Wiki contributors
From Italian Swordplay Wiki
Puck Curtis began studying historical fencing in 1992 and began researching Spanish fencing in 1994. He is the cofounder of the Destreza Translation and Research Project and maintains the Theory and Practice section for the website. Currently living in Davis, California, he is the primary historical fencing instructor for the Davis Fencing Academy. Puck is certified to teach classical Italian fencing as a Master at Arms through the San Jose State Fencing Master's Program. He is also a member of the SCA's Order of the White Scarf, and is a member of the Tattershall School of Defence.
Sean Hayes is a fencing master trained in classical Italian fencing pedagogy under Dr. William M. Gaugler at the San Jose State Fencing Master's Program. He has studied Western martial arts since the early 1990s and is also a well-known and respected researcher, teacher and practitioner of the systems of Royal Armouries Manuscript I.33 and of Fiore dei Liberi's "Fior di Battaglia." Hayes is a full-time teacher and practitioner of Western martial arts, teaching classical Italian fencing and medieval Italian martial arts for the University of Oregon and privately through his own school, the Northwest Academy of Arms, in Eugene, Ore. He is the author of the article "The Importance of Skill Progressions in Studying Western Martial Arts" in the book "Teaching & Interpreting Historical Swordsmanship," published by Chivalry Bookshelf. Hayes has taught seminars in the United States and Europe and has presented original research papers at the International Congress on Medieval Studies and the University of Chicago. He has also written an article, "Medieval Visual Rhetorical Techniques and the Problem of Notating Fencing Actions" for "The Pen and The Sword" (Ashgate Publishing, forthcoming 2008).
Chris Holzman began fencing in 1993 and received his Moniteur certificate from the USFCA in 1997 for Foil, Epee, and Sabre. He is a student of Maestro Ted Hootman, who was a student of Maestri Giorgio Santelli and Nick Toth, as well as Dr. Bob Kaplan. He has done extensive work bringing his Radaellian sabre heritage to the fencing community. Chris received a Juris Doctor from the Washburn University School of Law in Dec. 2006 and was admitted to the state bar of Kansas in April of 2007.
Tom Leoni was born in Switzerland and raised in Italy, and is an internationally recognized Western martial arts researcher, teacher and author specializing in the Italian styles of the 1500s and 1600s, including the halberd and other polearms. As the leading researcher of the rapier system of Salvator Fabris, he published the first English translation of Fabris’ 1606 treatise “Scienza d’Arme,” which was issued as “The Art of Dueling” by Chivalry Bookshelf. Tom lives in Alexandria, Va., where he runs the historical martial arts group he founded, the Order of the Seven Hearts. By day, he is a writer for a D.C.-based company.
Greg Mele is the co-founder and head instructor of the Chicago Swordplay Guild. Coming from a background in Asian martial arts and medieval reenactment, his interest in historical swordsmanship begin in 1993, with the discovery of George Silver's "Brief Instructions Upon My Paradoxes of Defence", and he never looked back. In 1998, he co-founded the Chicago Swordplay Guild with Mark Rector in order to create a formal environment for researching and teaching medieval and Renaissance martial arts. Later that same, Greg year hosted the first Western Martial Arts Workshop, an international seminar combining practical classes, lectures and demonstrations. Greg's focus is on pre-rapier fencing systems, with a particular interest on the martial traditions of 15th century Italy. As part of that interest, in 2001 he co-authored (with Luca Porzio) "Arte Gladiatoria: The 15th century swordsmanship of Filippo Vadi", a translation, analysis and facsimile of a 1482 manuscript by the last known master of the dei Liberi school. He has also contributed articles and original research to SPADA: An Anthology of Swordsmanship, Western Martial Arts Illustrated (WMAI) and as a presenter at the Kalamazoo Medievalists' Conference. Greg also serves as a member of WMAI's editorial board, and as the editor of the Armour Research Society Journal.
Kevin Murakoshi is a certified Provost at Arms in classical Italian fencing through the San Jose State Fencing Master's Program. He is currently the Assistant Head Coach and Office Manager at Davis Fencing Academy where he has been a coach for over two years. Kevin's primary interests are the rapier system of Capoferro, Classical Italian Fencing, and even Modern competitive fencing. Kevin is also the primary technology person behind the workings of this site.
Eric Myers is a fencing master trained in classical Italian fencing pedagogy through the San Jose State Fencing Master's Program. He has been involved in fencing and martial arts since 1984, and in 1998 he co-founded a historical fencing program with James Nordstrom. He currently teaches classical and historical fencing at two northern California fencing clubs, and the local Tattershall practice. Eric is also translating and interpreting several 16th and 17th century Portuguese fencing texts.
Steven Reich is an instructor in the Order of the Seven Hearts. Steve is a researcher and practitioner of the Bolognese school of swordsmanship, the Italian rapier of the early and late 1600s and the Classical Italian Fencing of the 1800s. Steve is one of the premier researchers of the Bolognese swordsmanship of the 16th century as described in Antonio Manciolino, Achille Marozzo, Angelo Viggiani, Giovanni dall'Agocchie, and the Anonymous Bolognese Manuscripts.
Dr. John Sullins is a fencing master trained in classical Italian fencing pedagogy under Dr. William M. Gaugler at the San Jose State Fencing Master's Program. Dr. Sullins has trained in fencing pedagogy under many skilled fencing masters including: Maestro William Gaugler and Military Master at Arms Ralph Sahm (1986 to 1994); Maître Daniel Revenu (1988); Maestro Ferenc Marki (1988); Maestro Niccolo Perno (1988); Maestro Enzo Musumeci Gerco (1988); and Maestro Lucio Nugnes (1989). Dr. Sullins has taught at numerous fencing schools and programs since the mid 1980's and was a cofounder and manager of the Tri Cities Academy of the Sword in Binghamton New York 1998-2002. In addition to directing the SSU Fencing Master's Certificate Program, Dr. Sullins is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Sonoma State University.
