Swordplay Masterclass

My experience changed the way I approach the art. Putting aside all of the physical and sword skills that I learned in this intensive, I feel that I learned how to learn, and I feel much more confident moving forward in my training now.

I would recommend this course to anyone with a real interest in sword play that is up for the challenge. It is definitely intense but highly worth it. I learned a lot about myself, how to care for myself and be both a good learner and partner. I met so many cool people and feel that there was genuine support despite the fact that I came in with zero experience. I fully intend to take the course again next year, and in truth I’m already hooked.

Devon Boorman has designed a fantastic curriculum that will satisfy the most curious and technical fencers. The course focuses on important mechanics in great detail and covers strategies in fighting. Perhaps the most important, you’ll be taught how to become a better learner and accelerate your own training and studies as well as your friends’ and students’ if you are or wish to become a teacher.

I came to the masterclass after spending a couple years with a local club. I felt like I had no true understanding of the art of swordplay. My forms were limited, my free play abysmal, and I felt lost and unorganized. Swordplay masterclass was so well organized. It started from the basics and logically built a platform of knowledge and continued to build onto that. The instructor was very patient, and was able to describe and demonstrate each skill effectively to any learning speed. I feel much more organized and now have a platform to build on from now into the future. The community was very accepting and non-judgmental in their assistance.

I really enjoyed being able to spend a solid amount of time just dedicated to learning swordplay and how to teach it to others. I found the experience to be very enriching and grew a lot from it.

When I heard about HEMA, I really wanted to get into it but didn’t know where to start. There are no schools/clubs anywhere near me, and I don’t speak Italian or German, so unless there’s a manuscript in English or Spanish I couldn’t go to the original sources. And there are tons of resources online, but you can tell they’re written by (and for) people who already know what they’re talking about. But then I found Duello, and I’ve been loving it! I’m currently going through one of their “sidesword” courses (which btw includes sword & buckler) and it has been awesome! I still have a lot to learn, but now I have a great way to learning it well. I’m hooked!

For me the videos were incredibly useful. In my area there are no longer any sort of fencing clubs other than the occasional SCA group. The videos provide an incredibly useful resource that I find far more engaging than studying the various manuscripts on my own.

This is exactly the class a practitioner or future instructor needs. It lays out a training plan, but more importantly enables you to generate them for yourself and assist others in doing so. As always, the Academie Duello instructional team and curriculum are excellent.