Tuesday, June 28, 2011

We Want Bartitsu!

Bartitsu is getting more and more attention these days as the signature steampunk fighting style. Part boxing, stick-fighting, and jujitsu, this gentleman's self-defense technique was immortalized by Arthur Conan Doyle as the skill that Holmes used to kill Moriarty.

Modern research is finally shining a light on the details of the forgotten art of Bartitsu and its creator, E.W. Barton-Wright. You can find several books online describing its history and the moves involved, but I'm most excited about a new video from Freelance Academy Press.

Check out the demo, and note the Abney Park soundtrack:



Something tells me we'll be seeing plenty of Bartitsu practitioners at steampunk (and other) events. I'd love to know if you've studied the technique, or know someone who has. Or just fill me in on what you'd consider a stylishly steampunk fighting move. Preferably something that involves deadly doilies.

1 comment:

Melanie said...

Oooo. No, I haven't studied Bartitsu but I have studied Aikido which has some of its roots in jujitsu. Saying that, I can see a Ladies version of Bartitsu coming out of Aikido. The form itself looks a lot like dancing and is quite effective. Since we perform it in hakama, which look a lot like long skirts, It's halfway there!

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