Welcome
Sword School Wichita is a traditional Italian fencing school located in Wichita, KS.
We teach the three typical fencing weapons of foil, spada (épée) and sabre, as well as late 17th-19th century spada, and Radaellian sabre.
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There is a saying that a failure to plan is a plan to fail. Sometimes, particularly when we deal with actions on the blade, we must plan to fail (but not by failing to plan).
This is especially the case when learning to use oblique footwork.
First, we work an action in tempo, then we learn to work with it in contratempo (countertime). While we *could* perform inquartata or intagliata from immobility in our own choice of tempo against an opponent's engagement, it tends to feel very artificial in drills and lessons; as a result, they simply work better and feel more natural from a learning point of view, when used as tempo or contratempo actions.
In the first instance as an action in tempo, for example, we might engage the blade in 4th (inside), and when the opponent performs a cavazione (disengage) to the outside, we perform intagliata. When engaging in 3rd (outside) the opponent performs a cavazione to the inside, we perform inquartata.
Once we have a grasp on the action in tempo, we can work on the action as an example of countertime, where our attempt to engage fails because the opponent performs a cavazione in tempo. In this case, the instant we fail to feel the opponent's blade, we know that a cavazione has taken place, and we immediately perform intagliata or inquartata depending on the side we attempted to engage in.
Learning the action in tempo before learning it in contratempo helps make learning it easier overall. This is the same reason we learn to make a parry and riposte as separate actions first, as we start to learn to judge distance and measure, before going on to blend those together as a time thrust.
FYI: Next Friday (1/17/20) Patrick Bratton from Sala Della Spada in Carlisle PA will be in town and at our Intermediate class (6:30pm - 8pm). There will likely be a distinct sabre and rapier focus. If anyone outside the club is interested in coming in, they're welcome. There is a small floor fee to be paid to parks and rec staff.
As far as I am aware, we are still having our intermediate parks and rec class tonight. I'll update if I hear otherwise.
Reminder: our winter session for beginners starts Thursday, intermediate on Friday.
If you’ve not yet registered and would like to do so, please get signed up ASAP so we can be sure we will meet the minimum number of students to have a class. Sign up link is here:
secure.rec1.com/KS/wichita-parks-recreation/catalog/group/487/64469/2a81bb24116b83d97e526c4d9998380c
Yes - women can use swords. From an instructional seminar a couple of years ago at La Torre events venue in Inman, KS.
Although the infinite wisdom from The Daily Wire is that women can’t use swords, we disagree.
Ladies, we’d love to have you sign up for our introductory class through Parks and Rec.
First class is this Thursday at 6:30 at the Edgemoor facility.
Got one last private lesson in for the decade. A nice way to finish things out.
Remember that classes start back up in a couple of weeks, but if anyone wants a lesson between now and then, please let me know and we can schedule something.
The last intermediate class for fall session is this Friday. Fencers wanting individual lessons between now and the start of the Winter session, please feel free to send us a message here or an email.
Registration for Winter session classes is now active.
If you are new to fencing and would like try it out, please register for the beginner class. All necessary equipment is provided. Please wear athletic clothing, no jeans please.
If you've completed the beginner class (or have prior experience) and have your own mask, jacket, and glove, you can register for the Intermediate class.
secure.rec1.com/KS/wichita-parks-recreation/catalog/index/51f50fc65f67a2fb0e7221ef6fcd6df8?filter...
Additional Italian sabre models, from left: an antique Radaelli hilt suitable for 20mm or 16mm blades, an 1870s-80s Neapolitan model similar to a Parise, but strongly asymmetrical, an unnamed model by the Giuseppe Perez Co. with a 15mm blade probably from the 1890s to 1910 or so, and finally a rather rare Bruno model from around 1890-1920.
From left, 1st model Masiello, 2nd model Masiello, and Pecoraro sabre guards. All three are essentially the same guard save for cutouts, holes, and lack of holes, respectively. Every example has slight variations in dishing, size, and so on, and also in weight. Because these were made from the mid-late 19th century to the first quarter of the 20th century, we see examples of these made for both 16-20mm blades, as well as for sport blades.
The 1st model Masiello first appears in print in 1887 in Masiello’s book, but without the diamond shape between the two bars. The 2nd model shows up in his 1893 2nd edition sabre book. The Pecoraro is seen in Pecoraro and Pessina’s 1910/12 sabre book.
This 1st model guard is currently mounted with a sport blade, but its weight would be sufficient to allow me use it with a 16mm blade. The 2nd model Masiello here is one of what Hanwei erroneously named a Pecoraro. It is apt for a 16 or 20mm blade. The Pecoraro is mounted with an antique curved 8mm blade.