For my students who would like to do some research and learn more outside of class (and have access to the Internets), here are some sites of note: Forteza Fitness (http://fortezafitness.com/) Tony Wolf's new home with ongoing Bartitsu lessons. The webpage has some great images to show off the various weapons taught and information about…
Year: 2012
Academie Duello to be featured in a documentary at the Women In Film festival on March 10th
Academie Duello has the honour of being featured in a documentary by filmmaker Tatiana Balashova that will be screened at the upcoming Women in Film festival at the Vancity Theatre on March 10th. From their program: ARTE, ARDORE, ONORE: THE WORLD OF SWORDPLAY | 10:00 mins 2011, Canada, directed by Tatiana Balashova Arte,…
Safe is sound
Needs of the Horse part III: Security In the first part of this series I stated that horses need food, shelter, and security. At first glace creating a secure environment for a horse seems fairly straightforward. After all, there aren't that many large predators left in most places where we keep horses (though losing a…
Sword … Sorry, Lance Press from the USA
Snap Quiz: What American state has ‘jousting’ as it’s state sport? And why? (http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/sport.html, http://marylandjousting.com/) OK, pass your papers forward to the front. While We’re marking them, you can start reading ahead with today’s’ offering. For the past two years, those interested in things medieval have been teased with indications that something significant was brewing…
Bartitsu 4-February
This week in Bartitsu: 1. Walking stick review: Preemptive strike from rear guard 2. Boxing lesson: Hooks and uppercuts, traditional and modern defenses in the ring and the street 3. Integration: The unarmed victim vs. the stick, the ruffian vs. the umbrella. Those who are joining us for the first time after the workshop…
Knap Time!
"If you can talk brilliantly about a problem, it can create the consoling illusion that it has been mastered." - Stanley Kubrick Intro to Stage Combat Sunday, February 12, 2012 2pm-6pm In this intensive 4-hour workshop, we’ll cover the basics of stage combat, including: ▪Slaps ▪Punches ▪Chokes ▪Push and fall ▪Sword parries and footwork ▪Sword…
Scenes of Violence
Most actors learn stage combat for a specific role while in rehearsal. My belief that every performer before leaving acting school should have Basic Actor-Combatant certification with Fight Directors Canada does not have widespread support. Therefore, the majority of actors already have a scene to fight to. But actors who are taking the full stage…
Shooting an instructional Rapier DVD
So yesterday we embarked on the adventure of shooting our first instructional rapier DVD. And I can proudly report that we're at least 60% through principal photography and only about 8 hours behind schedule! 🙂 It was actually a fun and successful day, though as with many things you often find yourself at the end…
Archery's new home at Academie Duello
Our ongoing archery class is launching this Sunday (5 February)! Class runs from 5:30 - 7:30 at Academie Duello (412 W Hastings St.). Archery is a 1.0 credit class, just like SwordFit, Mastery, Stage Combat, and Bartitsu. To join the archery class you must have completed our Intro to Archery workshop. Space is…
Gimme Shelter!
Needs of the Horse part II: Shelter In respect to last week’s topic, food, and this week’s, shelter, humans and horses are opposite. Horses eat and drink an enormous quantity compared to us, and the consequences of going hungry or thirsty are potentially more serious (ulcers, colic, and other digestive upset) than they are for…
Potential Joan of Arc-related Sword Press from Around the World
This being the 600th anniversary of the birth of Joan of Arc, We thought We would offer up a selection of press items detailing either the weapons and armour used by the heroine, or her influence on modern, kick-butt-attitude women being motivated to get into armour. Unfortunately, there does seem to be any 'news', though the…
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A link from Freelance Academy Press
We're quite fortunate in Vancouver to have a raft of instructors to teach us the art we're so passionate about. Not everyone has this and still want to practice. Freelance Academy Press has released several translations of various fencing masters from which to study. We carry many (if not all) in our store and our…
A Timely Review: The Knightly Art of Battle
There was a moment of serendipity on Friday when a shipment of new books arrived for the store, almost at the same time that Academie Duello's delightful patron, Major Wes, put a review of the same book up on the school message board. You all know Wes as the dutiful contributor who combs the internet…
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Bartitsu 28-Jan-2012
This week in Bartitsu: The Introduction to Bartitsu workshop: Fight Like Sherlock Holmes Then, the ongoing class, featuring: 1. Jujitsu review: Standing locks and holds 2. Cane lesson: Bayonnet drills 3. Integration: Locks and disarms with the walking stick Don't miss it!
All Things Shiny and New
"Armour, n.The kind of clothing worn by a man whose tailor is a blacksmith." - Ambroise Pierce, The Devil's Dictionary Armouring Winter Course Begins Sunday, February 5, 2012 10am-2pm Make hardened leather armour to suit your specific needs! The six week winter armouring course is considered 'open' meaning you decide what you want to make!…
The Princess Bride is NOT being Remade. Phew!
If you heard a rumour that the Princess Bride was going to be remade by the director of Juno, you'll be relieved (or god forbid, disappointed) to hear that it was a fabrication of overactive Internet imaginations. More can be read on TNT Magazine here - http://www.tntmagazine.com/entertainment/film/princess-bride-remake-rumours-h...So are you happy or disappointed about the news?…
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What do Horses Need?
Like all mammals, equines have three core needs: food, shelter, and security. In the grasslands of Eurasia, where the modern horse evolved, these needs were met quite differently than they are for most domesticated horses today. A wild horse lives in a herd, travels many miles each day, grazes constantly, and seeks shelter from whatever…
Sword Press (Fencing Press Actually) From Around the World
Given the dearth of WMA related material available this week, I thought We’d take a look at some unique elements of what has fallen out of our Art – Olympic-style fencing. Respects, Wes Everything Old is New Again FIRST COAST NEWS (Jacksonville, Florida) 15 January 12 Jacksonville Fencing Tournament Debuts 'Dagger Fencing' (Jovi Irwin) The 225…
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