Join thousands of swordplay practitioners from around the world and build your skills from beginner to expert in the arts of the two-handed sword, duelling rapier, sword and shield, polearms, wrestling, and more.
Practice with an instructor with our live online courses, on your own with on demand videos, or start your own study group guided by our training plans. Progress through our ranks, grow your knowledge, develop finesse and power, and gain sparring and teaching skills.
Become a member for FREE now! You’ll receive:
- Quick Start courses for the Longsword and Rapier
- Daily At-Home Practice Drills
- Expert Training Advice Emails
- Exclusive Bonus Lessons
- Exclusive Offers
Train Live and Online!
Combine the best live sword instruction with on-demand access so you don’t miss a thing! Perfect your foundational skills and advanced strategies with live feedback and corrections, and learn something new with different class topics announced every month!
Personalized instruction
Meet live with your class and instructor, receive specific feedback to weekly homework assignments, and join study groups for an entire community of support.
Unique courses
Go beyond the basics with unique classes debuting every month like:
- Lunging, Leg & Back Strength with Rapier
- Moving Like the Masters with Sidesword
- Inviting Your Opponent to Dance with Longsword
- Deceptive Rapier & Dagger
Online Swordplay Courses
Take online swordplay courses that feature video lessons, quizzes, and practice notes. Pick up where you left off anytime and use the courses from any device. Go to the Courses page.
Visit each course’s main page to watch a sample topic.
Course Progression from Fundamentals to Master
Our mastery program builds a foundation of knowledge and proficiency that moves you forward step-by-step, one level progressing to the next. You’ll be lead through a methodical and structured learning experience that will give you a complete understanding of the art of arms.
- Longsword Level 1
- Forms and Guards
- Approaching Gioco Stretto
- Receiving Gioco Stretto
- Longsword Grappling I
- Receiving Gioco Largo
- Approaching Gioco Largo
- Unarmed Level 1
- Grappling Foundation
- Longsword Level 2
- Scholars Assault
- Precision & Intention
- Tempo & Provocation
- Collection
- Counter Cutting
- Posta Finestra
- Unarmed Level 2
- Intermediate Grappling
- Sidesword Level 1
- Fundamentals I-II-III
- Approaching Gioco Stretto
- Sidesword Grappling
- Receiving Gioco Largo
- Approaching Gioco Largo
- Rapier Level 2
- True Fight Mechanics
- True Fight Strategy
- The Deceptive Fight
- Body Voids
- Refused Posture
- Offhand and Dagger
- Dagger II
- Unarmed Level 2
- Intermediate Grappling
- Sidesword Level 1
- Fundamentals I-II-III
- Approaching Gioco Stretto
- Sidesword Grappling
- Receiving Gioco Largo
- Approaching Gioco Largo
- Longsword Level 3
- Quadrant Defenses vs Fendente
- Quadrant Defenses vs Mezzano, Sottano and Thrust
- Primary Guards
- Secondary Guards
- Gioco Stretto & Grapples
- Rapier Level 3
- Striking Tempos
- Unorthodox Postures
- Buckler and Cloak
- Two Swords and Baton
- Disarms and Dagger Strikes
- Sidesword Level 2
- Assalti
- Provocations
- Low Line Guards, Progression
- High Line Guards
- Polearms Level 1
- Poleaxe Fundamentals
- Quarterstaff Fundamentals
- Unarmed Level 3
- Wrestling in the Grips
- Dagger Level 1
- Dagger Masters 1-3
- Dagger Masters 4-6
- Dagger Masters 7-9
- Martial Prowess Trial
- Historical Research Trial
- Community Contribution Trial
For the Beginner
We offer progressive, structured, step-by-step instruction in the graceful rapier, powerful longsword, knife, grappling, poleweapons, and more.
Becoming an Expert
We'll help you become a practitioner who can put theory into practice and practice into theory.
From Beginner to Master
Wherever you are in your journey, we'll help you develop an enviable level of expertise and ability through rigorous programs that help you develop your proficiency while giving you a rich and explicit understanding of the art.Our Focus is Martial Art
Combative dominance comes through complete martial understanding. We'll teach you how to move and fight effectively, create training plans, build physical ability, and tactically counter-strategize any opponent.Who We Are
Devon Boorman
Devon is a world renowned international instructor and competitor of Historical European Martial Arts. He has been practicing and teaching martial arts for more than 30 years. He is the author of one book and two DVDs on Italian Rapier and Longsword; and he is the Co-founder, Director and Master Instructor of Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay in Vancouver, BC, Canada.Greg Reimer
Greg Reimer has been studying Italian martial arts since 2006, and has taught over 5,500 hours of unarmed, dagger, rapier (and secondaries), sidesword & buckler, longsword, pole weapons and mounted combat. As Director of Swordfight Canada he has travelled across Western Canada and into Washington State to meet, teach and enjoy sparring with others.Our Values
Love is the action of putting others ahead of oneself. As an individual, one seeks to better the people around them in every way. As a community, we constantly lift each other up to higher levels of humanity and the potential we possess to be our collective best.
Honesty is the search for truth and all things essential. It is the acceptance of facts. It is the awareness and avoidance of self-deception. As an individual one searches out the core elements of existance. As a community, we speak and act in ways that mirror our desire for humility and goodness to rule.
Learn more as Maestro Devon Boorman talks about Duello’s vision for the art, the values, and the journey of martial arts mastery.
Testimonials
This intensive helps me see the connective tissue between so many of the individual techniques I had observed and learned. There is no better on-the-spot place to get this knowledge, and it is invaluable to my sword training going forward. This is without even mentioning the lessons in training methodology, which are cutting edge in terms of adult learning – applicable across a wide field indeed.
A+ would do 50 hours of swords again
The Academie Duello Instructor Intensive is a fantastic and enriching experience for the body, the mind, and the heart. The environment is supportive in a way that makes it possible for the student to challenge themselves without fear, and the curriculum and teaching practices are some of the best I’ve encountered in any educational institution.
The intensive is an incredible experience. That is in my opinion an invaluable course for all martial artists interested in perfecting their craft and sharing it with others.
Academie Duello
Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay has served thousands of students in Vancouver, BC, Canada since 2004.
Academie Duello has one of the most complete and expertly constructed swordplay curriculums in the world providing a proven program that takes students from beginners to masters. Since 2004 more than 10,000 students have taken courses at Academie Duello, and many of those students have gone on to form satellite schools and study groups in cities all over the world. Visit Academie Duello.