"What have you failed at today?" This question is one that a friend's father used to ask her and her brother every day at dinner. I found the story inspiring. This question, as well as her father's warm approach in how he asked it, contained so many positive questions and affirmations: What did you try today?…
Due to the un-Vancouverish weather we've been having lately, we have decided to delay the start of the next cycle of courses in the Mounted Combat Program. The riding arena is currently in a semi-frozen state that makes it slippery on top and rock-hard underneath, leaving it unsafe for both horses and riders. This change…
I hate New Year's resolutions. They don't stick, and they end up making you feel guilty before you even flip the calendar to February. But I do like goals. Especially goals that are useful and achievable all year round. And whether you like New Year's resolutions or not, January is a great time to peer…
“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…
Greetings members, students, and friends of Academie Duello! This time of year is always a time of reflection on the year past and the year to come. As with most years, 2016 has been a year of growth, struggle, triumph, and celebration. We have lost some good friends and also been enriched by many new…
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…
We just finished our last curriculum week for the year at Academie Duello. It will be two weeks before we're back on to our regular program and, depending on where you practice, you might be stepping into a similar break yourself. So what to do with the time off? If you don't stop, you don't have…
Read More... from Swordplay On Your Break, or a Break from Swordplay?
Who doesn’t want a pony for Christmas? Give the next best thing with a six-week course of Riding & Horsemanship at Red Colt Farm, where students learn to care for and ride Academie Duello’s gentle school horses. If the thought of knighthood lights up your loved-one’s eyes, include the Mounted Combat Fundamentals course for only…
Read More... from The Next Best Thing to a Pony Under the Tree
Academie Duello started in August 2004 at a defunct outdoor skating rink in the heart of downtown Vancouver, Canada. The space cost us nothing, other than the time and effort it took to get permission from the province, who owned the rink. It was covered, lit at night, and centrally located. We had enough money…
Read More... from Humble Beginnings: How to Start a Sword Fighting School
Let the clash of steel be what rings in your new year! Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay and Mission-Possible are hosting one of this year's most unique and exciting evenings of dancing, fun activities, canapés, and swordplay! Why not enjoy a fun New Year's Eve and support charity at the same time? Get your tickets…
It's back — the fourth Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium! February 17th to 19th, 2017 will be a weekend of amazing learning right in the heart of beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. The theme this year is This vs That: An Exploration of Martial Asymmetry. This is a do-not-miss event and I heartily recommend that you attend.…
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…
We’ve all got one. That self-inflicted bump on your head, scrape on your arm, or a knick on your cheek. We’ve all had that moment. The moment when you made a bad parry and deflected your sword into your own face. That time when you were making a circular flourish with a stick and clipped the side of…