Building New Instructors—and Off to Taiwan
Devon Boorman ·
I’ve just wrapped a 50-hour Level 1 Instructor Intensive with five outstanding candidates in Vancouver, and I’m about to head to the island of Taiwan for museum lectures, a collection tour, public workshops, and a few private-lesson slots. Read on for details, plus news about VISS 2026.
Level 1 Instructor Intensive — Coaching for Control
This cohort ranged from students I’ve taught for over a decade to newer practitioners, which made it ideal for getting into some deep coaching practice oriented around clear cueing, targeted feedback, and encouragement that drives improvement.
On the martial side, we built a clean picture of the foundations of Duello Armizare with rapier and longsword including posture and measure (distance), line and cover (how we occupy the opponent’s path), and the blade geometry that creates reliable mechanical control. We then dove deep into tempo, prima, due, mezzo, and contro, using those frames to analyze decisions in our own fencing and in our students’.
We closed by mapping beginner program outlines for longsword and rapier and walking through how to offer and assess Apprentice (Green Cord) exams. Once certifications are complete, I expect to see several new instructors launching beginner programs with confidence in their areas.
Taiwan Teaching Tour — Nov 1–9
Nov 1 – Tainan (Chi Mei Museum): staff/volunteer lectures and demonstrations, a guided tour of their European arms & armour collection, and a public longsword/rapier workshop (sold out in one day!)
Nov 2 – Kaohsiung: day seminar
Nov 8–9 – Taipei: weekend training
Some workshop spots remain, and I’m opening limited private-lesson slots while I’m there. I’m excited to reconnect with our Duello Armizare club in Taiwan, led by Tai Lee, and to be lecturing at Chi Mei, which holds one of the largest collections of European arms and armour in Asia.
Event info & registration: Details here
Vancouver International Swordplay Symposium — Mar 6–8, 2026
Registration is now open for VISS 2026 taking place March 6–8, 2026! I’ll be teaching a 3-day, 9-hour intensive on Bolognese sword & buckler, moving from unifying the two weapons (structure, timing, and roles) to tactical/strategic approaches from the sources and into practical implementation you can take straight to your practice.
This year we’re partnering with a charming 19th-century hostel just 1.5 blocks from Academie Duello, offering very affordable, central accommodation. Less commuting, more training, and a shared home base to deepen community over the whole weekend.
Other intensive instructors include Eric Myers (Italian saber), Christian Tobler (German longsword), Matheus Olmedo (Bolognese two-handed sword), Marli Vlok (Italian duelling sword), and Matthew Howden (Thibault’s rapier).
Be sure to register soon as intensives have limited space!
Information and registration here.
Watch: Sidesword & Buckler — Cutting Around the Shield with the Stramazzone
Want some inspiration before my intensive at VISS? Check out a short exercise on wheeling the cut from the wrist in a way that stays covered by the buckler, and explore why this matters tactically when you’re trying to change the line without giving up safety.
Watch on Duello.TV
Thanks for reading and for supporting the growth of instructors and study groups worldwide. If you’re interested in hosting me for a workshop or running a Level 1 intensive for your leaders, I’d love to hear from you.
