Week 3
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Fencing
(March 11th, 2014 by Ludwig von Rege...)
Second lesson on early 17th C Italian rapier, following Richard Cullinan's /ibn Jelal's online notes.
We reviewed the basics of stance and lunge (informed by Capoferro) and of taking the sword (with the point off-line). Taking the sword was practised first in response to the partner extending the sword (this makes it easier to judge) and then with the partner remaining in guard (this requires judging where the blade would be in the partner lunged).
(March 5th, 2014 by Ludwig von Rege...)
At the recent Feast of St Sebastian, I was asked by the Steward to run a "pro-am" rapier tourney. With this brief in mind, I decided to pair novice fencers with experienced ones in a pairs competition. I had six fencers to play with, which was perfect for a round robin, each bout best of three, which we played three times over, each rotation with different weapons combinations.
(March 5th, 2014 by Ludwig von Rege...)
It's been ages since anyone's added to the blog, but it isn't because we haven't been fencing. Over the summer we've taken advantage of the long evenings, getting together for some sparring practice whenever two or more have felt like it. Of course, Canterbury Faire was a big fencing event for some of us (I played almost every day). And we recently held a couple of rapier tourneys.
But with the return of our regular schedular, I'll try to make sure our blog updates are also more regular.
Yours, in service to the Art,
Ludwig
(March 4th, 2014 by Ludwig von Rege...)
Our first big project for the year is Giganti's two books. Matt's leading us through the material, making use of Richard Cullinan's (Tariq ibn Jelal's) online material:
http://www.renfence.com.au/Giganti_Teaching_Curriculum
and https://www.youtube.com/user/richardcullinanau
We covered stance, footwork, the lunge and gaining the sword. Everyone is now sore: mission accomplished :)
(October 2nd, 2013 by Emrys Twdr)
Last night we started studying Saviolo's recomendations for and against left handed fencers.
For the original instructions see the fourth day of Saviolo's treatices.
http://www.cs.unc.edu/~hudson/saviolo/fourthday.html
Regards
Emrys
(July 19th, 2013 by Ludwig von Rege...)
The word "foin" caused some trouble in this week's Saviolo class. Fortunately, the OED is to the rescue: "To make a thrust with a pointed weapon..." It occurs as both transitive and intransitive verbs and also a noun.
The etymology is uncertain, but best guess is from an Old French word for three-pronged fish-spear (which I would call a "trident").
It seems that in the 17th C the word merged with "foil" (a blunted sword).
(July 7th, 2013 by Emrys Twdr)
On Wednesday evenings at City Dance we have been studying the fencing of Vincentio Saviolo from his book published in London in 1595.
We have now finished our first set of study materials which were given to us by Don Henry the Fox. These are Henry's lesson plan for Saviolo's single rapier.
(April 16th, 2013 by Christine Bess ...)
On Sat 13th April Guildmaster Don Emrys and Lady Christine met and had great fun outside the lake house testing their skill in various styles.
This is an attempt to continue on the fine fencing that a few of us were regularly doing outside of Wednesday night practice during the summer months...
We will be doing more of this outside the lake house (and inside) when weather permits, and we try to make it known but if anyone wishes to be involved please get in touch with us also!
(April 10th, 2013 by Ludwig von Rege...)
A return to the hip cut, maintaining initiative, some devices from the Low guard.
Warm-up: Same cutting drill as last time.
Hip cut as an exemplar of two tactics
In the previous lesson we tried two hip cuts, one starting with a lunge, the other with an Oberhau. In both cases the cut was a result the inital cut being parried. This is a device based on maintaining initiative, allowing you to follow an attack with another attack, while your opponent is restricted to parrying.
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