VISS, a weekend devoted to European swordsmanship and martial arts took place last weekend in downtown Vancouver.
This is a weekend for Western Martial Arts practitioners, readers of historical fiction and fantasy, history buffs, and fans of swordplay. VISS brings together instructors, practitioners, writers, and lecturers from around the world for an exciting series of workshops, lectures, performances, and events all with swordplay at their heart.
The theme of VISS 2015 was “The Pursuit of Mastery: Live, Move, Think, Fight.”
Tuhon Loki taught a seminar at VISS on Filipino espada y daga (long and short weapons – usually a stick and knife or machete and knife) – giving Western martial artists a sense of how familiar European arts had been adapted to the tribal fighting arts. It was a 3 hour seminar, taking about 20 attendees all the way from footwork, to knife work, tapping and two-person cycle drills, through the first espada y daga contrada (of the first set of 12) from the Pekiti-Tirsia System of Kali.
Great to work with skilled martial artists with an interest in broadening their experience. I
It was also a great honor to have guro Mark Mikita present (from Los Angeles) – upon request, he provided his invaluable perspective and assistance in bringing this material alive.
VISS is an outstanding opportunity for Western martial artists to meet, share, grow and develop their skills. Congratulations to Academie Duello (and its head instructor Devon Boorman) for a successful production.
(Reproduced under fair-use and with credit)