SwordFest 2008

V Nguyen · (#1)

Well I couldn't come up with anything good as a description for SwordFest. So I'll take Sensei's description that he used last year as I do believe it suits this best.

All,
The Virginia Kenshinkai and the Capital Area Budokai will be hosting Swordfest 2008 on 17 May, 2008.

This is an open forum celebration and appreciation of swords and sword arts, ancient or modern, east or west. The format will be 20-30 minute demos, plus hopefully some displays and possibly a vendor or two. This will be the 4th year of swordfest, which was held in Pennsylvania the last two years. A search in the forums should find some background.

It will be hosted at 25 S. Quaker Lane, Alexandria, VA . It is an old school building, we are in the former gym.

If you have questions or plan to come feel free to PM me or email me at swordfest2008@gmail.com

Lets make this another great event.

V

P.S: Yes I did edit some information from last year's post as made by Dave Drawdy.

V Nguyen · (#2)

Just got a handle on the actual time of the event. Plan is to start at 9am and end at about 5-6pm. So if people were wondering about it due to schedule conflicts last year. Thats the timeslot for this year.

Again if anyone plans to attend or have any questions. Feel free to email me directly at

swordfest2008@gmail.com

Jason Hatcher · (#3)

Hello all,

As you have read from Viet's earlier posts, the Virginia Kenshinkai and Capital Area Budokai are pleased to announce, that they will once again be hosting the event Swordfest. A celebration of edged weaponry, where East meets West and old meets new. Throughout the day you will enjoy a plethora of styles in swordmanship. This event is a non-competitive demo styled forum, where everyone holds an open mind to each other's perspective arts. BEST THING OF ALL, IT'S ABSOLUTELY FREE!!!

Swordfest is scheduled to take place on May 17th 2008 and will once again be located at the Capital Area Budokai dojo. The dojo is located at 25 S. Quaker Lane, Alexandria, VA and our website is http://www.capitalareabudokai.org We are planning for Swordfest to run from somewhere around 9:00 am until around 3:30 pm. There will be a 45 min lunch break sometime around Noon and various restaurants are located within walking distance. Groups that demo will perform in 30 minute time slots, while allowing a 5 minute photo session at the end of their displays.

Planning for this event is coming along nicely and everything is shaping up to make a great day of showmanship. We are in the process of organizing new participants and inviting back participants from last years demo. Currently our confirmed lineup consists of the following-

-Virginia Kenshinkai (Nakamura Ryu Battodo and Mugai Ryu Iaihyodo)
-Virginia Academy of Fencing (German longsword in the Liechtenauer tradition)
-Hobyokan (Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo, Owari Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, Jikishinkage Ryu, etc.)
-Philadelphia Ren Sei Kan (Edo Yagyu Shinkage Ryu)
-Northern Virginia Tendokan (Atarashii naginata and Tendo Ryu)
-Byakokan Dojo (Toyama Ryu Battojutsu)
-Northern Virginia Kendokai (Kendo)
-Order of the Seven Hearts (16th Century Italian Swordsmanship from the Bolognese School)
-Capital Area Jodokai (Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo)
-Northern Virginia Kyudo (kyudo)
-New York Historical Fencing Association, A Chapter of Selohaar Fechtschule
-Shutokukan Dojo (Shinto Muso-ryu, Toda-ha Buko-ryu, and Yagyu Shinkage-ryu/Seigo-ryu, Chuwa-ryu)

There will be vendor and display tables set up also. So far these tables will be hosted by the following-

-Virginia Academy of Fencing
-Shadow of Leaves
-Order of the Seven Hearts
-Virginia Kenshinkai

If you were a participant of last year's event and have not yet registered with us, or should anyone have questions regarding Swordfest 2008, please feel free to PM us

We all look forward to seeing you at the event, thanks for your time.
Jason Lee A. Hatcher

Steven Reich · (#4)

Originally Posted by Jason Hatcher

-Order of the Seven Hearts (17th Century Italian Rapier)

Actually, the Order of the Seven Hearts will be demonstrating 16th Century Italian Swordsmanship from the Bolognese School.

Steve

Dave Drawdy · (#5)

Thanks for the correction, Steve. Have updated the list.

All, although we are planning around 30 minute slots, please included your set-up and tear-down time in that, so it may be more realistic to work with a 20 minute demo, to help keep things moving. If the day ends early (or not) and there is any interest, perhaps we can do a couple of open forum exchanges of techniques and ideas after the formal demos? I was surprised and impressed last year to see the correlation between some of the eastern and western techniques. Fun stuff.

If anyone plans on cutting, we will have targets and stands available on request. Please contact the coordinators with any requests or questions.

Dave

V Nguyen · (#6)

Correction on Jason's list. The Mid Atlantic Token-kai is not going to be here.

V

V Nguyen · (#7)

Just a minor update about SwordFest.

At the current time we are filled up as far as spots for demonstration groups.

Additional updates will be posted the closer we get to SwordFest 2008

V

Dave Drawdy · (#8)

all, the list of groups demo-ing has been updated, above. (It just keeps getting better

)

Dave

Gregory Mele · (#9)

Wow, this does sound great, Dave! Wish I could be there.

Greg

V Nguyen · (#10)

Since I'm still up and running over things. All I can really say is that. Things are really starting to look good. Its going to be a good time.

If you can come. Come on by have fun and watch. With this many groups. Its sure to be a great time.

Time to sleeeeeeeep

Dave Drawdy · (#11)

bump

Dave

Sherman Chow · (#12)

Man, there's a whole lot of Yagyu going on in that event! I really wish I could be there.

It'd be great if any SFI members of each of the presenting organizations chime in on the whole experience. *Hint Hint Jab Jab*

sherm

Chris deMonch · (#13)

I've been present for all the Swordfests so far. They're pretty much universally a great time. You get to meet alot of interesting people.

Sherman Chow · (#14)

as a participant, I take it, Chris?

Chris deMonch · (#15)

Participant/Heckler/Freeloader :-P

V Nguyen · (#16)

Just 12 more days til SwordFest 2008. Its starting to look really good.

Hope to see the various forumites and groups there.

We will do our best to make it as enjoyable as possible.

If anyone has questions or plans to attend or whatever. Please feel free to email me at swordfest2008@gmail.com

V

Dave Drawdy · (#17)

Three more days! There may be a blurb in the Friday Weekend section of the Washington Post (fame! glory!)

regretfully, the Shutokukan Dojo (Shinto Muso-ryu, Toda-ha Buko-ryu, and Yagyu Shinkage-ryu/Seigo-ryu, Chuwa-ryu) will not be able to come, but I think we do have Scott Rodell's Chinese Sword group (Great River Taoist Center). Should be good.

Dave

Jason Hatcher · (#18)

Tomorrow, tomorrow, it's only a night away!

Be there or be square.. 9AM SHARP TO SEE THE GOOD STUFF...
SWORDFEST SWORDFEST SWORDFEST

-jASON

V Nguyen · (#19)

Its 11:59pm and I just woke up from my nap.

Just wanted to say. Thank you to everyone who supported SwordFest this year. And thank you to all the demonstrators and volunteers for there effort, hard work, and dedication to there arts. You all made this a wonderful event.

R A Sosnowski · (#20)

Dave, V, Jason, and Camille,

Wonderful job and a great event.

It was great to see everyone from last year.

Even before the afternoon events were over, people were talking about next year.

Steven Reich · (#21)

Thanks for the fantastic event!

I really enjoyed the day and learned a lot--and even managed to do a little cutting. All of the excellent demonstrations have really inspired me to work that much harder on my swordsmanship.

I can't wait for next year's event (and I promise to include polearms and the Spada da due mani in our next demonstration

).

Steve

SangWooKim · (#22)

Swordfest was great as usual, and I got to meet even more people! Thank you for all those that made this possible and we'll be back next year with a better demo. It was good to see everyone again and if any of you are in the NY area, please e-mail or call me. Thanks

Christopher Ron Covington · (#23)

Hello all,

I just want to send my thanks out to everyone who made Swordfest so much fun, including hosts, demonstrators, vendors and audience members. It was a real blast. All of the demos were great! I only wish the time slots were longer, I would have enjoyed seeing more from each group.

So when will we start to see some video on YouTube?

If anyone has any photos or video of the Hobyokan group I'd love to get some.

I look forward to seeing everyone in '09!

Best regards,

Chris deMonch · (#24)

Congratulations to the folks in VA for organizing another great Swordfest this year. It was a magnificent effin time, and there was alot of interesting things to see and people to talk to. I also can't say enough good things about that BBQ Place that was next to the dojo. I wish I'd known about it last year.

Michael Edelson · (#25)

I had a truly wonderful time. I got to watch and experience some very amazing people at work and I was deeply moved by how welcoming and supportive everyone was.

Thank you all for a day I'll never forget.