Our First Open House a HUGE Success!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9YmTwvK5Qs]
On Sunday, March 4th from noon to 4:00pm, Forteza held a special Open House to showcase our swordfighting, physical fitness and Western martial arts classes. Over the course of the day, over 150 guests filed through the studio to check out our combination of demos and mini-lessons, including:
- Armizare: the Martial Art of the Medieval Knight – including the two-handed sword, spear and dagger
- Renaissance Swordplay: the Art of the Duel – including the rapier, rapier and dagger, and rapier and cloak
- Bartitsu: The ‘Lost Martial Art’ of Sherlock Holmes – a unique Edwardian blend of Eastern and Western fighting arts
- Garimot Anis: Traditional Martial Arts of the Philippines – including fast-action self-defense techniques against a knife
- Stunt Display – an exciting stunt display by Asylum Stunts
There was also be a hands-on table display of the weapons and armor we use for training.
The link above will take you to a short video impression of the Open House, featuring demonstrations by the Chicago Swordplay Guild, the Bartitsu Club of Chicago and the Asylum Stunt Team.
Our public debut also drew some media attention. Check out:
Martial Arts, Victorian Style: Bartitsu at Forteza Fitness Brings Back the Lost Fighting Art of Sherlock Holmes, by New City journalist Kristen Micek,
and Blast into the Past from Action Quarterly.