Back in August the local sword-dancing group asked me to join them, one of their number was ill and they needed a sixth man. We had our first practice last night (~2 months later).
In the interim I worried. I worried about dancing while waving an object designed to kill people. They tried to reassure me that the swords were not sharp. But that still left open the possibility of bludgeoning someone. Or being blogeoned by someone… To say nothing of my own inability to keep track of my feet when dancing— after the third waltz count I am lost— suppose I thrust my sword out at the wrong time, in the wrong place…
Our first practice took place at the home of one of our number, who turned out to be an artist, and who had us practice in his studio. Which added another worry… slicing up one of his canvases by mistake.
The “broadswords” in question turned out to be tongues of steel about 3 feet long, one inch wide and maybe 3mm thick. The edges were smoothly beveled, and it was a pointy as a spoon. No fuller, no guard, and a wooden grip. I stopped worrying about cutting someone…
The dance (or the bits of it that we practiced) consisted of moving at a fast walk, often in circles making interesting patterns with the swords which interlocked in various ways.
I still feel a bit like a rabbit in headlights, but I think it will be fun.
Oh, I did not seriously injure anyone, or any canvas. A sword did slip out of my hand once and bop someone on the head (OK, I kind of dropped it), but he wasn’t harmed.
My wrist isn’t used to holding a sword. It ached a bit.
George's Meanderings 