Classes

Fundamentals of La Verdadera Destreza

Jake Pendergraft ⚔︎ Athens School of arms

This class will cover a basic outline of the Spanish “True School” of fencing,primarily through the lens of Pacheco's writing.

This will be an optional low-gear workshop, focused on communicating the guiding principles and hierarchy of techniques within La Verdadera Destreza. Topics covered will include the Spanish conception of timing and measure, the universal and general techniques, movements of conclusion, and Destreza resources available to monolingual English-speakers.

Gear Requirements: Participants are asked to bring a mask, sword, and optional glove to participate fully. Out-of-gear observers are welcome.

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(rapier)

Your harness against theirs - Fighting in armor

Ian MArra ⚔︎ ritterkunst fechtschule

This class introduces Harnischfechten (fighting in armor) as a fencing discipline, exploring both its connections to unarmored fencing and the distinct opportunities that armor creates.

Through a focus on positioning, body structure, and tactical decision making, participants will explore how unarmored fencing principles translate to armored combat.

We will examine the relationship between your harness and your opponent’s, finding the impact that armor has on your offensive choices, defense, and movement.

Gear requirements: Armor is optional, but bringing and training in your harness is strongly encouraged.

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(Sword in Armor)

Big little greatsword

connor gibson ⚔︎ unaffiliated

What occupies the spectrum between a typical longsword and a greatsword? And how would you fight with one? Few historical fencers practice the use of such a weapon today.

but we can find answers through the works of Pedro Monte, who trained the infantry of the city-state of Milan in the use of the two handed sword, his contemporary Filippo Vadi, and slightly later works from Bologna which are well known among the HEMA community today. This class will explore the commonalities between these systems to recreate what could have been a common style of fencing with the two handed sword in northern Italy at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries.

Gear requirements: The ideal sword for this class will have a fairly long grip and a total length that would put the pommel between the wielder's armpit and eyes when the tip is on the ground. If your sword falls outside of those parameters, bring it anyways! Mask, gorget, and rigid or heavily padded gloves are encouraged.

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(spada due mani)

Things you can do with rapier… But probably shouldn’t

Jack Murray ⚔︎ Dallas School of historical fencing

You know that one play from fabris where you hold the rapier in both hands? What about that other play in fabris where you just kinda hold your sword in the air. Or the other play from Fabris where you walk backwards at your opponent… or the other play where… wait is the whole book like this..?

Regardless!!!

In this class we will explore all the weird plays from the various rapier masters that you absolutely could do, but most certainly should not.

Gear rquirements: Mask, Gloves, Jacket, gorget, Rapier for applied drills at speed. MAsk and glove minimum for slow speed participation

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Brad Cramer Jr. ⚔︎ UWF

(sidesword)

(rapier)

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Employing false-edge parries in bolognese sidesword

In the introduction to his 1531 text Opera Nova, Antonio Manciolino advocates for the use of the false-edge parry, saying that fencers that make use of them “will turn out to be valiant players, because there cannot be parries better and stronger for them than these, since they are able to ward and to strike almost in one tempo” (Manciolino, 1531, f. 5r).

This endorsement is similarly echoed by other Bolognese authors on fencing, including Achille Marozzo and the so-called Anonimo Bolognese. Nevertheless, each of these authors also prescribe the use of parries with the true edge of the sword throughout their texts.

Drawing on an action-level analysis of Manciolino’s text — this class will explore the circumstances under which Manciolino calls for the use of the false-edge parry, extracting implicit theoretical information that can better inform our interpretations of the text.

ear Requirements: Participants are asked to bring a mask, sword, and optional glove to participate fully. Out-of-gear observers are welcome.