EUGENE, OR – Sean Hayes, a long-time fencing and martial arts instructor at Lane Community College, has been invited to deliver a workshop and lecture on the medieval martial art of Armizare at the Symposium of the Western Arts of Swordsmanship through History on February 25-26. The symposium is co-hosted by the Royal Armouries and the British Federation for Historical Swordsmanship at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds within the U.K. This prestigious event will provide those in attendance an opportunity to see the latest developments in historical European martial arts from around the world, as well as explore the latest research from the Royal Armouries and access their renowned collection of weapons.
Hayes initially studied fencing under maitre d'armes (fencing master) Adam Adrian Crown in Ithaca, New York. In 1995, he began his studies of traditional Italian fencing at California's San Jose State University fencing master's program, under the direction of maestro d'armi (master of arms) Dr. William M. Gaugler. Maestro Gaugler was a graduate of the Accademia Nazionale di Scherma in Naples. The program employs the system of instruction developed by Masaniello Parise, first director of the celebrated 19th century Scuola Magistrale (master's school) in Rome. Hayes apprenticed directly under Maestro Gaugler from 1995 to 1999. His examination for master at arms was conducted by an international board of six fencing masters representing the United States, France, and Italy. The examination included oral and practical components: intense questioning on the smallest aspects of fencing theory and the teaching of group and individual lessons. He was awarded the certification of maestro d'armi, in May 1999. Maestro Hayes continues to teach this system of fencing for foil, épeé and sabre, as well as the European martial art of Armizare. Armizare is a 600-year-old martial arts system employing hand-to-hand techniques, dagger, sword, spear, and poleaxe.
Hayes has taught Armizare at martial arts conferences in the United States, Canada and Europe, and has presented research papers on Armizare at the University of Chicago, the Kalamazoo International Congress on Medieval Studies, and the Renaissance Society of America conference in Venice, Italy.
Lane is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution. Visit online at www.lanecc.edu or www.twitter.com/lanenews or www.facebook.com/lanecommunitycollege
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Media contacts:
Joan Aschim, PIO, aschimj@lanecc.edu or (541) 463-5591
John Scholl, Health and Physical Education, (541) 57-6816