- August 12, 2024
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Chris Fontana, a junior instructor with Steel Ring Academy, takes on Galloway Gonczy, a teen student.
Photo by Liz RamosChris Fontana, a junior instructor with Steel Ring Academy, uses a sword and buckler to fight against Jason Callis, the owner and founder.
Photo by Liz RamosSteel Ring Academy's Chris Fontana, Amanda Closser and Jason Callis join Chris Culp, the youth librarian at Braden River Library, in welcoming children to the academy's live sword fighting demonstration.
Photo by Liz RamosJason Callis, the founder and owner of Steel Ring Academy, is in the ox guard stance.
Photo by Liz RamosJason Callis, the founder and owner of Steel Ring Academy, demonstrates the roof stance.
Photo by Liz RamosPeyton Swartz, who is 6, has her chance to hold a long sword with the help of Chris Fontana, a junior instructor with Steel Ring Academy. Swartz says she loved watching the live sword fighting demonstrations.
Photo by Liz RamosJason Callis, the founder and owner of Steel Ring Academy, shows the actions he can take after getting into the fool's guard stance.
Photo by Liz RamosChris Fontana, a junior instructor with Steel Ring Academy, is in the ready position to start fighting using a dussack.
Photo by Liz RamosIt's close combat between Amanda Closser, the business manager of Steel Ring Academy, and Galloway Gonczy, a teen student, as they fight with daggers.
Photo by Liz RamosAmanada Closser, the business manager for Steel Ring Academy, explains how the dussack was a weapon used by peasants.
Photo by Liz RamosChris Fontana, a junior instructor with Steel Ring Academy, gets in a ready position to start fighting.
Photo by Liz RamosAmanda Closser, the business manager of Steel Ring Academy, shows off the viking sword and shield while sharing the weapons' history.
Photo by Liz RamosAmanda Closser, the business manager of Steel Ring Academy, yells as she puts all her energy into going after Jason Callis, the owner and founder, with a viking sword and shield.
Photo by Liz RamosDominic Michaelo, who is 6, gets an up-close look at a sword and shield with the help of Amanda Closser, the business manager of Steel Ring Academy.
Photo by Liz RamosJason Callis, the founder and owner of Steel Ring Academy, demonstrates the plow guard stance.
Photo by Liz RamosChris Fontana, a junior instructor for Steel Ring Academy, fights Jason Callis, the owner and founder, with a dussack.
Photo by Liz RamosAs Amanda Closser, the business manager of Steel Ring Academy, lunged toward Jason Callis, the owner and founder of Steel Ring Academy, with a viking sword and shield, girls from the audience yelled, "Girl Power."
With that support, Closser yelled loudly as she went in again in an attempt to strike Callis with her sword.
Eventually, Closser and Callis took off their protective head gear and answered questions from the children who attended Steel Ring Academy's live sword fighting demonstration July 11 at the Braden River Library.
Six-year-old Peyton Swartz said she loved seeing the competition unfold as Closser, Callis, along with Chris Fontana, a junior instructor, and Galloway Gonczy, a teen student, demonstrated competitions using various weaponry.
The group also explained the history of the weapons.
The Steel Ring Academy pursues excellence in Historical European Martial Arts. According to Steel Ring Academy's website, HEMA is the "study and practice of individual weapons combat as it was taught and practiced in the Medieval and Renaissance periods all over Europe."
The Steel Ring Academy website notes that "HEMA sporting events are held worldwide and sword fencing is fast becoming a largely recognized sport. There are many groups that practice HEMA all over the world. HEMA's diversity and scope of period is broad and covers weapon and fighting styles from hand-to-hand grappling, to sword play, to polearms and great shields."
