What is RASP, and why am I so excited about it?

 I was so excited about attending RASP that I made my brief post about it without even explaining what it is! RASP stands for Rapier and Saber Pedagogy Retreat, and it is a must-attend event for me. It began as a way to make fencing pedagogy instruction more accessible to people on the east coast, and it has grown since then into a pretty decent-sized fencing intensive. It lasts from Friday morning until Monday afternoon, and I find it very rewarding. A typical day looks like this:

8-8:45 AM - Breakfast

9-9:45 - Warm-ups

10-noon - Rapier session

noon-1 - Lunch

1-2 - Plenary

2-4 - Saber session

4-6 - Pedagogy session

6-7 - Dinner

7-8 - Plenary

8-?? - Free fencing

In addition to the main sessions, there are break-out sessions and individual lessons happening with the various maestri and provosts from the FMCP (Fencing Masters Certification Program - that deserves its own post). It's busy and challenging and full of fellowship. I can't recommend it enough, which is a shame because RASP registration fills up FAST.

That being said, if you can't make it to RASP, you may find that you have access to people who have gone (people like me) who are willing to pass on what they've learned as best they can. It won't be a three-and-a-half-day intensive, but it is valuable.

So what have I learned at RASP?

Let's begin with a common language to describe actions. The numbered system I shared in a previous post is one example of this useful common language. Being able to explain what the student should be doing in a shorthand is beyond helpful, especially when writing lessons.

I've improved my own fencing technique and learned ways to improve my own fencing when teaching others. One of the mantras that I've heard from various maestri and provosts is to "give yourself a lesson when you teach a lesson." For example, I should be making strong engagements and small disengagements when I'm giving a lesson, and those skills should transfer to my fencing. I can learn to play with timing in a way that challenges my student but also benefits me when I spar.

This is all in addition to the actual fencing techniques I've learned. I know a lot of rapier techniques because I've been studying that weapon for awhile now. However, RASP has given me some tools and combinations of those techniques that has really helped me as a competitor.

What does this have to do with you?

This post isn't meant to be a glowing recommendation for RASP in particular (even though it totally is). It's intended to emphasize how much community can help when you're learning how to teach. A lot of the time, SCA fencers become teachers because otherwise there's no way to find more people to fence with, and a lot of us are left adrift. If we can find each other and exchange information, teaching rapier isn't so scary. Look at the resources you have (both individuals and intensives), but don't be afraid to look beyond the SCA and into HEMA or classical fencing to inform the way you teach. I'll try to share opportunities to make those connections in this blog as they come up.

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