"A long bow and a strong bow, And let the sky grow dark. The nock to the cord, the shaft to the ear, And a foreign king for a mark!" -- Robert E. Howard Archers grab your kits, bows and arrows and get ready as Academie's Duello Open Range begins this weekend on Sunday January…
Category: Events
New Year, New Everything
So here's a hodgepodge of news and links to things that are new for this ultimate year 2012. New Certification Dates First up, and most important, we will be running a Fight Directors Canada certification test at Academie Duello at the end of March. To qualify for Basic Actor-Combatant Certification, you must complete 60…
The Twelve Days of Christmas with a Swordplay Flare
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the school, not a sword blade was stirring to practice or duel. I'll stop there. I hope everyone is enjoying their first day off. I know that I'm already hankering to do a little duelling, so Santa better be prepared! In the spirit of the season I…
Read More... from The Twelve Days of Christmas with a Swordplay Flare
Just in time for Christmas!
It's here! It's here! Capoferro has finally arrived at the Academie Duello store in time for last minute Christmas presents, the perfect thing for all the boys and girls on your shopping list! Also in is the premiere issue of Katsujinken, a sword arts journal featuring articles on both Eastern and Western swordsmanship. Come on…
Sean Hayes Workshop Review
At the beginning of the month Academie Duello hosted Maestro Sean Hayes of the Northwest Fencing Academy for a weekend seminar that included 3 component workshops. The weekend was a resounding success and a joy to be a part of. I put a full review of the workshop up on SwordForum and you can read…
Violent Illusions and Then We Party
"At its most basic level, the job is to choreograph fight scenes. But to do this effectively you need more than an arsenal of combat skills. You need an actor’s understanding of character, a director’s eye for story and a dancer’s feel for movement." - Daniel Levinson, Stratford Shakespeare Festival - Scene Notes Intro to…
This fight night is going to be great...
... well, it would be, but, it's cancelled! A reminder to all of you looking to let off steam or just place a few good-natured bets, Open Floor is cancelled this Friday (2 December). Why? Sean Hayes is coming to town to do a 3-day workshop! Want to attend? You can't: it's FULL! We do…
Duelling Fun at the Grey Cup Parade
A crew of twelve braved the wet November weather this morning to duel through the streets of Vancouver in the Grey Cup Parade. In the gallery you can see a couple pre-parade shots. One in gleeful anticipation, the other a view of everyone crowding together for warmth under a shop awning. The parade was…
Last Chance: Sean Hayes Weekend!
"Who would win in a fight, a samurai or a medieval knight? The answer is: the better fighter." - Maestro Sean Hayes Guest Instructor Sean Hayes' workshop series is selling out fast. Right now there are only 4 spots left! This is your last chance! Friday, December 2, 2011 7pm-9pm Developing Solo Drills for Armizare…
Start Something New!
"What then is chivalry? So strong a thing, and of such hardihood, and so costly in the learning, that a wicked man or low dare not undertake it... Whoso would enjoy high honor first must suitably display that he has been well-schooled in such arts..." - The Biography of Sir William Marshall Intro to the…
Guest Instructor: Sean Hayes!
Hello folks, Exciting news today! We have what a special guest instructor from the WMA community coming to town. Sean Hayes is Maestro D'Armi of the Northwest Fencing Academy in Eugene, OR. Maestro Hayes' school focuses on Armizare, the martial art practiced by Italy's knightly class and draws his teaching from the Fiore de' Liberi…
Buying a Rapier
So, now you've got your green cord and you're getting tired of wrestling for the loaner rapiers: it's time to think about getting your own sword. The Academie Duello store has a variety of entry-level rapiers, falling into two categories.The CAS Hanwei practical rapier is available in two lengths, 37" blade or 43". This is…
Another Black Mare at Red Colt
Introducing Calo Heros Jolie: See the full gallery on Posterous Jolie is a 12 year old registered Canadian Horse. She has a sweet temperament, excellent manners and she loves to go. Her job will be mainly eventing and Pony Club testing, but you can expect her to put in a few hours of Mounted Combat…
By the Book
I just picked up a copy of the new book on Armizare. For those of you that aren't in the know, armizare is the word used by 14/15th Century swordmaster Fiore dei Liberi to describe the system of combat that he taught. Armizare is a whole system, featuring unarmed combat, daggers, swords, spears, axes, and…
Cavaliere Tournament
Exactly one year less a day after our first ever Cavaliere workshop, Academie Duello hosted its first ever Mounted Tournament. The weather was beautiful, the crowds enthusiastic, the volunteers awesome, and the competition both fierce and friendly. We started our day with the Team Groom Competition, in which teams of two had 45 minutes to…
Fight-night Mini-focus!
Exciting news for those who've ever wondered "I wonder if I should bring my X to Open Floor"; we'll be introducing a mini-focus to Open Floors! It's something I've been thinking about for a while: a regular day for everyone who wants to practice with, say, longswords, to come out. We're going to reserve off…
Targeting Families
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana." - Groucho Marx Family Archery Workshop Sunday, June 19, 2011 10am-2pm Archery has been a family business since ancient times. From Cyrus the Great of Persia teaching his son and heir Cambyses to 'draw a mighty bow' to Henry the VII teaching a young Henry…
Rapier Clinic this Friday!
At tomorrow's Open Floor I will be running some timed rapier sparring from 8-9pm. Two or three fighters will hold the field against all comers for five minutes (in a rank-exam style format), which will be followed by five minutes of feedback and review. Then another set of fighters holds the field for another five…