“Italians especially Neapolitans loved dueling, and Italy clung to the duello more ferociously than any country besides France and Germany. In the ten years between 1879 and 1889, 2,759 duels were recorded there … In summer, the number of duels was five times greater than in winter, ...” [1] Earlier this month, Devon Boorman wrote…
The weather outside is frightful, but that doesn't stop hardy Canadian mares (and girls)! If you have a Mounted Combat Membership and a few days off this week don't let the weather stop you -- come on down and get cuddly with one of our furry beasts. They'll be happy to see you, especially if…
The play She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen is a show breathing new life into theatre. Its reliance on sword fights at important moments is making the study of stage combat more popular, and because the story focuses on two sisters, it encourages women toward action-hero roles. Here's the short synopsis from the publisher, Samuel…
It’s that time of year again; trees have lost their leaves but gained some twinkly lights. And it’s time to knuckle down to do some serious gift shopping for your loved ones. This year your friendly neighborhood swordfighting school has you covered. Numerous studies have demonstrated that when purchasing gifts for people one of the…
I recently received another inquiry about Bartitsu by email. There are no bad questions. This was the question, which is very common, reasonable thing to ask when deciding where to put your time and effort: Hello David, I'm interested in learning Bartitsu. I'm wondering if you could tell me how effective it is compared to…
I am a big fan of Adorea Olomouc, a stage combat troupe from the Czech Republic. I've shown their YouTube videos to Academie Duello's Demo Team for both stage combat training goals and filming sword fighting. I have to apologize to my regular stage combat students that I didn't direct you to them sooner. What…
Bartitsu's fusion of martial arts has jujitsu at its core. "Jujitsu" mean "The art of suppleness" in Japanese, and focuses on core "soft" techniques such as: Joint locks and chokes Takedowns Ground fighting However, there are strikes in jujitsu which are called "atemi" in Japanese. These strikes are almost identical to the techniques in katate,…
"Just the facts, ma'am," Attributed to Detective Sergeant "Joe" Friday Are Longswords Larger in Texas? DENTON RECORD-CHRONICLE (Texas) 30 October 2016: The members of Denton’s ARMA group are working hard to prepare themselves physically and intellectually for their bi-annual meeting on the medieval martial arts. The article describes their aims and intentions. It also features…
Read More... from Factual Sword Press: News for October 2016
Riding Level 4: Turnout Just as we start marking you for your turnout in Horsemanship Level 4, we are expecting a minimum level of grooming and presentation in Riding Level 4 as well. Turn Out. Horse & Rider. AD shirt, boots, breeches, helmet, gloves We're not looking for shadbellies or show jackets, but at this…
My approach to stage combat has three priorities: Safety, Simulation, and Story. This is a small but important departure from the standard Fight Directors Canada version that students will see in their glossary: safety, storytelling, and style. Here is why I believe simulation beats style and gives us a clearer understanding of what we do…
Our new Mounted Combat memberships are live starting today, which means members are now able to sign up for practice rides and our new Mounted Combat Practice nights. But, you ask, what exactly happens at a Mounted Combat Practice? Mounted Combat Practice Basically, these Monday evenings are the MC Program equivalent of Open Floor: an…
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The first rank exam a student of Bartitsu faces is to test whether an apprentice who wears a green sash is ready to progress to the scholar level and wear the blue sash. We hold this evaluation every four months or thereabouts, and a Bartitsuka must have at least three months of instruction to qualify…
Last week we rolled out our new Mounted Combat Membership with a special offer: buy your 2017 membership before the end of October and get November and December benefits for free. So what exactly are those benefits? Here are the details ... Mounted Combat Membership 10% Discount on Mounted Combat Program Courses This includes: Riding…
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“… every night almost some one or other, who either heated with wine, or made choleric with the loss of his money, raises a quarrel, swords are drawn, … ”[1] The recently completed Para Olympics Wheelchair Fencing competition did bring to mind an item I once read about a fencing master demonstrating his abilities by…
Read More... from Seated Quietly with Sword Press: News for September 2016
I was reluctant to see John Wick (2014) because I didn't think the story of an unstoppable gun-toting Keanu Reeves seeking revenge for his puppy would be entertaining. Boy, was I right. But what the story lacks in... story... it makes up for with action. The gun-fu as performed by Reeves is exceptional. And now,…
Merriam-Webster defines “awareness" as: Knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists Feeling, experiencing, or noticing something (such as a sound, sensation, or emotion) Knowing and understanding a lot about what is happening in the world or around you Awareness is an essential part of martial performance and learning. It allows you…
Read More... from What Happened: Three Games to Help You Develop Fighting Awareness
Riding Level 4 Overview Now that I've covered all the Level 4 Horsemanship material for the Red Spur rank, I'll be moving on to Riding Level 4. To give you an overview, here's your checklist: Turn Out. Horse & Rider. AD shirt, boots, breeches, helmet, gloves. Mount - Dismount. Adjust stirrups, mounted. Position & Balance.…
The mere act of bowing isn't a show of respect for your instructor if your other behaviours are not equally respectful. Although my classes are fairly informal, that doesn't mean that respect does not exist. A Low Threshold In my Bartitsu classes (as well as my stage combat classes), we do not have many explicit…