I read a couple interesting anecdotes today in the book Failing Forward by John Maxwll. The first comes from two working artists, David Bayles and Ted Orland, who tell a story about an art teacher who did an experiment with the grading system he used for two groups of students: The ceramics teacher announced on…
Category: Programs
Video Lessons: Rapier Stringere, Quinta & Sesta Guards, Rapier & Cloak, Longsword Finestra Defenses
This week on Duello.TV it's time to do some longsword catch-up! We missed a couple weeks of longsword, so now we're going to give you a couple weeks worth of focus class content all on the topic of the window guard. We're also moving into the topics of constraint with the sword (green), constraining with…
Mounted Mechanics
Last week we took a brief tour through the mounted combat arsenal as part of the Swordplay Knowledge section. For the last portion of the Green Spur checklist we ask that you are familiar, at least in theory, with the general mechanics of swordplay from horseback, and how it differs from fighting on foot. Mounted…
Ladies and Gentlemen: The Umbrella
During these rainy winter months in Vancouver, we hold monthly workshops in Umbrella self defence. At the turn of the last century, every gentleman carried a walking stick, and every woman carried a parasol. Since we carry our modern umbrellas just as frequently in Vancouver today, it's a great value to learn how they learned…
The Mounted Arsenal
Swordplay Knowledge: mounted weaponry Aside from knowing your way around a sword, we also ask in the Green Spur that you have a basic knowledge of the types of weapons typically used from horseback: Describe two different types of cavalry sword Describe three alternate types of mounted weapons Broadly speaking, any type of weapon you…
Video Lessons: Finding & Gaining, Offhand Stringere, Defeating the Buckler, Posta Finestra
Welcome to week 2! Now we're starting to get into the meat of our topics. In Green (level 1) we are looking at controlling the physical advantages that will allow us to defeat our opponent's attack. In Blue (level 2) we are using the offhand to cover and to control directly, and in Red (level…
Fight Directors Canada Nationals
The official announcements are out. Our stage combat instructor David McCormick is slated to teach Basic level Sword at this year's Fight Directors Canada National Workshop. It will be held in Montreal, at Concordia University. Here's the official news: Fight Directors Canada in association with the Concordia University Department of Theatre Presents The 2013 National…
Video Lessons: Rapier Mechanics, Rapier & Offhand/Dagger/Buckler, Scaling Speeds
It's a new month on Duello.TV. We have some exciting topics ahead for you including control with the rapier, use of the rapier and dagger, as well as the buckler and cloak. On the longsword front expect to see videos on use of the Finestra guards starting next week. We are also continuing our series…
Read More... from Video Lessons: Rapier Mechanics, Rapier & Offhand/Dagger/Buckler, Scaling Speeds
Sword Words
Swordplay Knowledge In the Horsemanship portion of the Green Spur curriculum you needed to know the common vocabulary of the rider. Similarly, for the Mounted Combat checklist, you will need to demonstrate a basic level of swordplay knowledge: Describe the anatomy of the cut and thrust sword Describe two different types of cavalry sword Describe…
Can't We Just Get Along?
Who do you train to fight? What are the stakes and the best/worst outcomes? Today we're looking at motivation to commit violent acts. 1. Justice/Revenge The attacker believes that the victim has committed a murder or other atrocity that can only be rectified with their death or "an eye for an eye". Even a slap…
Video Lessons: Defeating the Offhand, Sidesword High Guards, Longsword Centre Guards, Giving and Taking Hits
How do you get around that pesky offhand? What do you do when your sword is in a high posture? When your point is on the centreline, how do you exploit the advantages and mitigate the weaknesses? This week on Duello.TV we explore these questions with the rapier, sidesword, and longsword as well as looking…
Video Lessons: Playing from Sword to Offhand, Guardia di Testa/Faccia, Longsword Mezzana Guards
The Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium has come to a close. The weekend featured tremendous classes in Italian Rapier, German Sword and Buckler, Italian Stick Fighting, German Wrestling and Messer, Iberian Rapier, Sidesword, and Montante, as well as Burgundian Pole Axe. With no amount of sadness we bid adieu to our friends from far and wide…
Video Lessons: Offhand Invitations, Sidesword Stretta & Alta Guards, Longsword Low Guards and Fading Exercise
It's the week of the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium at Academie Duello. We're all eagerly anticipating an awesome weekend of workshops, lectures, sparring, and socializing. This week we're on our regular schedule of classes at Duello and on Duello.TV. At level 1 (Green) we're looking at defending with the offhand, level 2 (Blue) and level…
Over, Across & Around: turning the sword
Swordplay from the Ground: the three turns of the sword The last of the swordplay skills you'll need to demonstrate for your Green Spur is an understanding of the three turns of the sword. These turns have the same names as the turns of the body, which makes them easy to remember. It may be…
Balance and Remaining Upright
When there are so many mixed martial arts (MMA) schools that focus on Barzilian Jiu-jistu (BJJ), what sets apart the jujitsu in Bartitsu? We focus on staying on our feet while sending the assailant to the ground. Today we'll talk about maintaining balance, vertical alignment, calmness, and avoiding surprise. Why Stay on Your Feet? Here…
My Thoughts on Sparring and Martial Arts
One of the first things that turned me on about rapier fencing was sparring. When I first got into rapier I was practicing Arnis/Eskrima. The Arnis/Eskrima class I attended did not allow any type of contact sparring and though I enjoyed the flow of the art tremendously I never had a visceral environment in which…
Eight Horse Melee
I wish I had a photo to share from last Sunday’s Mounted Combat workshop. The stars aligned so that all participants in the workshop were strong riders, and we had enough horses for everyone, including instructors. That meant nearly three awesome hours of trading blows from horseback! Having eight very different horses and riders on…
Video Lessons: Rapier Offhand Use, Sidesword Guards & Progression, Longsword Guards, Binds & Pressure
If you have been hungering for more longsword work, this week will definitely satisfy you. We've caught up on our videos for our longsword month on Giocco Stretto with lesson 3 focusing on the pressure between the swords and lesson 4 on dynamically responding to the bind. Red Cords (level 3) in our mastery classes…