More than a decade ago, Greg Reimer found himself sitting in a downtown Vancouver theatre. As he sat in the dark waiting for the usual previews to begin, something unexpected happened. At the bottom of the theatre, just in front of the screen, appeared about a dozen people with long swords in hand.
Without hesitation, the group split into pairs and started dueling, clanking their steel swords and pivoting across the floor. After the short demonstration, the impromptu sword fighters quickly packed up and handed out flyers to the room of moviegoers. The piece of paper advertised one free sword fighting class at Vancouver鈥檚 Academie Duello, one of North America鈥檚 biggest schools of modern swordplay.
鈥淚 would say mostly everybody is attracted to sword fighting, but not everybody has the opportunity to actually learn the art and become a sword fighter. So, when I saw that demonstration I knew that was all I needed,鈥� Reimer said. 鈥淥nce I knew there was a school nearby I knew this was something I was going to get hooked on.鈥�
After that first class, Reimer spent the next six years training at Academie Duello, learning not only how to wield long swords, daggers and shields, but also the theory and history behind the sport. After many logged hours of practice, the student surpassed the teacher and Reimer started teaching part-time at the school.
However, after more than 20 years in Vancouver, Reimer wanted a change of pace. Back in April, Reimer and his partner Brooke Taylor packed up their home and moved to Valemount, opening their own small school called Sword Fight Canada.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 going to move to Valemount and not sword fight,鈥� Taylor said.
鈥淚鈥檝e always wanted to live in this part of the world and finally the opportunity came up so now we鈥檙e bringing some of what we did in the city with us,鈥� added Reimer.
Sword Fight Canada offers a four-week introductory course, focusing on the history and strategies of sword fighting, the Italian terminology behind the art and how to correctly use your weapon.
鈥淪word fighting is like solving problems. Basically you have to figure out how to strike your opponent without getting struck,鈥� said Reimer, adding that all of his swords have been dulled down for safety and capped with rubber tips.
鈥淎t our school we start very basic and we learn the answers to those simple problems and then we expand and start making the problems more complex.鈥�
The couple offered their first course to about six students in July and has another full class for August. As they look to the future, the two said they鈥檇 like to offer weekly classes in Jasper.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been advertising a lot online and we鈥檝e seen interest from the people of Jasper and people in McBride so we鈥檙e going to try to develop out here,鈥� Reimer said. 鈥淚n Valemount we鈥檝e had really positive feedback and our courses are filling up so we鈥檙e going to keep going and see what happens, but the interest is definitely there.鈥�
For those not living in the region, the two are also in the beginning stages of starting up an online sword fighting school, where students will have access to a slew of resources and quizzes and will be able to submit videos demonstrating their own techniques.
The two have also done a few medieval themed parties for children and adults in Valemount.
鈥淔or people like me who were raised on fantasy novels and video games, sword fighting was an obvious choice,鈥� said Taylor, adding that she also studied at Academie Duello. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just such a romantic thing鈥攖here鈥檚 so much mystique, mystery and intrigue. I think that fighting and testing your might is a natural part of being human, but we鈥檝e kind of distanced ourselves from that in this modern era, but it鈥檚 becoming popular again.鈥�
Reimer attributed the sport鈥檚 longevity to the popularity of The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones.
鈥淲丑别苍 The Lord of the Rings came out, it was like a sword fighter鈥檚 dream come true. Aragorn鈥檚 sword actually becomes a character and I think that鈥檚 incredibly attractive to people,鈥� Reimer said. 鈥淗olding a sword empowers you in this whole new way鈥攊t鈥檚 an art that goes beyond the ordinary because, let鈥檚 be honest, there鈥檚 nothing boring about sword fighting.鈥�
The two plan to hold an introductory class in Jasper in September. For more information go to www.swordfight.ca.
Kayla Byrne [email protected]
