When I think about it, the first time I ever visited a karate dojo, an examination was being conducted.  My friend, Dennis, was a black belt in the Karate Association of Hawaii and a member of its best dojo, the University Karate Kai.  Coincidentally, Dennis was also the reason that Sensei Wayne and Sensei Peter became interested in the art.  One day at the university, Dennis invited me to join him in watching a UHKK practice session.  As it turned out, “practice” was a special examination being given by Sensei Funakoshi for only two white belts.  Dennis told me that watching the exam was a good way to view karate techniques and see what might be expected of a trainee.  As I watched the two beginners being tested, I thought to myself, “Wow! These white belts look really good – in fact, they look really great!”  Not knowing any karate at the time, I couldn’t believe what was expected of a white belts taking their first promotion test…and it was a very long one..  It wasn’t until after the exam was over that Dennis revealed that both examinees were previously brown or black belts in other karate schools.  The Karate Association of Hawaii had a great reputation, these experienced karateka had been more than willing to restart as white belts in Shotokan Karate-Do.  The lesson here is, if you really want to impress someone, just have all of your black belts wear a white belt and the observer (like me) will be amazed at the skill level of the “beginners”.  BTW, both “white belts” were promoted to purple or brown belt.  Several years later, I’d be in Special Training with these two “white belts” along with Sensei Wayne and Sensei Peter.