Academia della Spada, Seattle, WA
Head Instructor: Cecil Longino
Email: cecil@academiadellaspada.com
http://www.academiadellaspada.com
Academia della Spada is dedicated to reviving and maintaining the historical martial traditions of Western Europe through the study of historical treatises and the training and influence offered by today’s living maestros and classical instructors.
The primary instructor Cecil Longino is a Certified Instructor in French foil and French smallsword with the Martinez Academy of Arms in New York.
Primary tracks at Academia della Spada include: 16th Century Italian Rapier/Sword, English Backsword, and French Smallsword. Weekly workshops are also offered in I.33 Sword and Buckler, as well as a 14/15th century Fiore based system of Italian unarmed and armed combat.
Academia della Spada is the proud sponsor/host of a repeating international symposium called the Western Washington Western Martial Arts Workshop, or 4W for short. This bi-annual event brings in renowned instructors and maestros from around the world for an intensive three-day long workshop around President's Day weekend in February. It is well worth attendance, and the only event of its kind or size in the northwest.
Northwest Academy of Arms, Eugene, Oregon
Head Instructor: Maestro Sean Hayes, (541)-221-1695
Email: seanhayes@northwestacademyofarms.com
http://www.northwestacademyofarms.com/
This school employs the classical fencing pedagogy of Italy's great 19th century Scuola Magistrale - the national school for fencing masters, of which Maestro Hayes is a "descendant". This instructional method, developed by centuries of Italian fencing masters and codified in 1884 by Maestro Masaniello Parise, focuses on the development of a full range of technical and tactical skills in the fencer which is taught through carefully devised skill drills and supervised fencing practice.
This school also pursues the physical practice of Historical European Swordsmanship through the study of two well-known historical manuscripts left by older fencing masters. These include the hand-to-hand combat, longsword, spear, and poleaxe system laid out by the Italian fencing master Fiore dei Liberi in 1409. Another manuscript includes the sword & buckler text from Germany, 1300 AD, known today as Royal Armouries Manuscript I.33. These sophisticated martial arts manuals demonstrate that medieval swordsmanship was not just a matter of "the heaviest sword and the strongest arm," but was instead based on rigorous practice of established principles, just as Japanese and Chinese martial arts are.
Destreza Pacifica Fencing Club, Arcata, CA
Head Instructor: Antone Blair (707)-826-0573
Email: sildar1@earthlink.net
The Destreza Pacifica Fencing Club practices traditional fencing with a primary focus on two tracks of study:
- The French track which is based primarily on the study of 19th century French foil as the foundation for study of French dueling sword (epee) and French smallsword.
- The Spanish track which is founded upon the study of the Spanish rapier according to the principles of "la Verdadera Destreza de las Armas," the True Art and Science of Arms as taught by Masters such as Don Luis Pacheco de Narvaez and Don Francisco Antonio de Ettenhardt. Students of Spanish weapons can also practice the Spanish navaja (a folding clasp-knife) and may eventually study Spanish sabre and smallsword.
Both the HSU Fencing Club and Destreza Pacifica practice fencing which is strongly influenced by the methods of the Martinez Academy of Arms in New York of which Mr. Blair is a certified instructor. The style of Navaja practiced is the Acero Sevillano style as is taught by Maestro James Loriega.
Humboldt State University Fencing Club, Arcata, CA
Head Instructor: Antone Blair (707)-826-0573
Email: sildar1@earthlink.net
http://www.humboldt.edu/~kra/Recreational/sports_club/fencing_club.html
University of Oregon Fencing Club , Eugene, OR
Head Instructor: Maestro Sean Hayes
Contact: fencing@uoregon.edu
http://www.uoregon.edu/~fencing
University of Washington Historical Fencing Club
Head Instructor: Cecil Longino
Contact: fencing@u.washington.edu
http://students.washington.edu/fencing
Whitman College Fencing Club
Instructors and Contact vary by year.
http://www.whitman.edu/fencing