Western Washington Western Martial Arts Workshop 2006

March 3-5, 2006
Magnuson Park
Seattle, Washington
Event Website

Bolognese Sword and Buckler

The purpose of these three days was to provide students with a solid theoretical and practical basis in the Bolognese art of sword and buckler, perhaps the most used weapon-combination in this style. Towards this goal, we followed closely in the tracks of the four best-known Bolognese masters: Manciolino, Marozzo, Viggiani and Dall'Agocchie, each of whom provides important information about the art—plus the recently-discovered Anonymous of Ravenna, which was taught here for the first time in the US.

We started by learning the guards and their properties, forming them martially and elegantly, as described by the books. Then we learned how to intersperse the guards with defensive and offensive sword-blows and the appropriate steps, which the masters call alzare e calare delle guardie and passeggiare. The most important parries were analyzed and tested against the opponent (with increasing speed) so as to maximize the students' confidence in this effective art. Naturally, the key concept of tempo was explained in easy and relevant terms, in line with the pragmatic yet imaginative ways of the Bolognese masters.

We also demonstrated and learned an important solo-form typical of this school. These were taught as etudes to tie together the most fundamental actions of the art, as well as to give the swordsman a repertoire of short and impressive flourishes with which to begin and end fencing phrases. The principal cells of the solo-form was then be used to build coherent and logical plays in a manner that made sense to the students so that they could understand them, remember them and make them part of their fencing repertoire. By the end of the class, each student was hopefully able to instinctively use the art to initiate effective attacks and counter any blow from any guard, in the correct tempo and using the appropriate footwork and body-mechanics.

All this was peppered by relevant stories and anecdotes about the style and how it was used and practiced by famous military men and duelist of the 16th Century.

Instructors: Tom Leoni & Steven Reich