Check out Maestro Devon Boorman’s insightful reflection on this year’s VISS, shared on Path of the Sword. Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium 2024 in Review […]
See You All Next VISS
A huge thank you to all the participants and instructors who joined us this year, making the event a truly wonderful experience! A special shoutout to our incredible volunteers—your dedication ensured everything ran smoothly and efficiently. […]
Choose Your Tracks & Workshops!
Hello VISS 2024 participants! With VISS just around the corner, excitement is building up, and we hope you’re feeling it too. Please take a moment to fill out the survey below to sign up for your preferred intensive tracks and workshops. Visit the schedule page to view our intensive tracks and descriptions! […]
VISS 2024 T-Shirt Design Contest
VISS 2024 planning is well underway, but one thing we still need is a fantastic design for this year’s t-shirts. We are now accepting entries for the VISS 2024 T-Shirt Design Contest. Entries will be accepted from now until midnight on March 28. The winner will receive a full three-day pass to VISS 2024! We […]
VISS 2024: From Earnest to Honour
We’re excited to announce the theme for this year’s Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium (May 24-26) is From Earnest to Honour: Martial Art From Deadly Combat to Tournament and Deeds of Arms. Join us over this 3-day event for six immersive intensives where you will explore martial traditions from their deadly origins to their contemporary and historical application. […]
VISS 2024!
Save the date for VISS 2024! We’re thrilled to announce that the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium will be returning May 24 – 26, taking place in the heart of downtown Vancouver at Academie Duello! We’re cooking up extraordinary plans for this year’s event, including an exciting theme and lineup of internationally renowned instructors that you […]
VISS 2022 Event Report
It’s been nearly a week since the 2022 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium and I’m finally back on my feet enough to write up a brief report about this amazing event. This year we decided to run a “mini” event with a focus on Bolognese swordsmanship, which we dubbed the Quincentenary in honour of the 500th […]
Coffee & Assalti: Sidesword
Every day of the Quincentenary will begin with two tracks devoted to Bolognese Assaults. These martial forms, both for solo and partnered practice, bring together attacks, defenses, and combinations that challenge both novice and advanced students alike. The Sidesword track features three days of assaults from various sources, each delivered by a different instructor who […]
New Date for VISS and More!
Hi everyone, your friends at The Vancouver Swordplay Symposium (VISS) have great news: The Quincentenary will now be held on May 27th thru 29th 2022. It will still be at Academie Duello’s beautiful facility in downtown Vancouver, BC. We are still having our same four core instructors Roberto Gotti from Guardia di Croce in Brescia, […]
VISS Postponement
It is with the heaviest of hearts that VISS 2022 must postpone The Quincentenary. The rapid spread of Omicron has forced officials in British Columbia to shutdown indoor events for the next month and there is a high likelihood of this shutdown being extended. If you have already registered, we apologize for this disruption to […]
Registration Now Open for VISS 2022
Registration for the Quincentenary is now open! We have assembled a group of internationally-renowned instructors to teach you the Bolognese Martial Arts of the Sixteenth Century. We will cover everything from two-handed sword to grappling to fighting with two swords as well as dive into the history that created this art. Local health department guidelines […]
Announcing A Special VISS 2022 Event!
In 2020 VISS was the last North American martial arts event before the lockdowns of the pandemic. We made it in just under the wire! Normally we would be in the full throws of planning for a full VISS 2022 but to help give us all a bit more time to plan we’ve decided to […]
Evening Activities at VISS 2020!
VISS 2020 is this weekend and we have lots of awesome activities and events across the three days including some special evening events! Firstly, on Friday and Sunday we will be hosting the VISS Martial Arts Share and Open Sparring from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM which will bring together martial artists of all forms […]
VISS Schedule and Poster!
Hey Everyone! We have some exciting news! The schedule for VISS 2020 is taking shape! Have a look on the Event Schedule page and see what intensives, workshops and lectures we have planned for you on March 6th to 8th! Additionally, we have the official VISS 2020 poster to show you! The wonderful and […]
Intensive Track Descriptions!
Looking for more details on the intensive tracks on offer this year? Take a look at our schedule page for some fresh new information! We will be offering 5 paired intensive tracks bringing some of the best martial artists of each martial tradition from across the world together to learn from each other! Don’t forget […]
Intensive Announcements! Early Bird Registration is Ending Soon!
Big News Everyone! The complete intensive tracks for VISS 2020, taking place March 6th to 8th, are here! Our theme this year is “East meets West”, and we have some of the world’s leading instructors of Eastern and Western martial arts offering their expertise in 3-day comparative intensive tracks (each track offers 9 hours […]
VISS 2020 Registration is OPEN!
Hey all! Registration for VISS 2020 is now live! Take a visit to the registration page and sign up to get the early bird price before it’s gone! […]
VISS 2020!
Greetings from VISS! We have some really good news regarding our next event. Instead of our next symposium happening in 2021, we’ve decided to run another in 2020! A whole year sooner! We will once again be at the Richmond Olympic Oval during the weekend of March 6th – 8th 2020, and we have […]
Thats a wrap folks!
A huge thank you to all of the participants and instructors who came up this year and made the event a truly wonderful experience! And a big shoutout to all of our volunteers who helped everything run smoothly, and efficiently, you all did great work! See you all in 2020! […]
Equipment Rental Form is Up!
Need to rent some equipment for your class or workshop at VISS? We’ve got you covered! Our equipment rental is up and we’ve got swords, gorgets and more! Check out the equipment rental page here to reserve yor equipment! Remember, your equipment must be reserved ahead of time! Check out the equipment rental FAQ Page […]
VISS is Two Weeks Away!
VISS is coming up really fast upon us! You only have two weeks to get your registration in and join us for a world class swordplay event! Don’t miss this opportunity, as VISS only rolls around every 2 years! […]
VISS 2019 is One Month Away!
The time quickly approaches! VISS 2019 is officially one month away! Make sure to get your registration in and come join some of the best instructors in the world for a weekend of intensives, workshops, lectures, and sparring! This event only comes around every two years, so don’t miss out! […]
The Official VISS 2019 Poster!
The official poster for VISS 2019 is up for your viewing pleasure! This beautiful poster was created by the incredibly talented Marika Purisima! VISS is just around the corner, so make sure to check out our schedule for updates on new workshops, lectures and intensives! New ones are being added every week! […]
Do you practice Rapier?
We have intensives for that! VISS 2019 has some incredible workshops and intensives lined up for you Rapier practitioners out there! One of the highlights are two Intensives focused on the legacy of Salvator Fabris with Reinier Van Noort and John O’Meara. Both instructors will be teaching how Fabris’ fencing techniques and style changed throughout […]
Do you practice Longsword?
We have Intensives for that! During VISS there will be a Three day intensive track for the Italian Longsword Systems taught by Devon Boorman and Greg Mele! They will be exploring the differences and similarities between Fiore dei Liberi and Pilippo Vadi’s longsword systems, and on the last day will be combining them together to […]
Reminder: Early Registration is Over!
Just a reminder that the Early Bird registration deal, is now over. Regular prices for the weekend, and individual days are now at their standard price. See the registration tab for more details! […]
Early Bird Registration ends tomorrow!
Early bird registration ends tomorrow. Register now and save 20% on a 3-day or 1-day Symposium Pass! VISS 2017 sold out completely, so don’t miss your chance to join us this year! Make sure to register before 11:59 p.m. (PST) January 16, 2019 to get this discounted rate! […]
New Workshop Instructors
We are excited to announce additional workshop instructors joining us for VISS 2019. Please join us in welcoming Tricia Dong, Kevin Murakoshi, Clint Fernandes, Matheus Olmedo, Jennifer Landels, and Michael Heveran. Along with our Intensive Tracks and one-off workshops, VISS will have a series of lectures from various instructors and special guests. […]
Update: Hotels, Workshops, and Early Registration!
Hey Folks, The year is coming to an end and VISS planning is solidly underway! Here are a few updates for the event: Workshops and Lectures Along with our Intensive Tracks, VISS will have a full set of interesting and engaging one-off workshops and lectures that tie into our This-vs-This theme. There are a few […]
Intensive Descriptions Are Now Up!
One of the main things that sets the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium apart from other events are our intensive workshop series’. Intensives allow you to work with one instructor on a single discipline or art for as many as 10 hours over the course of the VISS weekend. Further, to support this year’s theme “This […]
Interested in Volunteering?
Want to get behind the scenes at VISS? We’re looking for drivers, photographers, videographers, bartenders, registration/equipment/facilities assistants, and instructor aides. Volunteers can get up to 100% of their event registration ticket waived. Email: walker@vancouverswordplay.com, if you’re interested in having a hands on role in delivering the event. […]
VISS 2019: This vs. This
Planning for the fifth Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is well on its way, and we are excited to announce “This vs. This” is our theme for VISS 2019! “This vs. This” is about highlighting different approaches to the same subjects. We’re building on the theme of our last event, a study of asymmetry in martial arts, but […]
Share your VISS notes!
We’re collecting class notes! As we mentioned during closing ceremonies, we’ve put together some Google documents so that attendees can share workshop and lecture notes with each other. This will be a great way of reviewing the material, sharing different perspectives, and catching up on missed training opportunities. To use these documents, please add your […]
VISS 2017 is over!
VISS is complete! It has been a long time coming since VISS 2015, but VISS 2017 has officially come and gone. We offer our heartfelt thanks to our attendees, instructors, volunteers, sponsors, and organizers. Without them, this year’s symposium would not have become a sold-out event and arguably the most successful VISS yet. This year’s […]
Welcome, VISS attendees!
Welcome, VISS attendees! Our symposium officially begins tomorrow. We hope you’re as excited as we are! Our schedule is wonderfully full this year, and we have a convenient .pdf version of the schedule to prove it: Click here to view it in .pdf form! Enjoy your weekend! […]
The VISS Unarmed Schedule
The 2017 Vancouver Swordplay Symposium is just one week away! Though symposium passes are sold out, our audit passes and gala tickets are still available. This year’s event schedule is carefully designed so that you can dive deeply into the subjects of your choosing with as few schedule conflicts as possible. As an example, here’s […]
VISS 2017 Symposium Passes are SOLD OUT!
We are officially sold out of 2017 symposium passes! If you’re still interested in attending VISS, you still have two options: Sign up for an audit pass and/or gala ticket. Audit passes allow you to observe all workshops and attend our lecture track. Join our wait list for symposium passes. Our wait list takes into […]
The VISS Lecture Track
With the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium just around the corner, now is a great time to check out our lecture options over at our events schedule page. As always, our workshops are complemented by a series of lectures, each of which fits into this year’s VISS theme of “This vs. That,” exploring asymmetries in the […]
The VISS Rapier Schedule
The 2017 Vancouver Swordplay Symposium is just a few weeks away! This year’s event schedule is carefully designed so that you can dive deeply into the subjects of your choosing with as few schedule conflicts as possible. As an example, here’s what a rapier-focused schedule could look like: Friday In the morning, David Coblentz will […]
The VISS Longsword Schedule
The 2017 Vancouver Swordplay Symposium is just a few weeks away! This year’s workshop schedule is carefully designed so that you can dive deeply into the subjects of your choosing with as few schedule conflicts as possible. As an example, here’s what a longsword-focused schedule could look like: Friday In the morning, you can begin […]
New updates to VISS schedule
More workshop and schedule details are now available for the 2017 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium! Take a look at our workshop schedule page to start planning out your VISS. Included are in-depth details for the 3-day intensive workshops, including all equipment and experience prerequisites. For those who don’t yet have their own equipment, keep an […]
The VISS Saturday Evening Gala
More details are now available for the VISS gala on the evening of Saturday, February 18! The gala is a formal party running from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am at Academie Duello on 412 West Hastings Street. Doors open at 7:30 pm. Some of this year’s gala features include: Live Music by JC and the […]
Changes to VISS instructor lineup
We’ve got several big changes to our VISS 2017 instructor lineup to announce! Unfortunately, Tom Leoni has had to withdraw from VISS. He will not be leading our three-day Italian rapier intensive, but the intensive will continue nonetheless. In his place, the Italian rapier intensive will be led by Maestro David Coblentz. Maestro Coblentz received […]
The 30 for 30 Swordplay Challenge
This month, Academie Duello is once again organizing the 30 for 30 Swordplay Challenge. Martial artists of all stripes will join in, set training goals, then pledge to practice 30 minutes or more for 30 days straight. I’ll be joining this year, my fourth time attempting the challenge, but this time is special for me. […]
New instructors for VISS 2017
We have several new changes to announce for the VISS 2017 instructor lineup. Unfortunately, Ilkka Hartikainen has been forced to withdraw from VISS for personal reasons. However, our Bolognese intensive continues nonetheless! We are happy to announce that Rob Rutherfoord will be leading our 3-day Bolognese swordsmanship intensive! Rob is an instructor with the Chicago […]
You can rent equipment for VISS!
The Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is just two months away! One of the most common questions we receive is: “What if I don’t have my own equipment?” We want to keep VISS accessible to everyone, so if you don’t have your own equipment, we have you covered. We’ll be offering equipment for all attendees to […]
VISS schedule now available!
A preliminary workshop schedule is now available for the 2017 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium. Click over to our workshops page to start planning which workshops you’d like to take! VISS will take place over three days, February 17-19. The core of our schedule is made up of eight 3-day workshop intensive tracks. Each 3-day intensive […]
VISS 2017 Location and Venues
We are happy to announce the venues for the upcoming 2017 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium! This year, VISS will take place in downtown Vancouver, centered around Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay at 412 West Hastings Street. Opening and closing ceremonies, equipment rental, the Saturday evening gala, and a variety of martial arts workshops will be […]
Update regarding VISS instructors
UPDATE: Steaphen Fick will no longer be attending VISS 2017. We had originally announced that he would be returning to lead a workshop, however Steaphen has had to withdraw due to a work commitment. So far, our confirmed instructors include Tom Leoni, Matthew Howden, Christian Tobler, Devon Boorman, Jessica Finley, Marco Quarta, Ilkka Hartikainen, Paul […]
VISS intensive details!
We’re ready to announce more details for the VISS 2017 intensive workshops! The Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium has always been about the pursuit of mastery. That’s why we set up the intensive workshops, a chance to spend nine hours with a single instructor over the course of three days. These intensive workshops represent our desire […]
Mark Mikita confirmed for VISS 2017
The ninth confirmed instructor for the 2017 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is Mark Mikita! Mark has been practicing martial arts for almost 50 years and teaching professionally for almost 40. He founded the Mikita School of Martial Art located in Los Angeles, California, where he teaches a hybrid of armed and unarmed martial arts, with […]
Paul Wagner confirmed for VISS 2017
We are happy to announce that the final intensive instructor of the 2017 Vancouver Swordplay Symposium will be none other than Paul Wagner! Paul hails all the way from Australia, where he teaches at the Stoccata School of Defence. Paul is one of the leading authorities on historical British martial arts as well as an […]
VISS 2017 T-Shirt Design Contest Winner!
The 2017 T-shirt design contest results are in! The judges chose this design by Marika Purisima of Vancouver! Marika has won a full three day pass to VISS 2017 and we all get the pleasure of wearing T-shirts with her awesome design on it. Marika’s design borrows historical illustrations to evoke this year’s asymmetrical “This […]
Devon Boorman confirmed for VISS 2017
Among this year’s Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium intensive instructors will be Devon Boorman, co-founder and director of Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay, one of the largest schools for historical European swordsmanship in the world. Devon is best known for his instruction in various forms of Italian swordplay, from 15th century longsword arts to the Bolognese […]
Billeting needed
One of the ways that we help keep VISS affordable and build the community is by doing our best to host out-of-town attendees. If you’re based in Vancouver and you are able to host one or more VISS attendees, please contact our registrar. Alternately, if you plan on attending VISS you either need a place […]
Marco Quarta confirmed for VISS 2017
Marco Quarta will be joining us as an instructor for the 2017 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium! Marco taught a variety of standalone workshops at VISS 2013 and 2015, and this time he’ll be teaching an intensive 3-day workshop alongside Tom Leoni, Matthew Howden, Christian Tobler, Ilkka Hartikainen, Jessica Finley, and more! Marco is an instructor […]
Christian Tobler confirmed for VISS 2017
We are happy to announce that Christian Tobler, renowned instructor and researcher of historical German martial arts, will be teaching an intensive workshop at VISS 2017! Christian has been an instructor at VISS 2011, 2013, and 2015, which makes him one of a small handful of instructors who have taught at every VISS. Christian joins […]
Jessica Finley confirmed for VISS 2017
We are proud to announce that Jessica Finley will be joining us as an instructor at the 2017 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium! Jessica Finley is a veteran of VISS 2013, when she led a three-day intensive on Liechtenauer’s longsword, messer, and unarmed grappling. She is the author of Medieval Wrestling: Modern Practice of a 15th-Century […]
The Victorian Hotel is partnering with VISS
We’re pleased to announce that once again the Victorian Hotel is once again sponsoring VISS. If you’re joining us from out of town, consider staying with them, as they help support us! Originally built in 1898 as one of the earliest guest houses in the city, The Victorian is a designated heritage site that features […]
Ilkka Hartikainen confirmed for VISS 2017
Ilkka Hartikainen has been confirmed as an instructor for the 2017 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium! Ilkka will be leading an intensive 3-day workshop on Bolognese swordsmanship. Ilkka hails from Helsinki, Finland, where he teaches at the Espoo Association for Historical Fencing. You may know Ilkka from his Bolognese swordsmanship workshops around the world, his website […]
VISS 2017 Early Registration is Open!
Early registration is officially open for the 2017 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium! Register now and you will receive a 20% early registration discount until our full schedule is announced in the coming months. To register, head on over to our registration page. In addition to the early registration discount, our American registrants currently enjoy an […]
UPDATED: 2017 VISS T-Shirt Contest
Update: we’ve extended the deadline! VISS 2017 planning is well underway, but one thing we still need is a fantastic design for this year’s T-shirts. We are now accepting entries to the VISS 2017 T-Shirt design contest. Entries will be accepted from now until midnight on Friday, September 30 Friday, October 14. The winner will […]
VISS 2017: This vs. That
Greetings swordplay enthusiasts! The fourth Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is coming up in on February 17-19, 2017 and preparations are now well underway. We’ve started booking great instructors, and we want to let you in on some details, namely this year’s “This vs. That” theme. VISS has always featured four in-depth intensive study tracks. At […]
VISS 2017
The Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is a couple of weeks behind us now and plans have already begun for the 2017 event! We have already set the date for February 17-19, 2017. Please mark your calendars! We are now looking for new board members to help plan and execute VISS 2017. Though the event is […]
Thank you!
What a great weekend! The 3rd Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium was a great success. This year our event ran an extra 3 days, starting with the Pen and Sword event at the Vancouver Public Library, the VISS Instructor Summit, and then our symposium weekend, followed by an excellent sparring after-party. We had instructors join us […]
Sunday lecture changes
Unfortunately, our guest lecturer Dr. Robert Rouse has come down with an illness and will not be available to speak at VISS tomorrow. However, Noelle Philips and Daniel Helbert will continue to offer their scheduled lecture entitled “Why Do We Fight?: The Warrior Cultures of Medieval England.” Dr. Rouse’s lecture “Storied Swords: Behind the Legendary […]
Private lessons
VISS is shaping up to provide lots of opportunities for students of all levels! We now have more information available regarding our private lessons on offer. The following instructors will be available for private lessons during VISS: Puck Curtis Steaphen Fick Matthew Howden David McCormick Mark Mikita Marco Quarta Kaja Sadowski Christian Tobler […]
Check In + Equipment Rental Pickup Info
First, a quick reminder: All workshops and lectures this weekend will be held at The Vancouver Masonic Centre (1495 West 8th Avenue). VISS 2015 is just a few days away! For everyone attending here’s a quick rundown of when and how things are happening. Thursday 5pm to 11pm: Check in! Initial check-in is Thursday evening […]
Schedule updates and revisions
The schedule for VISS 2015 has changed! We have had to shuffle a few classes around to better accommodate our instructors, so please see our workshop schedule page to see the most up-to-date information. Fear not – no classes have been removed or added. All we’ve done is swap the evening and afternoon sessions, but […]
Lectures have been scheduled!
If you are looking forward to our lecture track this year, you’re in luck: The full lecture schedule is now available to see on our schedule page. We will be offering six lectures and one panel discussion through the day on Saturday and Sunday. We’re proud to say that our lecturers represent both the physical […]
New lecturers added
This year’s lectures are looking good, with great topics offered by martial arts instructors and academics alike. We’re proud to host academic lectures by Dr. Noelle Phillips, Dr. Robert Rouse, and Daniel Helbert of the University of British Columbia. In addition, we’ll have lectures by martial arts instructors including Bob Charrette, Puck Curtis, David R. […]
New lectures and workshop descriptions added!
More details are now available about our workshops, including equipment and skill prerequisites when applicable. Also, our lecture track is looking fleshed out now with seven lectures to choose from! Check out our schedule page for descriptions. Check out what we have on offer so far: Panel Discussion: What makes good HEMA? featuring Tom Leoni […]
Full workshop schedule now available!
The full workshop schedule for VISS 2015 has been finalized and is available our our workshop schedule page! Take a look to see the full list of our martial arts instructors, workshops, and schedule for the entire event. Two of our lectures are already listed, but a full lecture schedule and list of lecturers will […]
Bob Charrette confirmed as lecturer
Bob Charrette will be coming to VISS 2015 as a lecturer! Bob is an expert on the work of Fiore dei Liberi and author of the excellent book Fiore dei Liberi’s Armizare: The Chivalric Martial Arts System of il Fior di Battaglia. In particular, Bob is known for his emphasis on armored combat in the […]
The VISS 2015 instructor list is final!
After some late changes in our instructor roster, we are happy to announce that our list of instructors for VISS 2015 is final! We welcome two new additions to our roster: Mark Mikita of the Mikita School of Martial Art in Los Angeles, California and Loki Jörgenson of Maelstrom Martial Arts in Vancouver, British Columbia. […]
The Pen and the Sword: Swordplay Talk and Demonstration at the Vancouver Public Library!
Throughout history swordplay has been in integral part of our storytelling. Whether it’s The Three Musketeers or Star Wars, the idea of characters duelling with swords is one that is firmly ingrained in our psyche and it’s also an idea worth exploring further. This March 23rd in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library as part […]
VISS 2015 workshop schedule now available
We are happy to announce that a workshop schedule is now available on our workshop page! There are currently three levels of hands-on workshops available: Multi-day intensive workshop series are comprised of three 3-hour sessions for a total of nine hours with the same instructor(s). We are currently offering four intensive tracks, each focusing on […]
Last week for early registration discount!
It’s the end of the year, which means that there is just one week left to receive the early registration discount for VISS 2015. Those who register before January 1, 2015 will receive $30 off a full 3-day symposium pass or $16 off a 1-day symposium pass. If you know that you’ll be joining us, […]
A whole week of training!
VISS 2015 is all about the pursuit of mastery. In keeping with that theme, we’re offering even more opportunities to train while you visit Vancouver for the symposium. By popular demand, we’re offering unlimited training at Academie Duello at a discount for VISS attendees in the week leading up to VISS (March 23-26) and/or the […]
Special hotel deal for VISS attendees
VISS 2015 is pleased to announce that the Victorian Hotel will once again be offering a special rate exclusively to Vancouver Swordplay attendees for their deluxe rooms as well as their B&B (shared bathroom) accommodations. The Victorian Hotel is a unique boutique hotel located at 514 Homer Street, within very easy walking distance from Academie […]
Steaphen Fick confirmed for VISS 2015
The list of VISS 2015 instructors keeps growing, and the latest addition is Steaphen Fick! Steaphen is the founder of Davenriche European Martial Artes in Santa Clara, California, where he teaches a wide variety of martial arts, both modern and historical. Steaphen is also an authority on the works of Joseph Swetnam and the author […]
Marco Quarta confirmed for VISS 2015
Marco Quarta will be joining our roster of returning instructors for VISS 2015! Marco is a talented grappler, stickfighter, and researcher of Italian martial traditions. Marco has a long history with various disciplines, including modern fencing as well as grappling arts of various traditions, which he showed at VISS 2013 in some impressive matches with […]
Randy Packer confirmed for VISS 2015
We have yet another instructor to announce for VISS 2015! Randy Packer is joining the ranks of workshop instructors for this March. Randy is the founder and head instructor at Valkyrie Western Martial Arts Assembly, and he co-founded Academie Duello with Devon Boorman as well. Randy has a background in both Eastern and Western martial […]
Matthew Howden confirmed for VISS 2015
The latest instructor to join us for VISS 2015 is Matthew Howden of Academia Duellatoria in Portland, OR! Matthew specializes in the rapier art of Gerard Thibault, a 17th century Dutch system which descended from the Spanish rapier tradition. Thibault’s system is rarely practiced, yet based on one of the most comprehensive historical swordsmanship texts […]
Tom Leoni confirmed for VISS 2015
For his third VISS in a row, Tom Leoni will be joining us to teach at VISS 2015! Tom is an internationally recognized teacher of Italian swordplay arts and the leading translator of historical Italian martial texts. His translations have greatly improved accessibility to the arts of Fabris, Giganti, Capoferro, Manciolino, and Fiore for English […]
Registration is now open!
Registration is now open for the 2015 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium (VISS) to be held March 27-29 at Academie Duello in Vancouver, BC, Canada! The 3-day symposium will include events which represent a range of Western martial arts traditions. VISS is only held once every two years, so take advantage of the opportunity while you […]
Guy Windsor confirmed for VISS 2015
We have big news! The Italian intensive track at VISS 2015 will be taught by none other than Guy Windsor, all the way from the School of European Swordsmanship in Helsinki, Finland! Guy is best known for his work with historical Italian martial arts, particularly the systems of Fiore, Vadi, and Capoferro. […]
Christian Tobler confirmed for VISS 2015
Christian Tobler of Selohaar Fechtschule will be joining VISS 2015 to teach a 3-day intensive! Christian specializes in historical German swordsmanship and is one of the best-known translators of German medieval texts. In 2013, Christian taught workshops on German dagger and German sword and buckler, then fenced against Sean Hayes with sword and buckler at […]
Puck Curtis and Eric Myers confirmed for VISS 2015
We are proud to announce that Puck Curtis and Eric Myers of Sacramento Sword School will return to teach an intensive track at VISS 2015! Puck and Eric specialize in the sword arts of Spain and Portugal, and taught a very popular series of workshops on the subject at VISS 2013. Check back to see […]
VISS 2015 is coming!
At long last, the 2015 Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium is coming! VISS has been scheduled for March 27-29. This year’s theme is “the pursuit of mastery,” events such as: Hands-on workshops with a variety of world-renowned instructors from across North America and Europe. A lecture track for those who want to understand the intellectual side […]
Thank you for making VISS 2013 a success!
Wow, it’s been nearly a month since the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium, and we are so please that the event was such a success. We are so excited and proud to have such wonderful WMA/HEMA practicioners to share this diverse and beautiful passion with. We welcomed instructors and attendees from around the world who sparred […]
Wear your VISS love with pride: Get your 2013 t-shirt
These 100% cotton t-shirts have exclusive VISS 2013 artwork on them, and are only available at the event. Order yours in-person or via phone from Academie Duello’s Front Desk, or purchase it during check-in at the Registration Desk. They will be for sale from the Front Desk throughout the weekend, so don’t forget to stop […]
Important Details for Attendees
Last Minute Sign-Ups Online Registration has now closed, but you may still register in person at Academie Duello (412 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC) or via phone by calling (604) 568-9907 between the hours of 12 pm to 8 pm, Monday to Friday. If you only plan to attend single days or want a lecture […]
Registration & Workshop Selection Updates
Some housekeeping notes for any VISS folks: Online Registration has now closed, but you may still register for the event in person at Academie Duello (412 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC) or via phone by calling (604) 568-9907 between the hours of 12 pm to 8pm Monday to Friday. *Please note Academie Duello will be […]
VISS Coverage in the West Ender Newspaper
Check out this article on the life and death of Erol Flynn, swordplay in movies, and David McCormick‘s workshops at the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium. All of this is also available in print in the current issue of the West Ender. David McCormick is leading a workshop, Bringing down the Big Guy, on the application […]
VISS in the Vancouver Courier
There’s an article today about Academie Duello and the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium in the Vancouver Courier Newspaper. Check it out online here. Also check out the video that the Courier’s Jason Lang produced about Duello on their Youtube Channel: [tubepress video=”UPK4hqqskJA”] […]
World Class Authors coming to VISS
Is the pen truly mightier than the sword? We’ll have the chance to find out next month when three awesome authors who also happen to be martial artists drop in on VISS. Chris (CC) Humphreys Chris (CC) Humphreys came to swordplay through his career as a stage and screen actor with fighting roles that have […]
Just Three Weeks Away to Exciting Swordplay!
In three weeks time we will be opening our doors to sword fighters, instructors, authours, lecturers, and swordplay enthusiasts from around the world. This is going to be an exciting weekend of workshops, lectures, a fantastic gala party, and amazing guests. If you haven’t familiarized yourself with everything that is going on at the event, […]
Volunteer for VISS (with perks!)
Our volunteer coordinator Katie still needs volunteers for the Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium 2013. Volunteering is a great way to get work experience in a wide range of fields, or WMA-related perks. Working to help run an international event looks great on a résumé. Perks of Being a VISS Volunteer: Volunteers will be granted a […]