News

Mark's last classes of term:
Tuesday 17th December, returning 14th January
Wednesday 18th December, return TBC
Thursday 12th December, returning 16th January

Heartwork session 2-5pm this Sunday 8th at Hampton Court.

Caro's workshops all weekend in Aberdeenshire, sessions as usual format. Revised sessions from January, we'll discuss this over the weekend. Looking forward to seeing you all.

Tooting classes with Caro: last class of term Wednesday 18th, returning 8th January.

Beginners class with Mark in Tooting is planned for February, as well as a Sabre class for new weapons students, more details in the New Year.

2 bokkens for sale

There are two of the shorter length bokkens for sale, 91cm rather than the regular 102cm. They are brand new and come with tsubas (guards). They would suit any person studying sabre who stands less than 5 feet tall. They are currently in Scotland, and I can bring them to London in April if needed. They are £15 each. Let me know if you'd like one.

Study news

I am very happy to be studying Left Side special form with Mark again after taking a break from new forms for a while. This is the last bit of official BTCCA syllabus that I missed studying in London when I lived in Scotland. There is also talk of Marcel and I getting the 3 other Talu patterns from his old colleagues who had studied with a different student of John Kells, Michael Spink. This is a lower priority as we already have The Dance, with its profound iterations of forms and applications. But the completist in me likes to get 'a full set', so I may set it to work towards a good end. Scottish crew, get your LS form  posture sheets printed out for my next visit!

Any London students of Mark's who know the left side form, and its 189 postures, I will be glad to meet up and practise with you, get in touch.

Re International Women's Day, it seems appropriate to mention that I am also considering a special experimental workshop for later this year, or early next year, to teach some sabre to women artists. If you have creative friends who might like to do this, who do not necessarily already study T'ai Chi, let them know. Have a look at www.instagram.com/foundandground for details by clicking on the two black and white pictures that Tim took of me and Carmen doing sword with Mark.

New Sabre Silks

I have made a set of silks for Michael with a scarf kindly given by Janet in Scotland. There was enough silk to make a second set. If anyone would like them, let me know. Pale blue, not too big, real silk! I have just posted a little blog about sword and sabre tassels and silks here.

November Aberdeenshire workshops

Aberdeenshire workshops with Caroline are this weekend, 9-11th November.
The Weapons session is at Fetternear Hall, all other workshops are at Balvack. Great River students of any level are particularly welcome to the Saturday sessions.

Friday 6:30-9:30pm: Weapons
Saturday 1-4pm: Short Form, and related study
Saturday 5:30-8:30pm: Partnerwork
Sunday 1-4pm: Long Form
Sunday 5.30-8.30pm: Advanced Studies and Dance

The price is £18 (concessions £12) per 3 hr session. Please bring food to share on Saturday and Sunday. Get in touch with your instructor if you need travel directions or feel free to contact me with any other questions.

London Weapons study dates 2018

The remaining dates for Sabre and Sword at class are:
October 2nd
November 6th
December 4th

Sabre and Sword tonight

At the Tooting class. See you there.

Great Sabre today

In the sunshine, and some welcome shade of trees. Thanks to all who came.

Sabre Today

2-5pm, £22, at the outdoor place near Hampton Court, come to the boats first, as we will not be on the lawn due to a party. It will be hot and sunny so hats, sun block long sleeves are a good idea. Pale clothes might be better rather than black, for once!

Sabre workshop Sunday 24th June

2-5pm near Hampton Court at the usual riverside place. Might be hot so bring a hat and perhaps long sleeved light clothes, as we won't have our usual shady tree area.

T'ai Chi this month

Sword workshop

Tea break with swords and biscuits

Sword applications

Sabre at Fetternear

Short form at Finzean, traditional each June

Pax kept an eye on everything

Long Form at Balvack

Mark teaching Sabre at Tooting class

Thanks to all class mates and students who have come along and made all these events so great. Summer is a wonderful time to practice with good friends and colleagues. Have a great weekend.

Upcoming workshops

Sabre: 2-5pm Sunday 24th June, either at usual Church Hall venue or at the Hampton Court venue, tbc. Please let us know if you intend to come, as venue depends on numbers. £22.

Short Form study class: continues this Monday at The HC Studio with Caroline, 7-9pm, all students welcome. £10

June workshops

The Aberdeenshire workshops with Caroline are this weekend, 1st-3rd June.
The Friday session is at Fetternear Hall (7pm start), Saturday is at Anneke's place, and Sunday sessions are at Balvack. Great River students of any level are particularly welcome to the Saturday sessions.

Friday 7-10pm: Weapons
Saturday 1-4pm: Short Form, and related study
Saturday 5:30-8:30pm: Partnerwork
Sunday 1-4pm: Long Form
Sunday 5.30-8.30pm: Advanced Studies and Dance

The price is £18 (concessions £12) per 3 hr session. Please bring food to share on Saturday and Sunday. Get in touch with your instructor if you need travel directions or feel free to contact me with any other questions.

Sabre Workshop Today

St Mary Magdalene Church Hall, Trinity Rd, Wandsworth, 2-5pm, with Mark. £22.

Workshop dates

Dates for all Mark and my workshops are on this blog which is searchable. Just use the search box on the left at the top and put in 'workshops' or 'weapons' or whatever, and it will come up, and you can scroll down to the appropriate posting, click 'sort by date' to get the latest one at the top. I know some folk hate using the web, and I sympathise, so I usually do a dates hand out at class at Easter, and will do so soon, but for now, this is the resource. It also means we don't have to use a mailing list and clog up your inboxes with emails. Ours are the only schools I know where we don't do that. I get mail from a couple of my friends' schools deliberately, to see what passes for usual communications... Full details for Summer and Autumn workshops will go up after Easter, as I am so busy teaching and travelling right now. But the prices, places, format and facilities are the same as last year, and dates have been here since last November.
Summer: 21-27 July
Autumn: 13-15 October (Fetternear)
Sabre workshop this Sunday 18th March, St Mary Magdalene Church Hall 2-5pm.

Aberdeenshire March workshops

The next workshops with Caroline are this weekend, 9-11th March. The weather is set to improve by the weekend so roads should be ok, but I'll post on this blog if there are any changes.

The Weapons session is at Fetternear Hall at 6:30pm, all other workshops are at Balvack. Great River students of any level are particularly welcome to the Saturday sessions.

Friday 6:30-9:30pm: Weapons, including Sabre for beginners 6:30-7:30  (£5).
Saturday 1-4pm: Short Form, and related study
Saturday 5:30-8:30pm: Partnerwork
     plus    8:30-9:30pm: Introduction to dream work. More info here
Sunday 1-4pm: Long Form
Sunday 5.30-8.30pm: Advanced Studies and Dance

The price is £18 (concessions £12) per 3 hr session. Please bring food to share on Saturday and Sunday. Get in touch with your instructor if you need travel directions or feel free to contact me with any other questions.

February workshops

The next workshops with Caroline are this weekend, 9-11th February.

The Weapons session is at Fetternear Hall at 6:30pm, all other workshops are at Balvack. Great River students of any level are particularly welcome to the Saturday sessions.

Friday 6:30-9:30pm: Weapons, including Sabre for beginners 6:30-7:30  (£5).
Saturday 1-4pm: Short Form, and related study
Saturday 5.30-8.30pm: Partnerwork
Sunday 1-4pm: Long Form
Sunday 5.30-8.30pm: Advanced Studies and Dance

The price is £18 (concessions £12) per 3 hr session. Please bring food to share on Saturday and Sunday. Get in touch with your instructor if you need travel directions or feel free to contact me with any other questions.

The confirmed dates for this year's Aberdeenshire workshops are available here.

Weapons next week

Weapons sessions in London at Mark's classes next week, first week of February. See you there!

January Workshops, Aberdeenshire

The first workshops of 2018 with Caroline are next weekend, 12-14th January.

The Weapons session is at Fetternear Hall at 6:30pm, all other workshops are at Balvack. Great River students of any level are particularly welcome to the Saturday sessions.

Friday 6:30-9:30pm: Weapons, including Sabre for beginners 6:30-7:30  (£5).
Saturday 1-4pm: Short Form, and related study
Saturday 5.30-8.30pm: Partnerwork
Sunday 1-4pm: Long Form
Sunday 5.30-8.30pm: Advanced Studies and Dance

The price is £18 (concessions £12) per 3 hr session. Please bring food to share on Saturday and Sunday. Get in touch with your instructor if you need travel directions or feel free to contact me with any other questions.

The confirmed dates for this year's Aberdeenshire workshops are available here.

December workshops with Caroline, Aberdeenshire

This months workshops with Caroline are this weekend 8-10th December.

The Weapons session is at Fetternear Hall at 6:30pm, all other workshops are at Balvack. Great River students of any level are particularly welcome to the Saturday sessions.

Friday 6:30-9:30pm: Weapons, including Sabre for beginners 6:30-7:30  (£5).
Saturday 1-4pm: Short Form, and related study
Saturday 5.30-8.30pm: Partnerwork
Sunday 1-4pm: Long Form
Sunday 5.30-8.30pm: Advanced Studies and Dance

The price is £16 (concs available) per 3 hr session. Please bring food to share on Saturday and Sunday. Get in touch with your instructor if you need travel directions or feel free to contact me with any other questions. The weather is forecast to be very cold this weekend so wrap up warm and travel safely.

The confirmed dates for all the 2018 workshops are available here.