Longsword Workshop
Sunday, June 24 - 10:00am to 4:00pm

Academie Duello is excited to present a 6 hour workshop on the art of
European Longsword as it was taught in the middle ages. This course is
ideal for beginners and experts, women and men, ages 14 and up.

Part 1: Technique

For the Beginning Student:
Learn the basics of form, technique, and movement. Build a strong base
for executing confident attacks and solid defense. Gain an
understanding of swordplay and sword inter-play as well as basic
strategy. The longsword is a good workout while not being too
strenuous.

For the Intermediate and Advanced Student:
Learn the offensive strategy of the German school as originally
written by Sigmund Ringeck, and the defensive strategy of the Italian
school as originally taught by Fiore dei Liberi.
The German school emphasizes control of the initiative in combat
through continuous renewal of the offense. Students will learn how to
do this through the 5 master blows of the sword and the 7 key
strategies of offense.
The Italian school focuses on strong position and defensive strategy
to lure the opponent out of position and make them susceptible to
counter-attack. Students will learn how to manipulate the wide and
narrow play to create opportunity and keep ahead of the initiative,
and how to bring the opponent into position for wrestling, disarms,
and half-swording.

Part 2: Application

This section of the workshop will allow the beginner and advanced
student alike to learn to apply the technique they learned earlier in
the day. Students with full combat gear will be able to participate in
at-speed drilling and sparring with the supervision and input of
workshop instructors. Part 2 will conclude with a tournament for all
fully geared participants.
Those without full combat equipment will have the opportunity to
continue learning and practicing the technical aspects of their form
or use wooden wasters and light protective gear to move through their
form in this section.

Attention Actors!

Academie Duello’s workshops teach effective, and applied combat
techniques, which will give you a level of knowledge, safety, and
control you will not find in any pure stage combat program.

About the Instructors

Devon Boorman and Randy Packer have been instructing Western Martial
Arts collectively for more than 20 years. They are experienced
practitioners of swordplay and unarmed arts and have studied and
taught throughout North America. Devon has worked for stage and screen
and has held more than 40 titles in competitive Western Martial Arts.
Randy holds instructor ranks in more than 5 separate Eastern and
Western arts and has been practicing competitively and in the salle
for more than 30 years.

Equipment Requirements

All Participants: Gloves, and comfortable workout gear. If you have
your own sword, bring it.

Full-Speed Combat Participants: Approved steel waster, Rigid shoulder,
elbow, and knee armour, padded body, arm, and hand armour, fencing
mask or approved WMA helmet.

Cost: $50 (non-members), $45 (members)
Space is limited.