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May. 17th, 2007
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sword snobbery, etc.
May. 17th, 2007 07:37 pmI am starting to suspect I may have misjudged the nature of SCA fencing.
Disclaimer: I know that the SCA is a huge and international organization, and that different regions/groups have their own rules and levels of accuracy/enthusiasm/focus. However, I have long been under the impression that my local SCA chapter does not do real (i.e., historically informed) fencing, and that even if they did, there isn't a rapier marshall/practice local to me anyway.
Well.... [sigh]...
I admit this impression is based on old data (my lapsed SCA membership from 5 years ago) and the opinions of my fellow western martial art enthusiasts (who like many purists lurve "their way" above all others), and as such I am forced to admit I may not be being as open minded as I could be :/
Evidence: a paper presented at the Congress outlining the fact that SCA combat has enough different rules and regs to be considered a martial art in it's own right, and suggestive indications from the upcoming local University's class listing that at least some of the local SCA rapier fighters (rapierists?) are flirting with historic fencing texts. So, it looks like there's a trend towards the western martial arts style discipline that I'm accustomed to and in favor of, or, at the very least, I can't slam on the SCA for not doing real fencing - it may be different but it could be argued that it's equally valid.
Soooo.... at the upcoming university I'm going to attend some of the fencing classes and see if they're playing a game I want to join. If so - yay! Because there are a lot more different people to fence in the SCA than there are western martial artists. And if not - yay! Maybe I'll learn not to be such a snob :P
Disclaimer: I know that the SCA is a huge and international organization, and that different regions/groups have their own rules and levels of accuracy/enthusiasm/focus. However, I have long been under the impression that my local SCA chapter does not do real (i.e., historically informed) fencing, and that even if they did, there isn't a rapier marshall/practice local to me anyway.
Well.... [sigh]...
I admit this impression is based on old data (my lapsed SCA membership from 5 years ago) and the opinions of my fellow western martial art enthusiasts (who like many purists lurve "their way" above all others), and as such I am forced to admit I may not be being as open minded as I could be :/
Evidence: a paper presented at the Congress outlining the fact that SCA combat has enough different rules and regs to be considered a martial art in it's own right, and suggestive indications from the upcoming local University's class listing that at least some of the local SCA rapier fighters (rapierists?) are flirting with historic fencing texts. So, it looks like there's a trend towards the western martial arts style discipline that I'm accustomed to and in favor of, or, at the very least, I can't slam on the SCA for not doing real fencing - it may be different but it could be argued that it's equally valid.
Soooo.... at the upcoming university I'm going to attend some of the fencing classes and see if they're playing a game I want to join. If so - yay! Because there are a lot more different people to fence in the SCA than there are western martial artists. And if not - yay! Maybe I'll learn not to be such a snob :P
(no subject)
May. 17th, 2007 11:13 pmNice thing about having a speedy new computer that doesn't chew for ages before spitting things onto the screen - I can actually see what's on my CDRoms.
For the first time in a few years I can now look at: holiday pix, historic and avant garde (Yamamoto! McQueen!) patterns, medieval furniture construction, the entire 19th c. uniform tailoring book I scanned a few years ago, Adam Ant hussar jacket inspirational photos, 16th century tailors bills, several different museum exhibits, the list does go on.....
I'll have to carve out some time for these!
For the first time in a few years I can now look at: holiday pix, historic and avant garde (Yamamoto! McQueen!) patterns, medieval furniture construction, the entire 19th c. uniform tailoring book I scanned a few years ago, Adam Ant hussar jacket inspirational photos, 16th century tailors bills, several different museum exhibits, the list does go on.....
I'll have to carve out some time for these!