Bartitsu Demonstration

On Sunday January 17, 2010 I did my discussion/demonstration of Bartitsu at the Centuries and Slueths bookstore, an independent book store that specializes in history and mystery titles, in Forest Park, IL.

The demonstration took place just after the meeting of the local chapter of Mystery Writers of America so we had about fifteen interested attendees. I opened with a discussion of the background of Barton-Wright and how Bartitsu was started. I, of course, brought in the connection with Sherlock Holmes. My capable assistants Andrea Dubnick, president of Gallowglass Academy, Inc, Michael and Antina Pennock and Lisa Menkhaus did an admirable job of showing some of the basic techniques in jujutsu and Vigny stick. I got a volunteer from the audience, who was martial arts instructor, to help me with the pugilism section of the demonstration.

We got some good questions from the audience both during and after the performance. I sold one of Kirk Lawson's "Banned from Boxing" books to the audience volunteer who is interested in learning more about historic pugilism.

We had a number of folks take away our business cards and flyers for the Bartitsu seminar in April.

I asked Augie Alexie, the owner of the bookstore, to send me some photos to put up on the Gallowglass Academy website and will post the info here when we have them.