If you are involved in HEMA, Matt Galas is someone you should talk to, if you have any interest in the world of the medieval and renaissance swordsman, he is the one to ask, he embodies what a lot of us as hemaites aspire to, a terrifying mix of an extraordinary incisive mind, finely trained fencing skills and the hyperactive enthusiasm of a child on additives, and frankly his knowledge puts most of us to shame.
When he releases his book, it will be THE book on hema…now we just need him to finish it:)
Anyway he has written a review of our second dvd Timing & Distance” here it is…
Recently, I finally had the time to sit down and watch the latest video by Dave Rawlings (I.33: Timing & Distance). I liked what I saw, so I figured I would write a review. The video begins with a section on body structure and positioning that is easy to follow and helpful with regard to basic body mechanics of the I.33 guards. The next section covers the “magic distance”, using concepts that are intriguingly similar to those used by Girard Thibault in his Academy of the Sword (1628). This is a neat concept that Dave has developed that really helps with the timing of the various actions in the I.33 plays. As with the last video, I found it fascinating to watch Dave apply rapier concepts to sword & buckler fencing in a way that made perfect sense. The following sections, entitled “Theft of Line”, “the Common Response”, “the Sword Change”, and “2d ward counters”, took individual parts of I.33 and broke them apart, giving Dave’s preferred view, as well as presenting alternate possibilities as well.
As usual, it was a pleasure to watch Dave move – the guy prowls like a tiger ready to pounce, and his movements when attacking are fluid and powerful. When you get this video, don’t expect a dry, image-by-image slog through the manual. What you get instead is a down-to-earth, practical approach to the techniques, intended to turn them into a living art and a workable system. Dave does an admirable job of both, while at the same time using his own eclectic background to help make sense of the techniques in the manual. This is one of the few places you will see an instructor apply centerline, triangle, and void principles current in modern martial arts theory, while at the same time applying concepts of distance, tempo, blade cover, and movement patterns found in the best rapier manuals from the early 1600s. Dave manages to pull this off without letting these eclectic infuences hijack his interpretation. In fact, he doesn’t even signal they are there, which keeps them from becoming a distraction. Instead, these influences “fly under the radar”, helping to explain the techniques, but never corrupting them. All told, this DVD is a rock-solid piece of work, and a worthwhile purchase for those who want to bring sword & buckler fencing back to life.
Regards,
Matt Galas
Mons, Belgium
