Decatur School of Arms

08/30/2023

As a reminder, RASP scholarship deadlines are coming up on September 4th

We plan to offer a limited number of partial scholarships for participants with financial need. These scholarships will pay $300 toward your total registration fee. To be considered for a partial scholarship, please submit your application prior to September 4th. A complete application consists of:

1. Your 300-600 word statement about why you are applying for the scholarship and how you will apply what you learn from RASP to other contexts (for example, if you run a local fight practice in the SCA and you would be sharing your knowledge with your group we would want to know). Email to Dori and David Coblentz at [email protected]

2. A letter of recommendation from an instructor, mentor, or colleague who can speak to your potential as a fencer and/or instructor and your long-term dedication. This should be submitted separately. Email to Dori and David Coblentz at [email protected]

10/16/2022

We are accepting applications for a partial scholarship for the 2023 Rapier and Saber Pedagogy Retreat. Deadline for applications is November 1st and applicants will be informed of the decision by November 15th. We especially encourage applications from individuals with financial need and groups underrepresented in the historical fencing community.

To apply, applicants will submit a short essay (200-500 words) explaining what they will do with the training provided in the pedagogy seminar. Applicants will also submit a letter of recommendation from a fencing teacher or mentor who can speak to the applicant’s potential as a fencer and teacher. Letters should come directly from the recommender to [email protected].

This scholarship will cover $350 of the registration costs, which include food and lodging. The attendee will be responsible for paying the remaining costs (which will vary based on if the attendant chooses a dorm room versus a double) by December 1st. Please send applications and letters to [email protected]

09/11/2022

Hi all! We are planning on opening registration for next year's Rapier and Saber Pedagogy Retreat this coming Friday. Event details can be found at https://fencingatl.com/rasp

We will have our largest group of instructors this year, including special guests which we will announce later this week

If you would like an email when we open registration you can sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdWPsjfml1TsnQ29tXImGF4P8kVLPvR2NZKxA8hn85tE1OAAQ/viewform

Last year, we sold out in about two weeks, so sign up early this year to make sure you have a spot!

The Rapier and Saber Pedagogy retreat is an intensive fencing instructor’s seminar focusing on the use of historical weapons, particularly the rapier and saber. Our curriculum is based on traditional Italian pedagogy, and our format closely follows that of Sonoma State University’s Fencing Cert...

02/26/2022

Just secured our dates for President's Day weekend 2023 for our next RASP!

08/07/2021

Demonstration lesson from RASP2021. We began with this lesson in our first Rapier group session. After lunch, David gave a talk on lesson structure and design and explained how this lesson was derived from Capoferro's rapier manual. In the afternoon, David and Kevin demonstrated the complete lesson before giving participants a chance to practice teaching it on their own and at their own place.

https://youtu.be/QTHRY9ElCuU

07/29/2021

This is the sign where you should be turning! Ignore your gps if it tries to make you turn slightly sooner. Also, there's no shampoo provided so make sure you've got your own.

06/15/2021

Decatur School of Arms and UWF Fencing show how to use static and in time cues to teach straight thrusts, disengagements, and glides in rapier fencing: https://youtu.be/TguWccmCmns