The list of instructors for Longpoint 2014 is currently being assembled. Check back for regular updates.
About Our Instructors
James Clark – NoVA Assalto – Virginia
Class: The Montante: Protecting Yourself and Others.
James Clark began in HEMA in 2003 as part of the German longsword program of MASHS. In 2008, he left and took up practice as an informal private practitioner. During this time of private practice found out about the Iberian manuscripts, and joined NoVA Assalto in late 2010, studying the montante and spadone with Steve Hicks and Steve Reich. The Iberian systems of Destreza Común and Esgrima Vulgar became a deeper and deeper interest over time. In 2012, he joined Old Dominion Fechtschule with Jessica Finley, and in 2013 joined Capital Kunst de Fechtens with Jake Norwood in order to take up the longsword and re-learn the German systems. While he enjoys the teachings of the German systems, his primary focus and study remains firmly planted within the Iberian systems of combat. In 2013, he went to Spain to train with AEEA Maestro Alberto Bomprezzi in order to be exposed to montante interpretations and training from a La Verdadera Destreza perspective of footwork and body mechanics for the montante. Through research, interpretation, and experimentation, he works in NoVA Assalto to create a compiled pedagogy and applicable system of use for the Iberian montante.
In 2012 James aided in teaching two classes on the spadone at Longpoint, and in 2013 he taught three montante basics classes at Fechtschule New York, IGX, and Midwinterfecht.
Jessica Finley – Old Dominion Fechtschule – Virginia
Class: “Don’t stand so close to me” – a study of wrestling, armed and otherwise.
Jessica Finley has been a student of the sword for over twelve years. Her interest began in stage combat, but quickly branched out to German Medieval Swordsmanship. She had been a student of Christian Tobler’s since 2002, and currently is the principal instructor of Old Dominion Fechtschule, a chapter of Selohaar Fechtschule, within which she holds a rank of Free Scholar. Jessica has taught German Medieval Martial Arts internationally and is the author of a forthcoming book on the wrestling techniques taught by Master Ott. She also has experience in Judo, and achieved the rank of Nikyu under the tutledge of Arden Cowherd of Topeka Judo Club.
Sean Hayes - Northwest Fencing Academy - Oregon
Class: Getting the Basics Right
Sean Hayes is a fencing master trained in classical Italian fencing pedagogy under Dr. William M. Gaugler at the San Jose State University Fencing Masters Program. He has studied Western Martial Arts since the early 1990′s, and is also a researcher, teacher and practitioner of Fiore dei Liberi’s L’arte dell’Armizare (the Art of Arms), including a focus on the armored aspects of medieval martial arts. In 2009 he co-founded the Armoured Deeds of Arms, a tournament featured at the Western Martial Arts Workshop in Racine Wisconsin. Hayes is a full-time teacher and practitioner of Western Martial Arts, teaching six centuries of European martial arts privately through his own school, Northwest Fencing Academy, in Eugene, Oregon, and a member of the Chivalric Fighting Arts Association. He also teaches classical fencing and martial arts at Lane Community College. He is the author of “The Importance of Skill Progressions in Studying Western Martial Arts,” an article featured in the book In the Service of Mars.
During the last 12 years he has taught multiple times at the Western Martial Arts Workshop and the Symposium on the Western Arts of Swordsmanship through History (SWASH) at Britain’s Royal Armouries, the Vancouver Swordplay Symposium International in British Columbia, and the International Swordfighting and Martial Arts Convention in Michigan. He is the author of “The Importance of Skill Progressions in the Western Martial Arts,” published in the anthology “In the Service of Mars,” and several blog articles. He is a founding member of the Chivalric Fighting Arts Association.
Tim Holter – The Forge – Calgary, CA
Class: An Introduction to Knife Defense
Tim is a life-long martial artist that has been practicing for over 33 years in a number of styles. He is a certified Israeli KAPAP (Krav Panim el Panim literally “face to face combat”) Instructor, holds a black belt in Combatto Libero (free-form MMA fighting style utilizing Muay Thai kickboxing and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), and is a former high ranking practitioner of both Taekwondo, and Shaolin Kempo Kung-fu. Tim also cross-trains in a number of other disciplines as time allows, including Modern Arnis and Martial Blade Concepts.
Tim has been involved in the Historical European Martial Arts since 2005 when he felt the overwhelming urge to learn how to fight with a sword. Having tried Eastern swordsmanship he finally found HEMA and has been swinging a longsword ever since. With his partner in crime, Mark Winkelman, they run the Forge: Western Martial Arts in Calgary, AB – focusing on German Longsword, Grosse Messer, Dagger, as well as, modern combatives.
Kristian Ruokonen – - Helsinki, Finland
Class:
Lee Smith – Blood & Iron – Vancouver, CA
Class:
Lee has had a lifelong interest in history and swordsmanship. He is a respected international instructor and has taught seminars and classes at prestigious events throughout North America and Europe, and is a member of both the Western Martial Arts Coalition, and the HEMA Alliance Curriculum Council. Lee is a passionate advocate of competitive fighting. His specialties are the rapier and dagger, renaissance side sword and paired buckler, the dussack/messer, and the contemporary fighting knife; as well Lee is well versed in the use of the rondel dagger, longsword (german tradition), baton and cane.
Eric White – New Jersey Historical Fencing Association – New Jersey
Class:
Eric White is the Principal Instructor of the New Jersey Historical Fencing Association. He has studied martial arts for twenty years and began training in HEMA in 2006. In 2009 he joined the Association for Renaissance Martial Arts where he began a training relationship with Aaron Pynenberg, who was then the Deputy Director. In 2012 Eric left the ARMA to begin a new martial arts venture with Pynenberg where he helped to establish the Historical Fencing Affiliates group—a collective of separately autonomous clubs dedicated to a similar methodology, a shared ranking structure, and committed training. In 2013 Eric played his prize for Senior Free Scholar, which consisted of 112 bouts with the longsword against a bevy of different weapons and finished with an 89-23 record. The prizing was filmed by Dish Network and will be broadcast nationally. A martial arts instructor since 1997, Eric will pursue his love of studying and teaching swordsmanship until they nail shut his coffin.
Betsy Winslow – The Medieval European Martial Arts Guild – Maryland
Class: An Introduction to Johann Georg Pascha’s Jägerstock
Betsy Winslow is a HEMA Alliance Certified Instructor who began her study of Historical European Martial Arts in 2007 when she enrolled in classes at the Halbinsel Fechtschule of MEMAG. After diligent study and tireless practice she was made an instructor at the Halbinsel branch. In addition to teaching regular classes at the Halbinsel Fechtschule, she has also either assisted in teaching or held her own classes at several local, regional and national HEMA events, such as: Bonfire of the fencer, Chivalric Weekend, The HEMA Alliance Mid-Atlantic Hema Gathering, Longpoint, Octoberfecht and Fechtschule New York. She has also participated in numerous demonstrations and lessons at the Chesapeake Celtic Festival, The Salisbury Dogwood Festival, The Salisbury School and the Maryland Irish Festival. Along with teaching, she has volunteered as staff at several events, and also participated in the Octoberfecht open longsword tournament and the first MEMAG inter-school steel longsword tournament. She has transcribed and translated Andre Paurenfeindt’s work on the Stangen and also Johann Georg Pascha’s work on the Jägerstock. Betsy is in charge of the creation and revision of the Staff syllabi used in all MEMAG schools.
