We're really excited to be able to offer our new Integrated Training Packages for the Cavaliere Program. Starting in January you'll be able to pay a single monthly rate of $120+HST for all your mounted combat training. This includes the monthly Mounted Combat workshop and two Riding & Horsemanship sessions, saving you $60 off the…
Read More... from New for 2012 - Cavaliere Integrated Training Packages
As promised, some reflections on practice garnered (or directly lifted) from Sean Hayes' workshop.A brief review: Sean was in Vancouver on 2, 3 & 4 December to teach three workshops on Armizare, Italy's knightly arts. He taught a workshop on solo practice, longsword body mechanics and unarmed, dagger and longsword. I'll be writing about the…
This week in Bartitsu: Introduction to Bartitsu workshop 1pm-5pm Ongoing class 3pm-5pm: Review of Savate: Knee strikes Jujitsu: Alternatives to standard throws, scissor take down Integration: Softening the opponent's base with leg strikes
What is this marvellous fighting style from Victorian England that includes distractions, low kicks, and controlling the balance and reach of attackers? Why, it’s Bartitsu! Plus a little Wing Chun, since that’s Robert Downey Jr.’s previous training. Bartitsu Workshop This Saturday 10-December is an Introduction to Bartitsu workshop at Academie Duello in downtown Vancouver. For…
Read More... from Just in Time for a Bartitsu Workshop... Careful with the Face.
Last Sunday six participants in the Riding & Horsemanship series enjoyed the beautiful weather at Red Colt while they proved their prowess at handling and caring for their mounts in assessing Horsemanship 1. Congrats to Alex, Rick, Percy, Moutie, Kat and Tyrel who are now ready to move onto Horsemanship 2. Kat and Moutie also…
Read More... from Congratulations to Our New Horsemen & Last Chance for Mounted Combat 2011
I know you're probably wondering about all the great ideas that came out of Sean Hayes' workshop this past weekend. In truth there are many, but, I thought I would instead write about slow work and the things to keep in mind when you're practicing slow work.Here, then, are my seven rules to doing slow…
This week in Bartitsu: Cane review: bayonet strikes Savate lesson: knee strikes Integration: cane defense versus kicks and other close combat combos See you at 3pm.
The overall goal of stage combat, as we discussed in episode 0: The Illusion of Violence, is creating a violent scene that is safe for the actor and believable to the audience in the context of the show. Last time, we broke down some of the ways in which our first priority, Safety, plays out…
Read More... from Stage Combat Priorities 2: Style and Expertise
It was dentistry day at Red Colt yesterday. Unlike us, horses have teeth that grow throughout their lives. In the wild equines forage constantly on tough plants, which causes them to wear their molars down. Domesticated horses don't get the same chewing regime and can wear their teeth down unevenly, causing sharp hooks or points…
This week in Bartitsu: 1. Review of boxing: combos 2. Cane lesson: bayonnet position 3. Integration: unarmed defence versus cane, cane combos with fisticuffs See you at 3pm!
Another combination of my favourite subjects: stage combat and Edwardian self-defense. To add "...and ladies" would have been very sexist, why would you think I'd say something so rude? Oh yeah, the title of this article. Let me just say at the outset that women tend to be more concerned with personal safety than men…
If you are following the videos we are producing for our beta Duello Learning channel, you'll be happy to know that they have been organized into playlists. The lists are not all in order as of yet but like content has been grouped with like content so its easier to follow all the lessons of…
Read More... from DuelloLearning videos have been put into playlists
Some words on going slow today. Those of you were at Longsword Focus (Mon @ 5:30; Wed @ 12:00) were given homework: cut 30 fendenti and accompanying falso riverso sotanifor a week. It's really easy to do; 30 cuts takes about 1 minute. If you're going fast. And, if you're only concerned about going fast…
This is really the first post in my series on the basics of stage combat and how it is applied in real productions. Last time, I talked about the illusion of violence, and how the effect to the audience must match the rest of the production (a fairy tale should be magical and melodramatic, while…
Read More... from Stage Combat Priorities 1: Safety... Boring!
The UK Pony Club has just launched a new 'Pony Prep' website: http://www.ponyprep.org/training.php While it is quite obviously aimed at the younger set, it nonetheless has some good instructional videos and simple quizzes you can take to test your knowledge: especially useful for those assessing Horsemanship level 1 on the 27th. You don't need to…
No big news today. Just thought I'd share another drill. It's from this past month's Green Cord curriculum. The patiente stands in terza. The agente makes strikes to the patiente, who defends against them primarily with the off-hand, unless it makes super-good sense to defend them with the sword. For added complexity: The agente can…
This week in Bartitsu! Review of Cane: close strikes Lesson in Jujitsu: Rolls, hip throw, sacrifice throw Integration: Bear hug and rear choke defense See you at 3pm!
Saturday 12-November will feature another Introduction to Bartitsu workshop from 1pm to 5pm. I hope this video gives you an idea about the content. Canes are provided for all. If you'd prefer to use an umbrella, you may bring your own. For other questions, please contact Bartitsu Instructor David McCormick. To sign up, contact Academie…