Author Archives: BartitsuSociety

“Seize him …” – the Active Free Hand in Canonical Bartitsu Stick Fighting

Posted on December 23, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 2nd October 2016 Above – the active use of the free hand in several canonical Bartitsu set-plays. Going by all historical evidence, the transition from cane-fighting distance to close-quarters combat was one of the … Continue reading →

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La Savate at the Alhambra Music Hall (The Graphic – 29 October, 1898)

Posted on December 23, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 2nd October 2016 Events during the years immediately preceding E.W. Barton-Wright’s Bartitsu initiative had not predisposed the average Londoner to look kindly upon the French arts of self-defence. In October of 1899, … Continue reading →

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“Attacked by a man with a stick in his hand”: an Interpretation of Captain Laing’s First Bartitsu Set-Play

Posted on December 23, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 20th October 2016 Captain F.C. Laing’s 1902 article The ‘Bartitsu’ Method of Self Defence is an often-neglected resource for canonical Bartitsu stick training. As with all choreographed set-plays, Laing’s “examples” are best approached as formalised … Continue reading →

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Boxing as Street Defence Cartoons (La Petit Journal, 12 September, 1925)

Posted on December 23, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 26th September 2017 A gallery of cartoons from “L’Art de se Defendre dans la Rue si l’on est Attaque par les Apaches”, an article written by French bantamweight boxing champion Charles Ledoux.  The … Continue reading →

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More Vigny/Bartitsu Stickfighting in Chile

Posted on December 23, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 21st October 2017 In the above experimental sparring bout, Andres Morales (wearing the fencing mask with white trim) sticks closely to the Vigny style in contending with an opponent fighting in a … Continue reading →

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Inside the Bartitsu Institute (1914)

Posted on December 22, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Though E.W. Barton-Wright appears to have largely abandoned the self-defence field when his original Bartitsu Academy of Arms and Physical Culture closed during 1902, he retained the name “Bartitsu” with reference to his new endeavour. The Bartitsu Academy had featured, … Continue reading →

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“Self-Defence as a Fine Art” (London Daily News, 29 October, 1902)

Posted on December 22, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 11th October 2016 Last night, his School Arms at 18, Berners-street, Professor Pierre Vigny gave a striking exhibition of the possibilities self-defence afforded by a simple walking-stick. In these days, when the … Continue reading →

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Shades of Esme Beringer: Double-Weapon Fencing in “Penny Dreadful”

Posted on December 22, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Wednesday, 12th October 2016 The final season of the popular dark fantasy/drama series Penny Dreadful introduced the character of Catriona Hartdegen, a historian, thanatologist and expert swordswoman played by actress Perdita Weeks. As the series … Continue reading →

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“A man without a stick rushes at you with his fist”: an Interpretation of Captain Laing’s Second Bartitsu Set-Play

Posted on December 22, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 18th October 2016 Captain F.C. Laing of the 12th Bengal Infantry (Kelat-I-Ghilzai Regiment) spent several months of intensive training at the London Bartitsu Club.  He then produced a uniquely useful article, The “Bartitsu” Method … Continue reading →

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“Attacked by a man with a stick in his hand”: an Interpretation of Captain Laing’s First Bartitsu Set-Play

Posted on December 22, 2020 by BartitsuSociety

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 20th October 2016 Captain F.C. Laing’s 1902 article The ‘Bartitsu’ Method of Self Defence is an often-neglected resource for canonical Bartitsu stick training. As with all choreographed set-plays, Laing’s “examples” are best approached as formalised … Continue reading →

Posted in Canonical Bartitsu, Instruction, Vigny stick fighting | Comments Off on “Attacked by a man with a stick in his hand”: an Interpretation of Captain Laing’s First Bartitsu Set-Play