I was the guest instructor for the American Smallsword Symposium this year, teaching folks Philibert de la Touche’s early smallsword system. His book is especially interesting as it’s a transition period from the earlier rapier system to what would evolve into a modern smallsword system. A lot of this theory and guard use comes very much from the earlier Italian rapier systems. He even teaches cutting with the smallsword. Yet the weapon he shows in his book is clearly and early foil and smallsword.
It’s been a while since I’ve taught a class that was strictly from one fencing master. I tend to be more “master agnostic” in my approach, pulling from a variety of sources that work well together and are part of a larger school/systematic approach. But it was a lot of fun to stick just to La Touche’s teachings for the weekend.
It was a really great event and I highly recommend folks who are interested in smallsword swing by that event.
You can watch the entire three part series on YouTube here. Below is the first one to get ya going, though.
—Justin
Head Coach, Instructor at Arms
Boston Academie d’Armes
(he/him)
