It is called a “fantasy” world for good reason. When we turn to the fantasy genre when we play games, go to a movie, or read a book, we’re not looking for reality. We’re looking to escape the world of the mundane and enter into a universe where anything can be possible. However, sometimes it…
Read More... from Nine Ridiculous Weapons in Games, Cartoons, Film and Fiction
With 2014 now upon us many people are looking at their New Year's resolutions. Almost every person I know has something on that list pertaining to trying something new as well as improving their health and fitness. One of the great things about Academie Duello is that with the new year brings a new set…
Read More... from Introductory Courses for the New Year at Academie Duello
At the end of every evening class that I teach, I offer 10 minute private coaching sessions. These spots allow me an opportunity to work with people one on one and help them with struggles from class, tweaks to their form, and guidance for their overall development. Recently I had an interesting experience with one…
Read More... from The Power of a "What's Right" Coaching Session
The Province Newspaper features a half page article today about Archery that mentions a lot of different people with the last name Boorman. Interestingly I do have a distant relation to the Boorman's who run the archery store in New Westminster and certainly some shared passion for traditional martial arts. I'm really glad to see…
Read More... from Archery Continues to be Big News in Vancouver
History has its share of colourful duels between men of all stations but they weren't the only ones hurling down insults, hauling out swords, or trying to make new orifices in their enemies with pistols. Here are five stories featuring some badass dueling ladies. 1. Hyde Park Pistol Duel Seems that women have been cattily…
Read More... from Dueling Dudettes - Five Stories of Badass Women from History
This past weekend members were inducted into new ranks in the Academie, we indulged in Nerdy goodness at Nerdfest at the Rickshaw Theatre, and whole crews of new people tried Archery and Mounted combat for the first time. Rank Exams Congratulations to Rick, Dieter, and Steve on completing their rank examination for the second rank…
Read More... from Rank Exam Results, NerdFest, Archery, and Mounted Combat!
Check out our very own Kimberleigh Smithbower-Roseblade in the sports section of the Vancouver Courier today. If you don't live in Vancouver or shun the papery stuff you can check the article out on their website. The article tells the story of Kim's recent trip down to Mississippi where she worked with our friends at…
Read More... from AD's Kimberleigh Roseblade featured in Vancouver Courier today.
Until this weekend we had an unbroken streak of good weather for Mounted Combat. In the two years we've been running the Mounted Combat workshops we've had stunningly good weather, with maybe a sprinkle of rain at the beginning or end of the day. However, when our weather luck failed, it failed spectacularly, and chose…
The Western Martial Arts Workshop (WMAW) for 2013 is over. Another satisfying year of this great event put on by the Chicago Swordplay Guild at the Dekoven Center in Racine Wisconsin. For those who are unfamiliar with the WMAW, this event started in 2001 and is one of the oldest workshops of Western Martial Arts…
Read More... from A Report from the Western Martial Arts Workshop
As I was flying out to the Western Martial Arts Workshop (WMAW) in Racine, Wisconsin this past weekend, many articles began whirling around the Internet about the demise of beloved sword fighting game initiative - Clang! I have been following this project closely as Neal Stephenson is a good friend of mine and a colleague…
Read More... from Clang! Neal Stephenson's Kickstarter is still alive and swinging!
With just a few days left till Carosella 2013, here are the logistics, and some practical tips to help you make the most of your weekend. Getting There All the activities happen at Red Colt Equestrian Farm Co-op, at 12320 No 2 Road, Richmond, south of Steveston Hwy, at the junction of Andrews. Bus: take…
Read More... from The Carosella Companion: your guide to the weekend
Sunday September 29th is the Tournament portion of Carosella. There will be competitions for every level of participant, and plenty to watch for the general public. Here's the low-down. Grooms' Competition Open to: Anyone with their own or a leased horse Cavaliere Program members with a minimum of Horsemanship 1 Format: Teams of two will compete…
On Saturday August 24th, Academie Duello was a part of the Scion City Chase. This event is an urban adventure where teams of two race each other through a series of "Chasepoints" throughout the city of Vancouver. At these points they undergo challenges that will either help or hinder them on their way to the…
I have finally managed to come down a bit more to earth since my return home from the Cascadia North Accolade Tournament this past weekend. Of course in classic Devon style, on the day of my return I went to the school, completely unloaded our trailers and trucks, headed home to do the same, then…
Read More... from Home from Cascadia North Accolade Tournament
A couple of our instructors have been highlighted online in the last week, though in two quite different forums. Jennifer Landels was asked by Alex Waterhouse-Hayward to do some writing about herself to accompany a beautiful photograph he took of her around the time of the Shakespeare's Rebel event. It's gracefully written and gives you…
Read More... from A peek inside the world of two Duello instructors
Some cool spots about Academie Duello showed up in a couple publications in the last two weeks. Patrick von Stolk of Briefed.ca an online men's magazine focusing on the Vancouver area came in and tried out Warrior Fundamentals last week. Briefed is beginning a new series of articles on fitness in the Vancouver area that's…
We've just finished our fifth week of Knight Camp this summer. If you're unfamiliar with Knight Camp it is this super-awesome kids summer day-camp that we run weekly during July and August. In the camp kids learn swordplay, pole weapons, and grappling as well as non-martial knightly skills such as medieval games, heraldry (the science…
On Monday night Academie Duello was part of a momentous event, the launch of CC Humphreys newest book Shakespeare's Rebel in a coproduction between ourselves and Bard on the Beach -- one of Canada's most celebrated Shakespeare festivals. I have to say that this was one of the most exciting and fantastic events of which…