Greetings fencers.
I just wanted to let everyone know that the International
Swordfighting and Martial Arts Convention in Lansing Michigan was one of
the best swordfighting events I've ever attended.
Last year the instruction was fantastic, but this year was even
better; there were more instructors, more classes, and more fine
participants, and that's saying quite a lot after the great turnout in
2002. The number of options available was unsurpassed by any event I've
ever attended: there were two tracks of regular classes, a track for
Master classes, and private lessons available from any of the
instructors, all at the same time! I particularly liked the option of
taking a private lesson from any of the instructors, many of whom
charged substantially less than they normally do for such intensive,
one-on-one training; it was a fantastic opportunity that I've never seen
at another convention. With everything there was to do, I could have
easily attended this same seminar three times without taking the same
class twice.
Another innovative feature of this year's convention was the
addition of coached bout rapier practice on Friday night; it was
extraordinarily helpful to have my bout watched and critiqued by some of
the best rapier teachers in the world, and I know that everyone who took
advantage of the coached bouts got a lot out of the experience. This
year there was also a rapier tournament, which was expertly run and
directed; I only wish I hadn't been quite so exhausted that night!
Then again, exhaustion was a small price to pay for being able to
take rapier classes from the excellent Stephan Dieke, Gary Chelak,
Maestro Andrea Lupo Sinclair, Maestro Sean Hayes, and Maestro Ramon
Martinez, a great French foil class from Maestro Jeannette
Acosta-Martinez, and an eye-opening class on Spanish Knife fighting from
Maestro James Loriega. As if that wasn't enough, I spent the next day
taking a duelling sabre class and private lesson in Spanish rapier from
Maestro Martinez, a longsword class from Guy Windsor, and another
longsword class from Maestro Sinclair. And that is only a fraction of
the classes that were offered! Although I do not regret taking any of
the classes I took, there were many others I would have very much liked
to have taken; I heard great things about all of the other classes in
discussions later on, so apparently I wasn't the only one who thoroughly
enjoyed the weekend.
All in all, ISMAC 2003 was a great improvement upon the already
excellent ISMAC 2002. This innovative event was a model for what
martial arts convention should strive to be. I would like to thank
Jared Kirby, John Lennox, the Art of Combat, Lansing Community College,
and everyone else who put in the time and effort to help make this event
so great.
I'm already looking forward to next year's event!

Antone Blair


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