Stephen Hand is currently available to give private lessons and group seminars.

About Stephen Hand
Stephen Hand was born in Hobart, Tasmania in 1964. In 1979 he joined a medieval re-enactment group and soon came to the conclusion that medieval swordsmanship must have been more sophisticated than the fighting re-enactors were doing. For several years he studied modern fencing and kendo before discovering that there were surviving historical fencing manuals. Rapidly coming to the conclusion that there were no worthwhile secondary sources Stephen decided to analyse two of these manuals, George Silver’s Bref Instruction Upon my Paradoxes of Defence and Vincentio Saviolo His Practise line by line. A series of articles by Stephen, analysing the latter manual was published in the magazine Hammerterz Forum between 1997 and 1999. Stephen is the editor of, and a major contributor to, SPADA: An Anthology of Swordsmanship, a journal dedicated to the most current research on western swordsmanship. He has contributed essays to Master of Defence: The Works of George Silver, edited by fellow Stoccata member Paul Wagner and to Teaching and Interpreting Historical Swordsmanship, a book of essays. Medieval Sword and Shield: The Combat System of Royal Armouries MS I.33 an interpretive book by Paul Wagner and Stephen Hand was published in early 2004 and Stephen has done additional research on the I.33 system in his new paper, Re-interpretation of some aspects of the sword and buckler system of manuscript I.33. Stephen's Magnum Opus, English Swordsmanship: The True Fight of George Silver was released in 2006 and his latest book, Swordplay in the Age of Shakespeare, an introduction to the works of Giacomo di Grassi, Vincentio Saviolo, George Silver and Joseph Swetnam will be released in the second half of 2010.

Since May 2000 Stephen has been travelling around the world on a regular basis to teach historical fencing at swordplay symposia and in his own seminars. At the start of 2004 he returned to his old home city of Hobart in Tasmania where he currently runs Stoccata's Hobart branch."

Private Lessons
Stephen is available for private lessons on sword, rapier, sword and buckler and sword and shield at most times during the week. Lessons are $25 per hour and are conducted at Stephen’s house. Enquiries should be made directly to Stephen at sjhand@bigpond.net.au or on (03) 6273 7721
Testimonials
Booking a Seminar

Previous Seminars and Symposia

Since 2000, Stephen has taught at 17 international symposia and has conducted 26 private seminars for historical fencers, re-enactors, stage combatants and Hollywood fight directors. For a complete list of the events at which Stephen has taught, click here

The Seminars
Seminars on one or more topics can be tailored to meet your particular needs and the experience of your students. Normally, a two day seminar on one topic, or two one day seminars on separate topics are held over a weekend. One day seminars are usually only practical where travel costs are low.

Below are outlines of the sort of topics covered in two typical seminars

English Shortsword According to George Silver (1599 and c.1605)
1. Basics (stance, footwork, wards etc)
2. The Fights
3. Defences from Open Fight
4. Defences from Variable Fight
5. Defences from Gardant Fight
6. Grypes
7. How to effectively attack
8. Sword and Dagger: Just like Sword
9. Sword and Buckler: Just like Sword and Dagger

Rapier According to Vincentio Saviolo (1595)
1. The Problems of Re-creating Rapier Fencing (lecture)
2. Basics (stance, footwork, wards etc)
3. Moving Circularly to the Right
4. Using Distance as a defence
5. Deceptions of Simple Parries
6. Defence Against Cuts
7. Passing Attacks and the use of distance as a defence against them
8. The Prima Ward
9. The Arrest
10. Moving Circularly to the Left - Attacks from Punta Riversa Ward
11. Mixing Wards - Attacks from Punta Riversa Ward
12. Opposing the Reverse Ward

Either of these seminars can be run over one or two days.

One of the features of Stephen's seminars are the copious notes that are handed out at the end of each day. It is often difficult to remember much of a seminar past the fact that you enjoyed it and wish you’d retained more. Stephen's notes are designed to assist the attending students and instructors in remembering what was taught and continuing to work with the weapons and styles. The notes explain the style in great detail, as well as describing each individual technique practiced during the day. The notes for the Saviolo seminar outlined above are 9000 words long.

See sample sections of Stephen's seminar notes here


What People Have Said About Former Seminars
The following testimonials were made between 2000 and the present. For additional testimonials, click here.

“Stephen Hand excels at anything he presents. I have to say he’s simply one of the finest instructors out there and would recommend him to anyone without hesitation.”
Christian Tobler
Author of Secrets of German Medieval Swordsmanship

“All and all, if you have the chance to get Steve out for a seminar while he’s on this side of the pond, you'd be a fool not to!”
Greg Mele
Chicago Swordplay Guild, SSI

“To Whom It May Concern:

Please allow this to serve as the highest possible recommendation for Stephen Hand. I had the distinct pleasure of observing Stephen’s lecture/demonstration on Elizabethan fencing styles here at Lansing Community College.

I found him to be astute and knowledgeable as well as personable. His expertise in the fencing styles was truly impressive; he knew the subtleties of the different styles and was able to demonstrate them with assuredness. Many students and myself sat nearly gaping as he went through the characteristics of Italian, Spanish, and English fencing with command and ease.

If you have any questions about this extraordinary stage combat expert, please contact me at 517-483-1134.”

Andrew Callis
Theatre Faculty
Lansing Community College

“Stephen is one of the most generous teachers I have had the pleasure to meet. Whether he is teaching Saviolo, I.33, sword and shield or George Silver, Stephen is a great teacher.”
Chris Vivo
Schola Solis

“Personally, I can't say enough good about this opportunity to study with Stephen. His class was well-organized and insightful and he offers gems gleaned from years of study.”
Nathan Barnett
Usher of Academia della Spada

“Stephen is a top notch instructor. His classes on Silver and Saviolo were A+.
Weekends just don't get any better.”
Eric Blacksmith
Co-Director - Olympia Sword Fighters Guild

“Steve Hand - your outrageous big heartedness as well as your experience and skill enrich all of us. It has been a joy getting to know you and I am honored to call you my friend.”
Nicole Allen
WMAW02 Chairperson

Booking a Seminar
Seminars may be booked by contacting Stephen Hand directly at sjhand@bigpond.net.au or on or phoning him on (03) 6273 7721 (inside Australia) or +613 6273 7721 from outside Australia.
Seminar Costs
Seminars cost $400 per day plus expenses (travel and accomodation - though a bed in an attendee's house is more than sufficient for the latter). Where travel expenses are likely to be high Stephen tries to arrange to divide them between two or more events.