Gone are the days where swords are used for combat, but that doesn’t mean that the sword has outlived it’s welcome. Constellations has again welcomed our guild with open arms this weekend. We spent time introducing people to the tools of our trade, including the longsword, dagger, throws, and safety gear.
On Saturday, during our “Wheel of Mortality” demonstration, Joe Loder showed how Fiore would handle differences in weaponry, from unarm vs dagger to two-handed sword vs two-handed sword. Usually our demonstrations end up with Joe “fatally” wounding other members, but occasionally, we succeed in our attempts to vanquish Joe and his knowledge of Fiore.
On Sunday, We introduced the public into the proper way to handle a sword, from pommel first to the final step. Joe Loder started by describing why our “long” swords aren’t as long as they could be, and why that’s a good thing. He then went on to describe the push/pull mechanics of pommel first, and how we don’t over-head strike. Also highlighting that safety is not just watching where you strike, but how hard you strike. Once done, he invited up people from the audience, 2 at a time, to strike at the pells (wooden dummies) that the guild built for this purpose. With members of the guild on watch for bad form, and reckless behavior, and providing guidance, the demonstrations with off with little issue.
From Friday to Sunday, Constellations has, once again, held a wonderful convention. It’s wonderful to see such a gathering of Sci-fi/Fantasy lovers in one place, and be able to reach out to them, Making new friends, and exploring new ideas. We at Nebraska Swordfighters Guild were honored to attend, and are excited for its, and our, return next year.