is a great place to learn martial art or just to be more active and surrounded with positive people. If in doubt, try their 3-week trial program where you can sample all three classes and decide which one resonates best with you.

This is by far one of the best kids parties we’ve ever hosted. We have celebrated both of our kids party here. It is an amazing experience for the kids. They are kept active with none stop games and make sure the birthday child is the center of the party! Can’t recommend enough.

The space was perfect for my 7-year-old's BD party, and all the moms were so impressed! The entertainers were amazing—kept the kids happy and engaged. Everything was professional, fun, and well-organized. Highly recommend Evoke team for a truly stress-free, memorable party!

I've been with the T.H.A. for nearly 5 years now and I love how they became my second family. The instructors and students have helped me become a better person and a better martial artist and still continue to do so. Over the years, training hasn't always been easy for me, there would be hard times where i would doubt myself but the support and the encouragement they give is what keeps me going. I am truly thankful to be part of this family and this community. I recommend T.H.A to anyone who is interested in martial arts, wether you are a beginner or experienced, it is a place where you could be comfortable and thrive at the same time.

Was looking to get back into some exercise post lockdown. And Evoke has been such a dream for that! Consistent classes, intense but manageable workouts, and an awesome instructor! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a good workout

We signed up our elder daughter (age 6) for a one-week summer camp, and she loved it so much she asked to sign up for regular classes. This from a girl who is typically into princesses, ballet dancing, and arts and crafts. Naturally because she wanted to do it, her little sister (age 4) also wanted to join classes too. They both have been going to classes twice a week now for 4 months and they are as excited and motivated to go now as when they first started attending. The instructor team does a great job remembering all their names (which is no easy feat), fostering confidence, and providing motivation, especially through the stripe and belt advancement. Each lesson also has a brief interactive lecture about important life lessons such as focus, confidence, responsibility, and control, but done so with a good sense of humour to not bore them. My girls both wish the lessons were longer. The timing of the younger kids (Lil' Dragon) lessons (4:30pm and 5pm) are a bit difficult for working parents to get their kids to twice a week, but there is a Saturday morning session too. We've been really happy with our experiences so far with T.H.A., great work!

Our sensitive, smart, playful, and slightly scatter-brained son was being bullied at school by a number of children over two years. In addition to our efforts dealing with the school, my wife and I were looking for a confidence-building activity for him. Back when I was in my twenties and early thirties, I trained heavily at an Okinawan Karate and Ju-Jitsu school in Markham, but I was initially hesitant to have my 5-year-old son try an art I didn't have a background in. Eight months in, here are my observations: I am VERY IMPRESSED with T.H.A., both for their kids Hapkido and adult Muy Thai classes. There are schools cheaper, and closer to where we live mid-town (Toronto), but IMHO, this place is an EXCELLENT value, and well worth the slightly longer drive. I have not experienced their adult Hapkido classes, but I suspect they will be just as good if not better, considering this is first and foremost a Hapkido school. Children, teen, and adult classes, martial arts and fitness occur throughout the afternoon and evening. The schedule isn't posted on their website, but you can get it by emailing them. I found their no-strings-attached, free intro classes for my son and myself thoroughly enjoyable. They offer a few membership packages based on how much you can afford, and how much you want train. We went with the annual Hapkido membership for my son, and I chose a medium-term Muy Thai membership as a trial for myself. As luck...and my own carelessness would have it, I sustained a significant injury while on a ski trip. T.H.A. were happy to put my membership on hold, with no conditions. As soon as my doctor gives me the OK, I'm going back! We've also attended a number of their community BBQs, and parties: Hilarious, and family friendly. Well worth going. Our 4-year-old is itching to start. Bar none, T.H.A has the best kids martial arts classes I've ever seen! Their instructors PERFECTLY strike that hard to achieve, balanced mix of discipline, fun, physical challenge, technical instruction, and character-building. The latter is in the form of engaging discussions in Honesty, Empathy, etc. that are part of each 30 minute "Lil Dragons" class. How they effectively pack each class with all of the above is definitely worth seeing for yourself. In addition to the exercise, I really liked this character-building piece for our son. I see his physical skills, confidence, patience, and ability to verbally assert himself steadily growing with each week. As for my experience, I found the adult Muy Thai class also struck a perfect balance of ensuring a safe space, comfortable for beginners, while also steadily amping up the physical and technical challenge. I felt playfully pushed, but also supported when I needed to back off (I've got more than a few injuries). I also felt instantly welcomed. That was nice. My fellow participants were all shades, shapes, abilities, and intensity levels. I made a point of wiping the sweat out of my eyes every now and then to look around and see how others seemed to be doing. Everyone seemed to be finding the perfect level of challenge for themselves, while having a blast. I know I was. The school is well stocked with quality sparring gloves and pads if you don't have your own. If memory serves, you get gloves and wraps with an annual membership. The class I took was partner-based work with gloves and pads. Fun! No ceiling-mounted heavy-bags, but movable "heavy" punching bags with the weighted bottoms. They even have little ones for the kids classes! Target Market: Family, Individual, & Couples...so basically something for everyone. Conclusion: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Take an intro-class and see for yourself. Ryan

Place is nicely clean! (I found not too many in the neighboorhood have a clean mat) Did the muay thai class & its fantastic for all levels. Their techniques is really really well taught. Just love getting a great workout too. Everybody is super friendly & very respectful, which as a beginner makes u feel safe & comfortable. Looking forward to my next class!

I spent the summer training muay thai at Evoke Martial Arts in Toronto. During my time here, I was thrilled to be part of such a vibrant, supportive, and welcoming community, full of instructors and students who consistently uplift one another and who instantly made me feel right at home. Each class, I got plenty of training time and one-on-one instruction, a concrete understanding of the fundamentals of muay thai, and a killer workout. The studio is clean and well-kept, the music played during class is awesome, and the instructors are some of the most motivating and encouraging people I have ever met. The sense of community at Evoke Martial Arts unforgettable- I never left a single class without a smile, and can’t wait to come back to continue training muay thai in Toronto. Thanks, Evoke!

I signed up my son for a trial this past summer after trying several other martial arts programs around the city. After one trial class my son was committed to return - a naturally shy boy, my son really took a liking to the large bright space and reasonable sized classes. Evoke is truly a community that pushes growth in their discipline, respect for others and overall fun and learning.

I have been doing Hapkido for 6 years. it has helped with my discipline, I've learned to focus and respect other people. It is good for exercise and self defence. We do different punching, kicking, and grappling techniques. Our instructors are patient and kind.

Probably one of the best in town. We have been with them for years. Instructors are all professional, very friendly, helpful, and welcoming, and so are the members, which some of them are coming to the club from the other side of the town! well, It is really more like a happy community than just a fitness and martial art club. highly recommended, for kids, teens or adults alike.

my 7 year old boy did summer camp there. He said it was very fun, liked the staff and said he wants to go back.

My daughter loved her 2 weeks at this camp. They were very organized and the staff were great fun. The activities were well chosen for safety and fun.

My son absolutely loves this studio! It's his second time engaging with martial arts and his first time trying Muay Thai / kickboxing, and he thoroughly enjoys both. Master Dayo, Miss Tess, and all the trainers on site are fantastic. The studio is clean and inviting. The community is also both welcoming and serious. 5 stars!