- Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Friday, 29th January 2010
On January 22nd and 23rd, nine gentlemen and suffragettes from the Botta Secreta historical martial arts school performed a Bartitsu exhibition at the Edwardian Ball, a SteamPunk event held in San Francisco’s Regency Ballroom.
The audience, almost all sporting the latest in neo-Victorian finery, was wowed by an action-packed ten minute antagonistic extravaganza combining Vigny stick fighting, pugilism, wrestling, savate, jiujitsu, singlestick fencing and navaja knife combat in the Spanish tradition.
The display (narrated by “E.W. Barton-Wright” himself!) has also introduced a new catchphrase to San Franciscan SteamPunks: “Belabour him as you see fit!” was the battle-cry of the night.