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Guillemin
Provost
Posts:120
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| 09/21/2006 12:11 AM |
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After the post of the recent series of classes that will be held in AB and the costs involved, this question came to mind. They both last about the same time, and for me at least, both cost about the same... Given the choice and the funds to do only one, would you rather:
(a) attend this series of classes (or another, similar series) and seriously advance your knowledge of historical rapier play
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(b) attend a huge event such as Pennsic and enjoy the ridiculous amounts of fighting
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I'll answer my own question with a little background. I attended Pennsic this year and I would invariably choose it again over any series of classes you could throw at me. I fought at least 650-700 times over the second week, and seeing the approach of hundreds of different people to the same game firsthand was invaluable. Although my game from a historical view did not improve (and may even have gotten worse, playing with some folks who usually use epees), my game as a whole is much better for it.
How 'bout you? |
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Guillemin de Rouen
Cadet to Raoul Delaroche
Rapier Champion of Avacal |
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TdB
Free Scholar
Posts:58
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| 09/21/2006 9:04 AM |
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Depends entirely on the instructors teaching the class. While I wouldn't pay a copper for the class being taught in Banff next year or for any ARMA instructors, I would happily pay that much for a week's lessons with the Tattershall rectors, or Maestro Sean Hayes, or Guy Windsor, or Braun McAsh. There are probably others, but those are the ones I've taken classes from and found to be worthwhile.
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OK, fine, I'm unapproachable. Keep your distance or I'll pez you. |
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Eira
Provost
Posts:79
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| 09/21/2006 5:08 PM |
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| I think I'd have to go with the big event instead of the big class |
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Eira Halladottir, Man-At-Arms to Cadet Hamish MacCarraig |
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Eira
Provost
Posts:79
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| 09/21/2006 5:08 PM |
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YARG! My message posted as I was writing it!
I think I'd have to go with the big event instead of the big class, if I had to choose. Although period fencing techniques do hold some interest for me, it's not the main reason I fight. I fight for fun more than any other reason, and I think I am much more likely to actually have FUN at the huge event fighting a ton of people than practicing new techniques all day. Don't get me wrong, practice can be fun, but it's not the same. |
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Eira Halladottir, Man-At-Arms to Cadet Hamish MacCarraig |
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welder
Provost
Posts:95
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| 09/22/2006 9:15 AM |
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I think that the real answer is not to choose. Just as "no fight is perfect without both the thrust and the cut," no training is balanced without both classroom instruction/drill and careful free bouting. Time and finance may dictate when you attend either or both, but in the end each is essential. So if you take classes once or twice a week, and there is a yearly event with free bouting, the choice is pretty clear. Sacrifice 1/52 of your class time and go to Pennsic.
Due respect to Thore, if there was any way I could afford the Banff event, I would go. The "Martini" are excellent instructors, though many folks here may not be interested in their Destreza class. I know that Jared Kirby (author of Italian Rapier Combat: Ridolfo Capo Ferro) teaches Italian. It is not clear to me from the website what anyone is teaching in specific, so I'd want to be sure he wasn't teaching theatrics, but my experience with Jared has been uniformly positive. There are a number of other well-respected names on the "invited" list: Bob Charron, Paul Macdonald, Stephen "the Tasmanian Terror" Hand, James Loriega, Stefan Dieke...and a fight director I don't know named "Felicity Steel". Expect that name to be stolen by the adult film industry any day.
I may yet sell a kidney or something for the registration fee. Anyone need one? Alas, the liver is not available, since it is still undergoing a long regime of bourbon-filtration therapy.
-William
(but not that William)
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Morleigh
Free Scholar
Posts:61
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| 09/24/2006 7:39 PM |
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| Up until I attended 4W this year, I would have said the event, no question. However, my 4W experience showed me how exciting learning (and, dare I say it?, drilling) can be. I'm still gaining skill and insight from what I learned there, even 8 months later. Maybe when I make Estrella some day I'll say the same thing about it. |
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