When you think of Shakespeare, you might first conjure up Romeo & Juliet and remember "The Bard" for his poetry. You might have had a bad experience in high school and remember how boring Shakespeare is with so many Histories and discuss why it's important or not to know the King's names in the Wars…
Category: News
Carosella 2015 FAQ
With Carosella 2015 less than two weeks away, it's time to answer some of those frequently asked questions. Q: How can I sign up for Carosella? A: You can register online here for full and one-day passes. To register for individual workshops contact the front desk at 604 568 9907. Regular entries close Monday September…
This Week in HEMA Video - 360 Degrees of Awesome
Welcome to the first Historical European Martial Arts Video blog post on the Academie Duello blog! Our new weekly Monday post will feature awesome video content from our school and the broader community. Look forward to sparring videos, performances, great educational content, and more. This Week In Sparring To kick things off with a bang we're…
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Bartitsu and Jeet Kune Do: Part 2
In my last post I wrote about some of the things that Bruce Lee’s martial art of Jeet Kune Do has to offer practitioners of Bartitsu. To be clear, I am not suggesting that Bruce Lee had any knowledge of the articles published by E. W. Barton-Wright, the founder of what we call “canonical Bartitsu”.…
Collective Sword Press: News for August 2015
The study and appreciation of WMA continues to enjoy a renaissance in Europe and North America; and we are now uniquely fortunate in having a large variety of salles from which to choose to train. The salles differ in the sword technique favoured, the "olde master" which is followed, how they present their program… and…
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What is Classical Dressage?
'Dressage' simply means 'training'. The modern sport of dressage consists of tests, which are judged patterns designed to demonstrate a horse's level of training on the flat. Sport dressage evolved from classical dressage, which in turn evolved from military training exercises. As practioners of mounted combat, it is often useful for us to look to…
Bartitsu and Jeet Kune Do: Part 1
Bruce Lee needs little introduction to those who are interested in martial arts. Chances are, readers of this blog have seen at least parts of one or more of his movies. In our classes on pugilism, we sometimes talk about the mechanics of his notorious “1-inch punch” as a way of reminding students to use…
The Knight's Nemesis: Spear
Blue Spur Spear Fundamentals: High and Low Wards A bevy of English longbowmen aside, nothing could make a mounted knight as nervous as a line of infantry with long spears. A spear from the ground can equal a sword from horseback in reach, and presents much more of a challenge to a knight than does…
Boxing and Moving
This week’s post is not about packing up and changing address, even though I will be going on vacation for two weeks. We’re going to take a quick look at movement in the sport of boxing and self-defence other than the straight lines presented in basic pugilism. Reading Material Some of this discussion is a…
Soft Work -- Be Receptive and Adaptive In Your Practice Sparring
Why go Slow? I have written several posts on the merits of “slow work”, which is the act of fencing at a slow and consistent speed. In summary, slow fencing gives you the opportunity to be more observant of the tactical environment. From this state of greater observance you can move more easily in time with…
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August Clinics
There are just a few Friday clinics left this year. Don't miss out on these opportunities to learn from different instructors and focus on different areas of your riding and combat skills. The clinics run from 6pm - 7:30pm every Friday, and the cost is only $60 including use of a school horse. Plus, if…
Do It Again
Repeating yourself can be annoying. To remain calm and focused takes mental toughness, but the repetition itself builds your mental resilience. Do it again with the aim to improve. It's especially tough for actors who also have to pretend to be agitated but have the focus and endurance to repeat an emotional scene again and…
Mounted Combat from the Ground Up
Mounted Combat Classes This week we're excited to launch a brand new Mounted Combat Class for participants of all levels. The five-week course will prepare students to take part in our annual tournament at Carosella 2015. There are two levels to the course: Beginner Participants at this level will practise from the ground and the…
Bartitsu for Policing and Security
E. W. Barton-Wright wanted “to impart to peacefully disposed [people] the science of defending themselves.” Bartitsu has been used by various groups including police and security forces, as well as Suffragettes who were defending themselves against the police. I've worked in security since 2009, and it is important to follow the Use of Force model…
FDC Certification Levels Demystified
Fight Directors Canada sets the standards for stage combat in this country, just like the Society of American Fight Directors does in the U.S.A. and the British Academy of Dramatic Combat does in the U.K. What are those standards, and what do the levels mean? I hope to answer all your questions on FDC Certification…
Technique Fusion in Self Defense
This week, we'll take a look at at a video that compares Pentjak Silat with Krav Maga (in French). Their goal, as stated by Frank Ropers at the start of the session, is to show both schools that their styles mesh together very well. From a Bartitsu perspective, I love using this type of thing…
Best of Vancouver 2015: A call to arms
Every year the Vancouver institution that is the Georgia Straight runs an open poll to determine the "Best of Vancouver" in a variety of different categories, and for many businesses it is the measure of success and recognition in the city. Whereas restaurants and hotels have comprehensively recognised marks of excellence, in a lot of cases…
What's going on in the field at Red Colt?
What is Fancypants doing lying in the field? And who are those mysterious characters in black? To find out you'll have to wait till the next episode of the Vancouver B Movie Factory airs on Shaw TV. There will be swords, arrows, horses, and Fiore himself in 'The Flower of Battle'. In the meantime ...…