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About Us |
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The Renaissance Fencing Club is a non-profit society dedicated to the study of Classical Fencing. Classical Fencing is generally regarded as the concise distillation, refinement and codification of Western Europe’s armed combat methods (excepting those of ranged-weapons). These methods were used not only in the fencing school but often on the dueling grounds and even upon the battlefields of history.
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Entering our salle, one enters an environment that is predicated on the ideals of the great fencing schools of the 18th & 19th centuries. Through traditional methods, students not only learn foundational skills that were once employed to survive serious encounters but are also taught the primacy of etiquette, discipline, and honour in civilized life. As Monsieur Olivier stated in 1771:
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"It is the cultivation of this art that unfetters the body, strengthens it, and makes it upright. It is it that gives it a becoming gait and an easy carriage, activity, and agility, grace, and dignity. It is it which in teaching us to conquer ourselves that we may be able to conquer others, imprints respect and gives true valour, good nature, and politeness, in fine which makes a man fit for society."
Should you be interested in pursuing the study of Classical Fencing with us, please review our list of Classes. Alternatively, if you would like to arrange a time to observe one our training sessions, please refer to our Location & Times and Contact menus. We look forward to seeing you soon. À Bientôt! |
About Our Teacher |
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Mr. Joseph Lai began training exclusively in classical fencing in May of 2012 at Salle Saint-George in Seattle, WA. By November of 2014, he was accepted as a formal student and continues to train there on a weekly basis under Maître d’Armes Cecil Longino. Mr. Lai teaches at the Renaissance Fencing Club in Vancouver, BC, which is modeled after the classical fencing academies of the 19th Century.
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Prior to adopting the Renaissance Fencing Club, Mr. Lai began training in sport fencing with Maître d’Armes Bac Tau for 5 years and traveled throughout Canada, America, and France visiting different Salle d'Armes and participating in competitions and camps.
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Mr. Lai now dedicates his passion and time to learning classical fencing from Maestro de Armas Ramón Martínez, Maestro de Armas Jeanette Acosta-Martínez, Maître d’Armes Cecil Longino, as well as from the provosts and instructors of the Martinez Academy of Arms. His hope is to revive classical fencing in the Vancouver area, in which all the grace, elegance and artistry of classical arts is readily apparent.
Outside of fencing, Mr. Lai holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia.
Outside of fencing, Mr. Lai holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of British Columbia.