Fencing Masters Program
News and Announcements 2007
Stage Fencing Seminar at Sonoma State University
Posted 31st December, 2007
From John Sullins, Military Master at Arms
In this single day seminar, Saturday, January 26, 2008, students are introduced to safe and effective fencing techniques suitable for stage and film. Students will apply the skills learned in a choreographed stage fight set on the high seas. Equipment is supplied. You DO NOT need to be a SSU student to enroll. For enrollment and more information please visit the SSU Web site...
Hurt Him in Eleven Places
Posted 7th December, 2007
From Janine M. Sahm, Master at Arms
British Fencing's The Sword magazine recently published "Hurt Him in Eleven Places," an article by Dr. Gaugler about the influence of high level fencing knowledge on Shakespeare's plays. Read the entire article...
In the Spotlight: Fencing Master's Program at San José State University
Posted 3rd December, 2007
From Janine M. Sahm, Master at Arms
Read the interview with Maestro Sahm in the December 2007 issue of the San José State University Department of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre newsletter...
Northwest Academy of Arms Children's Class
Posted 26th November, 2007
From Sean Hayes, Maestro d'Armi, Northwest Academy of Arms
KMTR television news story about the Northwest Academy of Arms fencing class for children.
Santa Clara Adult Education Winter Session
Posted 1st November, 2007
The Santa Clara Adult Education Winter session begins November 28. Register now by telephone, (408) 423-3555. Online registration begins November 5th. See the class schedules page for details.
Fencing, the Art, Science and Passion
From Bert Shapiro, Pheasant's Eye Productions
Posted 12th September, 2007
I am pleased to announce a new documentary film from Pheasant’s Eye Productions, “Fencing: The Art, Science and Passion.” This 40-minute, six-part documentary introduces the intensely competitive world of the sport fencer and the elegant traditional moves of the classical duelist. This documentary was filmed at fencing academies in London and the United States, including the San José State University Fencing Masters Program. San José State Fencing Masters Program students receive free shipping on DVD orders placed before October 15, 2007. View full announcement and DVD ordering information…
Enroll Now for Fall 2007 Classes
From Janine M. Sahm, Master at Arms
Posted 3rd August, 2007
Class schedules and enrollment information are available on the Classes page.
Jack London Open, Sunday August 5th
From John Sullins, Military Master at Arms
Posted 29th July, 2007
Botta Secreta Productions proudly presents:
The Jack London Open
A Singlestick Tournament: $100.00 cash prize for first place!
Location: Halberstadt Fencer's Club, 621 South Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, CA 94110
Date and Time: Sunday, August 5, 2007, doors open at 8:00am PDT
Registration: $20.00, registration ends at 9:00am PDT
Rules:
The contest will be conducted under the Singlestick Tournament Rules of
the World Stick Fencing Federation. For this open tournament only cuts will be allowed – no thrusts. Fencers
will compete in the pool format all the way to the finals. They will fence five point bouts as per the "German Gymnastic Society Rules".
Fencers will bout with every fencer in the pool. Fencers with the best results will advance to the next round which
will again be a pool system. Fencers with the best results advance to the final pool.
For more information, contact bottasecretaproductions@yahoo.com, or check the
Halberstadt Fencer's Club Calendar.
St. Michael’s Third Annual S.F. Tournament, Aug. 25th
From Tony Barajas, St. Michaels Salle d’Armes
Posted 20th July, 2007
St Michael’s Salle d’Armes would like to invite you and your fellow fencers to the third annual St. Michael’s fencing tournament at the Golden Gate Faire, www.ggfaire.com, in San Francisco on August 25th. The rules, equipment requirements and entry fees will be posted on www.stmichaelssalle.com. Last year we had 36 fencers on the field, and we are expecting more this year. After the tournament, we will have a celebration feast. We look forward to seeing you at the event.
Dr. Gaugler Remembers Jan Romary
From Dr. Gaugler, Maestro di Scherma
Posted 5th July, 2007
I started lessons with Maestro Nadi at the beginning of January, 1956, and after three months of lessons fenced first with the Maestro, and then with his best pupils, including Jan Romary, at his request, so that I could learn to fence cleanly. Then I fenced weekly with her until early March of 1958 when we left for Europe.
In the 1956 Olympic Games the electric foil was used for the first time in Olympic competition, and, according to Jan, virtually everyone complained of sore wrists and poor point control. The top-level fencers were all attempting to deal with the peculiarities of an ill-balanced and heavier weapon. Jan practiced on all of us, including myself, with a bolt taped on to the tip of her standard foil blade to approximate the behavior of an electric blade. Needless to say, we were all badly bruised by that system, but did what we could to help her prepare for competition. However, few fencing schools had electrical equipment, so nearly everyone in the U.S. was confronted with the same problem of a point-heavy foil blade. Jan was very effective with the standard weapon attacking her adversaries with a feint direct and cut-over as a jumping attack. You can easily imagine how her point wobbled and took forever to fall in line with a heavier blade and additional weight at the point.
Even in Europe not many fencing schools had electrical equipment in the late 1950s. In Cannes I fenced on the team of the Côte d'Azur, representing Cannes, against the championship Italian team from Sardinia. There was no electrical equipment in Cannes, and I had to wait until the Italians arrived to borrow an electric Italian foil, which they generously let me use against them.
In the Time Magazine obituary there is an early picture of Jan. She was still a pupil of Ralph Faulkner at that time. You can see that she has a French foil in hand and her left hand faces downward with fingers separated loosely. When I met Jan she was in her late twenties, and her form was completely Italian, as was the weapon she used. Her guard position and long lunge were based on Nadi's guard and lunge. And she had adopted his aggressive method of advancing with the point in line, frequently utilizing actions on the blade, such as transports and beats, and following initial attacks that were parried with immediate and explosive renewed attacks requiring a second lunge.
Jan was the finest and most successful American women’s foil champion of her generation. Her technical skill, range of fencing actions, and classical form enabled her to fence well against the strongest European competitors, despite the fact that unlike her world-class rivals, who fenced each other with regularity in Europe, Jan was only able to encounter them once every four years in Olympic competition. And while this should have put her at a considerable disadvantage, she managed, nonetheless, to place fourth in the Olympic Games of 1952 and 1956.
And it must be added that Jan was a courteous, kind, and generous lady both off and on the fencing strip, behaving in a manner that honored the noble art of fencing, and earned her the respect of the international fencing community.
Remembering Janice-Lee York Romary, Olympic Fencer
Posted 22nd June, 2007
Janice-Lee York Romary, who competed as a fencer in six consecutive Olympics
and was the first woman to carry the U.S. flag during opening ceremonies, died on May 31, 2007, at age 79.
Read more at the following links.
• Obituaries in the news (The Mercury News)
• Jan Romary (The Blog of Death)
• Janice Romary (USC Fencing)
• Fencing with a Touch of Class (TIME)
Santa Clara Adult Education Summer Session
Posted 13th April, 2007
The Santa Clara Adult Education Summer session will run from May 30 to July 25. Please see the class schedules page for details.
Sonoma State University Fencing Training Program
Posted 13th March, 2007
The Sonoma State University Fencing Training Program will run from July 23 to July 28. Please see the class schedules page for details.
Italian Translation of The History of Fencing
Posted 13th April, 2007
The Italian translation of Maestro William M. Gaugler’s The History of Fencing is completed. 1000 copies were printed with 400 copies going to the Italian Federation of Fencing, 100 copies to the delegates of the Italian Fencing Masters Association, and the remaining copies given out or sold at the assemblies at Monza in March 2007. This translation is now required material.
Fencing Documentary in Production
Posted 13th April, 2007
In January 2007 the SJSU Program was filmed and interviewed for a documentary film on fencing by filmmaker Mr. Bert Shapiro. The completed film is scheduled for release in the Fall of 2007. Stay tuned for a trailer of the film on this site. For a look at Mr. Shapiro’s other work visit his web site, www.pheasantseye.com.
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