This month, we are excited to introduce a new Beginner's Course: Fight Like Sherlock Holmes! This 4-class introductory course was created to better integrate students into our ongoing Bartitsu program and improve the learning process. Classes will take place on Saturdays from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Each week, two hours to Fight Like Sherlock Holmes! Fight Like Sherlock Holmes…
Read More... from Beginner's Courses in October: NEW COURSE!
Modern scarification, like tattoos, can be seen as examples of various sub-cultures within the ‘mundane world’ using a unique version of badges representing tribal/group identification or indications of shared experiences. And while most of the world are familiar with the use of scars as identifiers within African and Asian tribal systems, and some are familiar…
There was a recent study Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on how people evaluate musical performances in contests shows that hearing the audio matters less than viewing the musician perform, even compared with a no-audio video. Check out the summary at Scientific American's 60-Second Science Blog Condition 1: audio only (compare the music…
We’ve written before on technologys' effect on our discipline, and We’ve another snippet that has real potential for adding to the production of period hilts and blades … or at least practice-only resin ones. We’re fully for any modern advance that can be worn under helmet, gorget or body armour that allows us to be…
Bartitsu may be approached for historical authenticity, or as a practical method for self defense that happens to have interesting historical roots. Sometimes, the practical modern gentleman's defensive tactics are only different from the historical as a matter of preference, of efficiency, or focusing on different expectations. Here, we'll be talking about self-defense, not sport-fighting.…
We were intrigued by a quote from a following article: “I am not a master; nobody certified me”. How do we as a community ‘know’ that our various schools and ‘Fechtschules’ are in fact teaching an authentic form of HEMA/WMA? And who ‘accredited’ the institution – if in fact accreditation as a HEMA/WMA study centre…
David McCormick shares recent news and upcoming events: Hamlet David worked this summer with Bard on the Beach on Hamlet. The show has received excellent reviews, and there's still time to see it. David is credited as the Fight Consultant, under the auspices of Fight Director Nic Harrison, and received a Canada Council grant to…
One of the advantages of our art is that we get to ‘stand up again’ after a mistake … or after meeting a better fighter. Yes, one does improve in fitness, reactive muscle memory, swordplay technique and ‘tactical thinking’ as one ‘spars’, practices and drills … but we must never lose sight that in medieval…
The next 4-hour workshop in the fundamentals of Victorian self-defence will be on 9 September. This will be our final Introduction to Bartitsu workshop. To better integrate students and improve the learning process, the introductory work will be spread over a month of Saturdays starting in October. Each week, two hours to Fight Like Sherlock…
There’s nothing local found this week, but Eastern Europe continues its traditional love-affair with all things historical and sword-like. The Ukraine, Poland, Belarus and Russia all have WMA/HEMA competitions that have ‘hundreds’ of participants, with thousands of spectators – and often have strong municipal and provincial support as well. Their different sword-cultures are long and…
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…
Choreography should be more than stringing together combat movements in a random order. Based on last week's post Character in Choreography, you have some ideas how to customize your performance of a fight, but what about fight design? The Videogame Fallacy I love fighting games, and you can learn a lot about fighting styles from…
Riding Level 2: Basic Seat Position I harp on it because it's so important. Everything you want to do on board a horse is so much easier when you start with good position. For Riding level 2 we want to see: 5. Basic seat position: walk & trot, sitting & rising with correct diagonal This…
Multi-discipline. In HEMA/WMA that could be the swordfighter that can properly use rapier ‘and’ side sword, wrestles well, and knows what end of a pole arm to use where. Add the ability to ride a horse, to dance well and to hit what your bow is aiming at … and you might have a multi-discipline…
Is etiquette just silly pretension taken to an extreme in the Victorian era? Is there universal etiquette? What about the etiquette in a martial arts school? Where Are Your Manners? Etiquette is a manner of social interaction, that's why it's sometimes called "manners". Modes of address, gestures including eye contact, eating rituals and clothing (such…
Riding Level 2: Adjusting the Reins When you were a beginner rider, your instructor may have marked a spot on the reins, and said "keep your hands here." We do that because most riders tend to ride with reins far too loose when they start out, and the mantra "shorten your reins" gets old to…
We lead with two Canadian items this time around, a first We think for this blog. HEMA/WMA ‘is’ alive and well in the ‘True North, strong and … well trained’. Given the late start that Canada had with discovering a European martial arts heritage (no medieval nor renaissance-period sword fighting actually took place here in…
We've heard Fight Directors say some version of the following: You must act during the fight The choreography should be an expression of your character Don't worry about the speed, it's the intention that matters What does any of that mean? Imagine a Real Sword Fight The mentality and strategy of sword fighting largely remains…