Day two of the flooring was almost entirely sanding. We discovered on Day 1 some uneven sections of the floor where the finish wasn't removed. We needed this stuff gone so it was back to the drum sanders. First, here's the floor at the start of Day 2: To remove the finish without making things…
Adventures in flooring: Day 1
Over the holidays an intrepid group of volunteers took on the task of re-finishing our well-loved training floor. The floor was installed in late 2009 when we moved in (by another intrepid group of volunteers) so has lasted a good 3 years of almost daily use. With some sections being a little gouged and other…
Happy 2013!
Good Morning and Happy New Year! (sorry, was that too loud?) Since it is far too soon after last night's indulgences to be practising cutting in a safe and responsible manner, I'll eschew wrist, shoulder and elbow cuts for another week. Instead, sit back in a comfy chair with the hangover remedy of your…
Getting Out of the Salle Sword Press
We so-o-o envy our European peers! If their salles are closed for the holidays, they still have a multiple of choices as to where to go to maintain and expand their interests in things HEMA/WMA. You kids go (sword)play in the backyard! DAILY RECORD (Ellensburg, Washington) 28 December 12 Medieval swordplay group to offer…
Article in the Vancouver's Westender Newspaper
If you pickup this week's Westender Newspaper you'll see a great article by Gen Handley about Academie Duello. Gen checked out a class a few weeks ago and it looks like he had a great time. It's a good article and tells a little about the origins of Duello. You can also check it out…
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What we're doing at Duello right now
Wondering what we're up to over the holiday? This: Yup that's right we're wrapping Academie Duello in celophane. This is part of a project to refinish the hardwood on our main training floor. Thank you to everyone who has helped contribute to this project financially at our Christmas fundraiser and by lending a hand. We'll…
Boxing Day!
Every day is boxing day for me. It’s just coincidence that in Canada we also celebrate the day after Christmas by the same name. Is it Boxercize? If you’re not taking some punches, hardening your abs for impact, and feeling your fist contacting an opponent (or a heavy bag to simulate one), then you’re doing…
I'm still dreaming of a white Christmas
Well, I can dream, can't I? card and image (c) K Landels 2012 Happy Yuletide, and may all your dreams come true!
Marginally Yuletide Sword Press
In chivalric theory, the 12 days surrounding Christmas are times of peace and good-will to all …. the 1460 Battle of Wakefield notwithstanding. But who among us would begrudge another the chance to engage in a friendly passage-at-arms with cold steel with friends under the stars and in the snow* this Christmas eve? And besides,…
Fight Yourself
Victim control. It is an essential element of stage combat, but often misunderstood, and more often performed badly. It means that when there is physical contact between two actors, the apparent victim is in charge. This principle applies to pushes, pulls, grabs, strangulation, hair pulls, and most falls and throws. Tyler Durdan Take a lesson…
Cutting down (and up, and across)
Swordplay from the Ground: The Eight Cuts In the last three posts I've covered posture, movement and turns of the body, with or without a sword in hand. Now we'll turn our attention to the sword and look at cutting and thrusting in the next few posts, beginning with the eight cutting lines. Terminology Our…
Awesome Workshops at the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium
VISS 2013 is approaching, and we’re excited to announce a first look at our workshop lineup! We are proud to offer two styles of workshops at VISS. The first style offers a more in-depth look into various topics, with work that will build across three days of classes. Topics for this style of workshop include:…
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Video Lessons: Defenses Against the Cut; Longsword Thrusts; Cutting Hands
Because of the holiday our last week of curriculum for the year has come a week early. This week we conclude our work on rapier cuts, sidesword cutting, and the core defences of the longsword. In Longsword Focus we look at cutting to the opponent's hands and next week we'll look more thoroughly at how…
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