The Botta Secreta historical martial arts school will be hosting a Bartitsu seminar in San Francisco from 6:30 PM to 9:30PM on Thursday, March 18, 2010. The venue will be at Lowell High School:

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This seminar, taught by Tony Wolf, is open to both beginners and advanced martial artists and will introduce the study of both canonical and neo-Bartitsu. The canonical material is based on E.W. Barton-Wright’s classic c1900 articles, “The New Art of Self Defence” and “Self Defence with a Walking Stick”. These sequences provide a platform for training in neo-Bartitsu, continuing Barton-Wright’s experiments in cross-training between jiujitsu, fisticuffs, low kicking and the Vigny system of walking stick fighting.

Equipment: Please bring suitable exercise clothing, including shoes, and a sturdy cane (crook handle preferred), or strong, smooth dowel approx. 36″ long.

Fencing masks, boxing gloves and judogi jackets are useful, but are
not required.

Please contact bottasecretaproductions@yahoo.com for all other details.

The audience, almost all sporting the latest in neo-Victorian finery, was wowed by an action-packed ten minute antagonistic extravaganza combining Vigny stick fighting, pugilism, wrestling, savate, jiujitsu, singlestick fencing and navaja knife combat in the Spanish tradition.

The display (narrated by “E.W. Barton-Wright” himself!) has also introduced a new catchphrase to San Franciscan SteamPunks: “Belabour him as you see fit!” was the battle-cry of the night.

“Keep diving with your stick between peoples’ legs, upsetting them right and left,” – E.W. Barton-Wright, 1901

Advance notice of a series of Bartitsu seminars to be held in the Pacific Northwest (USA) between March 6-28, 2010.

Each seminar will begin with warm-up exercises taken from the 19th century “physical culture” repertoire before exploring the underlying principles, skills and tactics of Bartitsu, via lessons in the unique combination of fighting styles that made up E.W. Barton-Wright’s arsenal of tricks.

Classes to include:

• a selection of the canonical combat sequences represented in Barton-Wright’s classic article series, “The New Art of Self Defence” and “Self Defence with a Walking Stick”

• experimental neo-Bartitsu drills blending 19th century jiujitsu, scientific boxing, street savate and walking stick defence

• discussions on the fascinating history and revival of Barton-Wright’s New Art of Self Defence; the “hold-up” tactics of 19th century street gangsters, and the counters developed by self defence masters of the period, and the jiujitsu training of the Bodyguards of the radical Suffragette movement.

Tutor: Tony Wolf

The itinerary includes:

March 6th and 7th in Seattle, Washington at the SANCA school of circus arts – contact wolfclass@lonin.org .

March 13th and 14th in Eugene, Oregon at the Northwest Academy of Arms – contact info@fencingacademy.net

March 17th and 18th in San Francisco, California hosted by the Botta Secreta historical fencing school – contact bottasecretaproductions@yahoo.com

March 20th and 21st in Portland, Oregon, hosted by the Academia Duellatoria fencing school – contact jeffery@mind.net

March 27th and 28th in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, at the Academie Duello historical fencing and stage combat school – contact info@academieduello.com