Working Group — Falso Impuntanto

Instructor(s): Stephen Fratus

Timeslot(s):

One of the exciting things about being a Bolognese martial artist is the having the chance to figure out what some of the obscure actions in the Bolognese corpus are.

On Friday night, Stephen Fratus will lead a workshop where martial artists compare their working interpretations of the falso impuntato. The format will be to demonstrate the technique and explore the reasoning behind the interpretation. Then to answer questions that other martial artists may have about your interpretation.

All participants are expected to behave with the utmost courtesy and mutual respect toward fellow scholars. There are no prizes for the best interpretation. This is a collaborative effort to help refine our own understanding of the art and possible interpretations we have not yet considered.

The falso impuntato or “stabby falso” appears in the work of most of the Bolognese authors. Some instances include:

  • Giovanni dall’Agocchie does not describe the falso impuntato per se. It is possible that the punta in falso he describes in his section in the sword and dagger could be what other authors call a “falso impuntato.”
  • The Anonimo Bolognese uses it notably in play #707, part of the section of sword and rotella.
  • Marozzo makes extensive use of the falso impuntato. Most interesting perhaps are the falso impuntato in his spada sola section and the falso impuntato at the beginning of his first assalto for the two-handed sword.