The Armour Archive

The subject prett much sums it up. We've been doing a lot of demo's here in my shire lately in a non-academic environment, such as open houses, community appreciation days and the like. I'm looking for ways to make the fighting more interesting to the crowd. How do you folks do demo fighting in your area?
Slainte,
Fearghus

------------------
"How long will we fight? We will fight until hell freezes
over. Then we fight on the ice."
-------------------------
To stand by and do nothing while evil occurs is the vilest act of all.

If your doing it for sheer audience attention, drag the fights out. Work wit hthe person you are fighting with to throw a lot of hard, loud shield shots. Every once in a while when your shield is hit hard, kind of stumble back a step or two. really ham it up. Don't get too wrapped up in SCA rules (although you want to abiude by them, you got to remember these people don't know what they are) Make it lively and fun for them to watch.

just my .02

School demos can be fun if you divide the kids up into groups, and assign each group their own "knight". The fighting is great fun when you've got 100 kids cheering their hearts out just for you. If you work it out with the teachers so that the winning group gets a small prize or priviledge -- such as being able to have another ten minutes of recess, or some candy, they will make you feel like a rock star.

------------------
The defining characteristic of fanaticism is the inability to understand why everyone else is not a fanatic.

Plenty of rehearsal and a few effective throws. I had the pleasure of fighting at a Freemont Highland Games a few years back. My partner and I fought impromptu, but we've been practicing nearly eight years together. The fight was fantastic, and lasted about ten minutes.

I have also done presentations for elementary schools. I suited up cap-a-pie and brought an assortment of real weapons. For the demonstration, I slowly removed bits of armour, explaining its name, function, and the way the armour for that body part changed over the years. When I was down to maille and coat, pauldrons and arms, coif and helm, I distributed boffer weapons to several of the youngsters, went out onto the grass, and received a whoopin'.

Most important; equal number of girls and boys get to participate.

Idëval

We do a lot of school demos. I'm a sub teacher during the school year.
We usually pound on the shields throwing lots of loud hard telegraphed shots. Fighter a presses a while then B presses back. The real fight usually occures after someone calls the other some sort of name or something.

Dont spend time talking over blows in the middle of the fight. Dont take the first little thing that kinda clips you. You almost want to kind of rhino a little bit, ignoring anything that wasnt really obvious to the audience.

Also dont spend any time standing around staring at each other waiting for the other person to screw up - the intent is not to win, it is to entertain. People want to see lots of action, give it to them.

I guess I can't fight you at a demo then Cedric, cause almost every fight I ever have with you is ended by me blocking a shot with my head, followed by that ringing sound my helm makes....all within about 10 seconds.

So stop doing that already! (hint: Big heavy piece of aluminum on left arm is called a shield... most people find they are better for blocking shots then their face)

Cedric

yeah, but I have a strategy...if you hit me in the head long enough, your arm will get tired...hehehe

Somehow I bet your neck will get tired before my arm does

have a barrier set up and fight over it.

people can see the action much clearer with single swords at a barrier than any other type of tourney.... make them fight counted blows too:-)

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR><font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Cedric:
<B>You almost want to kind of rhino a little bit, ignoring anything that wasnt really obvious to the audience.
</B></font><HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Agree with all but the above, but I think they do notice Rhinoing and I'd say to take light because light blows and glancy stuff often looks good to the audience

Usually we decide who will win in advance or we have a queue where the fight becomes real after some theatrics.

Juliana


[This message has been edited by FrauHirsch (edited 08-08-2001).]

you could fight counted blows too. the thing you might worry about is that its a real boring fight to have person A come in and get a lucky headshot in on person B.

-+G