Ethos

Duelling Weapons Symposium is dedicated to elegance and panache, and all participants are expected to conform to this ethos. Courtesy and good manners, even in the middle of a sword fight, are essential. 

Participants are expected to put aside tawdry thoughts of ‘getting points’ and focus on what really matters – showing everyone what an excellent fencer they are!  Excellence in this case means using the weapon he way the ancient masters recorded in their manuals – with sound judgement, good technique and poised elegance. 

When training or fencing, participants are expected to fence in a manner that permits their opponent to fence well. That does not translate to letting the opponent win, of course, but if outfenced the participant is expected to lose gracefully and politely. Blade-grabbing, wrestling and expedients designed to get a point no matter what have no place here. By remaining within the bounds of good, clean technique both fencers ensure they can learn and develop more quickly and fully.