Jean-Claude Van Damme: Difference between revisions

== Career ==

 

 

At the age of 12,<ref>Katherine Drobot Lawrence. [https://books.google.com/books?id=PlXN3oyymPsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Jean-Claude+Van+Damme&hl=en&ei=GK06TunWEMqugQe1wd3PBg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false ''Jean-Claude Van Damme''] (The Rosen Publishing Group, 2002), p. 11.</ref> Van Damme joined the ''Centre National de Karaté'' (National Center of Karate) under the guidance of Claude Goetz in Belgium. Van Damme trained for four years and he earned a spot on the Belgian Karate Team; he later trained in full-contact karate and kickboxing with Dominique Valera.<ref name=StarSystem1>[http://www.starsystemkickboxing.net/Pages/JeanClaudeVanDamme.aspx "Standardized Tournaments And Ratings System Historic Kickboxing Ring Records"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120801014538/http://www.starsystemkickboxing.net/Pages/JeanClaudeVanDamme.aspx |date=1 August 2012 }}. The Star System. 8 March 1980. Retrieved 3 April 2012.</ref>

 

In 1980, Van Damme caught the attention of ''Professional Karate Magazine'' publisher and editor Mike Anderson, and multiple European champion Geert Lemmens. Both men tabbed Van Damme as an upcoming prospect.<ref name=FightingArts>Warrener, Don (15 August 2011). [http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=320 "Jean Claude van Damme: Behind The Public Image"]. FightingArts.com. Retrieved 3 April 2012.</ref> Van Damme retired from competition in 1982.

 

In 1982, Van Damme and childhood friend [[Michel Qissi]] moved to the United States in the hope to work as actors They did a variety of jobs to support themselves. Their first job working on a film as extras in the hip hop dance film ''[[Breakin']]'' (1984), made by [[The Cannon Group, Inc.|Cannon Films]]. They are seen dancing in the background at a dance demonstration.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.worldation.com/stories/muscles-brussels-story-jean-claude-van-damme/2/|title=The muscles from Brussels - the story of Jean-Claude Van Damme {{!}} Worldation|date=2017-10-09|work=Worldation|access-date=2018-04-09|language=en-US}}</ref>

He had a role in the comedy short film ''[[Monaco Forever]]'' (1984)''.<ref>{{Citation|last=Levey|first=William A.|title=Monaco Forever|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087739/|others=Charles Pitt, Nancy Brock, Daniele Romer|accessdate=2018-04-09}}</ref>''

 

 

Van Damme's first sizeable role came when he was cast as the Russian villain in [[Corey Yuen]]' martial arts movie ''[[No Retreat, No Surrender]]'' (1986), starring [[Kurt McKinney]], and released through [[New World Pictures]]. McKinney performs as Jason Stillwell, a U.S. teenager who learns karate from the spirit of [[Bruce Lee]]. Stillwell uses these lessons to defend his martial arts [[dojo]] against Soviet martial artist played by Van Damme.