Workshops Calendar

Falconry Workshop - 8 hours

Sunday, March 21 - 10:00am to 6:00pm

Falconry, the art of training and handling birds of prey for hunting, was an important part of knightly life. Academie Duello is proud to offer instruction in this art to complement the historical combat already practiced in our downtown venue.

In this class, you will learn:

- how to work with raptors like the Peregrine falcon, Gyr/Saker falcon and Harris hawk
- the basics of health, approach, picking up and casting
- how to make jesses, alymeri and other equipment
- some of the historical background and traditions behind the art of training these magnificent birds of prey

This is a full-day hands on workshop. For more information, please visit our Falconry section under Programs.

Class size limit 10 people, $140/$120 members, taught by our Falconer, Joanne Bentley. Register early to reserve your space.

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Tony Wolf Stage Combat Workshop - 8 hours

Friday, March 26 - 9:00am to 5:00pm

Academie Duello is proud to present Tony Wolf, Cultural Fighting Styles Designer
for Lord of the Rings, for a one day stage combat seminar. The seminar will feature instruction on both armed and unarmed techniques and will give students an introduction to the Wolf System of stage combat.


The Morning - Introduction to the Wolf System:

The Wolf System is a movement-based approach to stage combat based upon the seven key skills of synergy, alignment, extension, cascade, illusion, measure and articulation.

These skills are taught through an integrated progression of both co-operative and competitive games and exercises, and then "jammed" through improvisation. In combination, these challenging exercises foster the balance, agility, physical confidence, partnered movement and related skills that are fundamental to all forms of stage combat.


The Afternoon - "Riding the Hook" - Professional wrestling for stage and screen

The "ultimate theatre sport", pro-wrestling combines improvised physical action with Commedia-style performance skills.

This intensive introduction covers the essential skills of:

* topwork (standing holds, escapes and counters)
* "taking the bump" (breakfalling techniques)
* matwork (grappling on the ground)
* heel moves (the illusion of dirty fighting)
* high spots (partnered acrobatic fighting techniques: lifts, throws and catches).

Pro-wrestling is an excellent way to practice partnering and counter-balancing skills for all performance combatants, and a great addition to your resume re. "As You Like It" and "Trafford Tanzi".

This seminar is suitable for stage combatants of any experience level. Participants should bring comfortable exercise clothing and drink bottles.

Cost before March 22nd: $120, or $250 for Stage Combat and the two-day Bartitsu Seminar.

Cost on the 22nd and after: $150, or $300 for Stage Combat and the two-day Bartitsu Seminar.

Register early, space is limited.

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Tony Wolf Bartitsu Workshop - Part 1 (6 hours)

Saturday, March 27 - 2:30pm to 8:30pm

World renowned martial artist and fight choreographer, Tony Wolf, will be coming to Vancouver on March 27th and 28th to teach a weekend seminar on the Victorian art of Bartitsu.

Learn how to fend off rascal and rapscallion the Victorian way. Students will learn:

* Victorian cane fighting
* Bare knuckled boxing as it is meant to be
* The unique blend of jiujitsu, savate, and boxing pioneered by Edward Barton-Wright and fought by Sherlock Holmes

This is a two day workshop which will run from 2:30pm-8:30pm on Saturday March 27th and from 10am-6pm on Sunday March 28th.

Cost before March 22nd: $180.00 for the Bartitsu Seminar or $250.00 for the entire weekend (Friday Stage Combat Workshop and the Bartitsu Seminar on Saturday/Sunday.)

Cost on the 22nd and after: $210, or $300 for the entire weekend (Friday Stage Combat Workshop and the Bartitsu Seminar on Saturday/Sunday.)

Register early, space is limited.


About Bartitsu:

In the year 1899, an English gentleman named Edward William Barton-Wright created the "New Art of Self Defence" that he called Bartitsu. His New Art was a combination of street savate, jiujitsu, fisticuffs and walking stick fighting, designed to beat the fearsome street gangs of Edwardian London and fin de siècle Paris at their own dastardly game.

Bartitsu was the first "mixed martial art" to combine Asian and European fighting styles. It was later incorporated into the Sherlock Holmes stories, and was used by Holmes to throw his mortal enemy, Professor Moriarty, to his doom from the top of Reichenbach waterfall.

This seminar provides an intensive, practical grounding in this fascinating system, as it was taught between 1899-1902 at the Bartitsu School of Arms and Physical Culture in London's Shaftesbury Avenue.

Canonical Bartitsu refers to "Bartitsu as we know it was"; the self defence skills and sequences that were specifically presented as Bartitsu by Barton-Wright and his associates between 1898-1902. Neo-Bartitsu refers to the modern application of the art, continuing Barton-Wright's martial arts experiments in the 21st century; it is "Bartitsu as it can be today".

We will begin with warm-up exercises taken from the 19th century "physical culture" repertoire before exploring the underlying principles and tactics of Bartitsu, via lessons in the unique combination of fighting styles that made up Barton-Wright's arsenal of tricks.

The class will include:

• a selection of the original self defence sequences represented in Barton-Wright's classic article series, "Self Defence with a Walking Stick" and "The New Art of Self Defence"

• practical examples of both the canonical and neo-Bartitsu blends of jiujitsu, scientific boxing, street savate and stick fighting

• discussions on the fascinating history and revival of Barton-Wright’s New Art of Self Defence, the “hold-up” tactics of 19th century street gangsters and the counters developed by self-defense masters of the period, and the jiujitsu training of the Bodyguards of the radical Suffragette movement.

For further information on Bartitsu, please see http://www.bartitsu.org.

* This seminar is suitable for participants of all experience levels, though prior intermediate-level training in martial arts, boxing, fencing and/or stage combat will be an advantage.

Equipment: Suitable exercise clothing, including shoes. Please bring a sturdy cane (crook handle preferred), or strong, smooth dowel approx. 36″ long. Fencing masks, boxing gloves and judogi jackets are useful, but are not required.


About Tony Wolf:

Tony Wolf has worked as a martial arts and self defence instructor, professional wrestler, stuntman and fight director/stunt co-ordinator. Between 1988 - 1994 he developed his original Wolf System of performance/combat exercises, which has been taught to actors, martial artists, stunt performers and stage combat specialists throughout the world.

Tony's fight direction and action design have been featured in over two hundred feature film, television, theatre, opera and ballet productions. In addition to his work as Fighting Styles Designer for Peter Jackson's “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Wolf toured Japan in 2002, performing fights for the Washington National Opera's production of Otello, starring Plácido Domingo.

Since 2002 Tony has been heavily involved in the research and revival of Bartitsu and he is currently co-producing and co-directing the documentary, "Bartitsu: The Lost Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes".

Tony is an Acknowledged Instructor with the Historical Maritime Combat Association, an Honourary Fight Director recognised by Fight Directors, Canada, a member of Western Martial Arts Illustrated magazine's editorial board, a founding member of The Bartitsu Society and he serves on the advisory board of the Hegeler Carus Foundation.

He is currently based in Chicago, USA.

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Tony Wolf Bartitsu Workshop - Part 2 (8 hours)

Sunday, March 28 - 10:00am to 6:00pm

Part 2 of the Tony Wolf two day seminar.

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Falconry Workshop - 8 hours

Sunday, April 4 - 10:00am to 6:00pm

Falconry, the art of training and handling birds of prey for hunting, was an important part of knightly life. Academie Duello is proud to offer instruction in this art to complement the historical combat already practiced in our downtown venue.

In this class, you will learn:

- how to work with raptors like the Peregrine falcon, Gyr/Saker falcon and Harris hawk
- the basics of health, approach, picking up and casting
- how to make jesses, alymeri and other equipment
- some of the historical background and traditions behind the art of training these magnificent birds of prey

This is a full-day hands on workshop. For more information, please visit our Falconry section under Programs.

Class size limit 10 people, $140/$120 members, taught by our Falconer, Joanne Bentley. Register early to reserve your space.

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Body Mechanics Workshop – 6 hours

Sunday, April 18 - 10:00am to 4:00pm

Whether you are brand new to the art of the rapier desiring to set down the best foundation, or an experienced practitioner wanting to cultivate better speed, agility, strength and endurance, this workshop will cater to your needs.

This workshop focuses on building a stable base, efficient movement, strong alignment of joints and muscle groups, and an understanding of the hows and why's of rapier technique.

Come prepared for a good workout both mentally and physically. Ideal for practitioners of the rapier of any school.

The workshop will conclude with an opportunity to test your mechanics and performance in a sharp weapons exercise (against various targets -- all inanimate). A lot of fun and a real eye-opener to the power of the rapier as a thrusting and cutting weapon.

Equipment Requirements: Rapier, gloves, and comfortable workout gear. Feel free to bring your own sharps for cutting. (all sharps brought by students will be assessed for use by the instructors first)

Cost:
$90.00 (15% off for members)

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Advanced Longsword - 8 hours

Sunday, April 25 - 10:00am to 6:00pm

Longsword – 8 hours

Finally, the advanced longsword workshop you've all been waiting for! In celebration of our new Monday longsword classes (5:30 pm to 6:30pm) we are offering a full eight hours of advanced training with the sword in two hands.

This eight hour workshop is an excellent chance to develop your skills with the elegant art of the longsword. Whether you picked it up for the first time in the previous fundamentals class or have been practicing for some time, this workshop comes highly recommended.

Cost for Advanced Longsword: $100 (15% off for members!)
For both Longsword Fundamentals and Advanced Longsword workshops: $130 (15% off for members!)

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