Swordsman & Geek

A Midsummer Night’s Blog

Instructor’s Examination

The Sacramento Sword School is pleased to announce that Tyson Wright has passed his pre-requisite written examination which makes him eligible to take his Instructor de Armas examination covering single-handed sword in the Spanish tradition called La Verdadera Destreza.

On March 8, 2015 Mr. Wright will be publicly examined by a board of fencing masters with Dr. Mary Theresa Dill Curtis invited as an expert academic advisor to the board.  In order to achieve an endorsement from the board the candidate must perform the following requirements at a level that meets or exceeds the board’s standards for an Instructor de Armas:

  • Oral examination covering the tradition’s theory and pedagogy
  • Receive an individual lesson approved by the board
  • Teach an individual lesson approved by the board
  • Give a group lesson approved by the board
  • Teach a student impromptu fencing actions chosen by the board
  • Fence against a selection of opponents within the tradition

The candidate will be using a lesson approved by the board which is included here:

Salute

1. On command, from student’s atajo on the inside line, glide to chest

2. On command, from student’s atajo on the outside line, glide to chest

3. On command, from student’s atajo on inside line, thrust by detachment to chest, gaining the degrees of profile

4. On command, from instructor’s atajo on the inside line, thrust of half circle to flank

5. On command, from student’s atajo on the inside line, half reverse to outside cheek

6. On command, from instructor’s atajo on the inside line, circular reverse to outside cheek

7. In time, from student’s right angle, defensive atajo on the inside line against instructor’s thrust, and glide to chest

8. In time, from student’s right angle, defensive atajo on the outside line against instructor’s circular reverse, and glide to chest

9. On command, from student’s atajo on the inside line, General Technique of Narrowing to glide to abdomen, stepping left transverse

10. On command, from student’s atajo on the inside line, transverse left to middle place, glide to chest

11. On command, from student’s atajo on the inside line, transverse left to middle place, glide to chest, and clockwise thrust of the half circle to flank in second intention

12. In time, from student’s right angle, defensive atajo on the inside line, defense using General Technique of Narrowing, glide to abdomen.

13. From student’s atajo on the inside, three glides to chest

Salute

 

NOTE: In the context of this lesson the General Technique of Narrowing is being used broadly to describe a counterclockwise spiral from inside high to outside low in different martial applications as Pacheco demonstrates in his counters to the vulgar techniques.  This usage contrasts with the more tightly scoped sequence which always ends with a step to the right.

What do you think?

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