Info Favorites Register Log in
myArmoury.com Discussion Forums

Forum index Memberlist Usergroups Spotlight Topics Search
Forum Index > Off-topic Talk > NYHFA is splitting from Selohaar Reply to topic
This is a standard topic  
Author Message
Michael Edelson




Location: New York
Joined: 14 Sep 2005

Spotlight topics: 2
Posts: 1,032

PostPosted: Wed 24 Feb, 2010 5:43 pm    Post subject: NYHFA is splitting from Selohaar         Reply with quote

The New York Historical Fencing Association is no longer a chapter of Selohaar Fechtschule. Although I am very grateful to Christian Tobler for his work in translating and interpreting the sources that we have worked from, we have for a very long time gone in different directions, both in terms of curriculum and Christian’s emphasis on chivalric virtues and their place in HEMA.

This is an amicable split, so no hard feelings. I have the greatest respect for Christian and the work he has done and is doing, and I would not be where I am today without it.

NYHFA started as an autonomous group, and so it will continue to be from this day forward.

New York Historical Fencing Association
www.newyorklongsword.com

Byakkokan Dojo
http://newyorkbattodo.com/
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Christian Henry Tobler




Location: Oxford, CT
Joined: 25 Aug 2003

Posts: 704

PostPosted: Wed 24 Feb, 2010 5:57 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thank you Mike for the kind words. And certainly, the Selohaar Fechtschule has learned from its experiences with you and NYHFA.

Good luck to you, and safe training!

Christian

Christian Henry Tobler
Order of Selohaar

Freelance Academy Press: Books on Western Martial Arts and Historical Swordsmanship

Author, In Saint George's Name: An Anthology of Medieval German Fighting Arts
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website AIM Address
Harry J. Fletcher




Location: Lost in Texas
Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Likes: 9 pages
Reading list: 44 books

Posts: 260

PostPosted: Mon 01 Mar, 2010 7:58 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Why don't your organizations remain together in a larger organization with your respective associations being branches. Sort of a confederation. Frankly, I hate to see splintering like this. An organization is more effective with larger membership numbers. Being members of the parent organization your branches can work together on common issues more closely and harmoniously with oversight and help from the parent org. As for an issue effecting an individual branch, it could be delt with by that branch alone or with help from the parent org. if needed.

Anyway, just a suggestion for consideration.

Luck to both of your associations.

Harry

To Study The Edge of History
View user's profile Send private message
Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Likes: 50 pages
Reading list: 1 book

Spotlight topics: 5
Posts: 8,310

PostPosted: Mon 01 Mar, 2010 8:22 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Harry J. Fletcher wrote:
Why don't your organizations remain together in a larger organization with your respective associations being branches. Sort of a confederation. Frankly, I hate to see splintering like this. An organization is more effective with larger membership numbers. Being members of the parent organization your branches can work together on common issues more closely and harmoniously with oversight and help from the parent org. As for an issue effecting an individual branch, it could be delt with by that branch alone or with help from the parent org. if needed.

Anyway, just a suggestion for consideration.

Luck to both of your associations.

Harry


Well different approaches are not necessarily a bad thing as different groups may arrive at different interpretations and learn from each other and maybe arrive at even other interpretations when they compare notes.

If training approaches are different they may be too different for one group to be considered a branch of a single " School ": Someone joining would expect some uniformity of approach with the larger group and if they differ it causes confusion or mistaken expectations.

Friendly exchanges of views or meeting to compare techniques is certainly desirable. Wink Cool

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
View user's profile Send private message
Jessica Finley
Industry Professional



Location: Topeka, Kansas
Joined: 29 Dec 2003

Posts: 110

PostPosted: Tue 02 Mar, 2010 4:55 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Harry-

I think Jean nailed it. A single school is expected to have identical approaches to the material, and sometimes that is not possible or desirable by the parties involved.

That said, I fully expect and anticipate continuing to work with NYHFA in the future. For instance, NYHFA is presenting cutting classes at the Chivalric Weekend along with instructors from MEMAG, VAF, CSG and others.

Hope this puts your mind at rest, Harry.
Jessica

Selohaar Fechtschule, Free Scholar
http://www.selohaar.org/fechtschule

Fühlen Designs, Owner/Designer/Seamstress
http://fuhlendesigns.com
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website AIM Address Yahoo Messenger
Michael Edelson




Location: New York
Joined: 14 Sep 2005

Spotlight topics: 2
Posts: 1,032

PostPosted: Tue 02 Mar, 2010 5:55 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hi Harry,

Jess and Jean pretty much answered for me. Indepent schools with different curriculums, philosophies and approaches working together wouldn't really be a parent school/chapter model like the kind Christian has in Selohaar.

Someone who joins NYHFA is going to receive very different training than someone who joins Selohaar Fechtschule or one of its chapters, with different approaches, interpretations, testing standards, etc., and that just wouldn't be right if we were a branch school.

As Jess said, there will still be an exchange of ideas flowing, so in that respect the positive aspects of the association will be preserved. But such an exchange takes place in the HEMA community on a regular basis regardless of association, which is one of the great things about that community.

New York Historical Fencing Association
www.newyorklongsword.com

Byakkokan Dojo
http://newyorkbattodo.com/
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Bill Grandy
myArmoury Team


myArmoury Team

Location: Northern VA,USA
Joined: 25 Aug 2003
Reading list: 43 books

Spotlight topics: 2
Posts: 4,194

PostPosted: Tue 02 Mar, 2010 7:44 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Harry J Fletcher wrote:
Why don't your organizations remain together in a larger organization with your respective associations being branches. Sort of a confederation. Frankly, I hate to see splintering like this. An organization is more effective with larger membership numbers


Hi Harry,

If I may add to the last points made by Jean, Jess and Michael:

I run the historical swordsmanship program at VAF. VAF isn't affiliated with Selohaar or NYHFA, and yet I am friends with Christian and Mike, as well as many of the members of their organizations, and we share ideas and even meet up on occassion (though the distance makes the last part harder than I would ideally like). This is also true of members of our respective groups. We do this without being officially part of the same organization. In fact, there are many reason why it just isn't feasible for VAF to be part of Selohaar, but that doesn't preclude us from still working together and having very positive relationships because of it. I don't see any reason that NYHFA going their own path needs to be a negative thing unless if people make it into a negative thing. Happy

HistoricalHandcrafts.com
-Inspired by History, Crafted by Hand


"For practice is better than artfulness. Your exercise can do well without artfulness, but artfulness is not much good without the exercise.” -anonymous 15th century fencing master, MS 3227a
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
David Teague




Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Joined: 25 Jan 2004

Posts: 409

PostPosted: Tue 02 Mar, 2010 9:18 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hello All,

I really think the point on this separation has been made. After starting with Christian's curriculum, NYHFA has been building a different curriculum than that taught at the Selohaar Fechtschule branch schools and study groups.

Michael has a clear vision of what he's working towards and this change frees him and his students to do so. As Bill said it so well it's not a " negative thing unless if people make it into a negative thing."

I look forward to seeing the developments that should come out of Michael 's curriculum now that he free to pursue his dreams.I also look forward to training with Michael on test cutting at CW2010.

Cheers,

David Teague

This you shall know, that all things have length and measure.

Free Scholar/ Instructor Selohaar Fechtschule
The Historic Recrudescence Guild

"Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou's sword art is with me; Thy poleaxe and Thy quarterstaff they comfort me."
View user's profile Send private message


Display posts from previous:   
Forum Index > Off-topic Talk > NYHFA is splitting from Selohaar
Page 1 of 1 Reply to topic
All times are GMT - 8 Hours

View previous topic :: View next topic
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum






All contents © Copyright 2003-2024 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Basic Low-bandwidth Version of the forum