Historical Martial Arts Demonstrations
Demonstration of historical fencing begins with Alfred Hutton in the 1890s.
The Association for Renaissance Martial Arts distinguishes the following modes of historical martial arts demonstrations:
- Theatrical Fencing (stage-combat, performance fighting) in the sense of a performance art, not a martial art, although relying on a foundation of martial techniques and principles, serving the end of dramatic entertainment.
- Arranged Performance Fighting, as distinct from both theatrical fencing and historical swordsmanship practiced as a martial art, having the purpose of demonstration and education. Such performances are offered by a number of museums, including the Higgins Armory Museum, Worcester, MA, USA and the Royal Armouries, Leeds, UK.
- Mock-Fighting & Martial Sports, including simulated battle presentations and tournament bouts in living history or live-action role-playing games with special "combat rules".
Read more about this topic: Combat Reenactment
Famous quotes containing the words historical, martial and/or arts:
“In public buildings set aside for the care and maintenance of the goods of the middle ages, a staff of civil service art attendants praise all the dead, irrelevant scribblings and scrawlings that, at best, have only historical interest for idiots and layabouts.”
—George Grosz (1893–1959)
“Inspire the Vocal Brass, Inspire;
The World is past its Infant Age:
Arms and Honour,
Arms and Honour,
Set the Martial Mind on Fire,
And kindle Manly Rage.”
—John Dryden (1631–1700)
“These modern ingenious sciences and arts do not affect me as those more venerable arts of hunting and fishing, and even of husbandry in its primitive and simple form; as ancient and honorable trades as the sun and moon and winds pursue, coeval with the faculties of man, and invented when these were invented. We do not know their John Gutenberg, or Richard Arkwright, though the poets would fain make them to have been gradually learned and taught.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)