See us on CNN with Mike Rowe on his show,
Somebody's Gotta Do It, Season 2, Episode 6

June 14th: Longsword Workshop

Looking for a gift for that special someone? This is perfect! Give the gift of sword fighting to them. You can send him or her to the class, or you can attend with them. If you know of anyone that you think would enjoy this class. Please pass the information onto them or give me a call for more information.

This is a four-hour intensive class for the students of the sword that would like to attend classes at the school but live out of the area or just don't have the time to commit each week to class.

Time: 12:00pm – 4:00pm

Where: 3266 De La Cruz
             Santa Clara, CA 95054

Cost: $80 in advance or $90 at the door

July 28th-29th: Theatrical Martial Arts with Kyle Rowling

Kyle Rowling is an actor, stuntman, fight director and fight choreographer from Australia. He runs The Action Acting Academy in Sydney. 

At the workshop we will be leaning how best to create and develop characters, how to show the audience the emotions that we are feeling, and how to use those skills in developing and performing martial arts and fights that give the impression of danger
for the actors but are safe enough for take after take.

This workshop is good for anyone that performs on stage, small screen or big screen. Join Kyle and learn from his experience working on Star Wars Episode II and Episode III, Wanted, Da Vinci’s Demons and other shows on stage, television and movies.

One Day only

Full Weekend $200.00 USD Saturday Only $140.00 USD Sunday Only $140.00 USD

Sun Sword Academy

full Sun Sword Academy $140.00 USD One Day Only $40.00 USD

About Us

Are you looking for a well-established school in which to study martial arts in the European tradition? DEMAS has been in business since 2000 in the San Jose / Santa Clara area and has worked with many students over the years. Our school studies and works on the fundamental principles of martial arts in order to be able to understand and use many different styles and weapons.

Davenriche has experience in training and running theatrical fights and is available to assist in those endeavors. People mistakenly associate martial arts exclusively with the Asian Fighting arts. Currently, there is a reemergence in the study of historically accurate Western Martial Arts from medieval and renaissance fighting manuscripts. These manuscripts have revealed a well established, highly sophisticated European fighting system employing swords, rapiers, daggers, shields, pole axes and more.

Unfortunately, theatrical and popular media portrayals have reduced European martial arts to the myth that combatants merely crudely bludgeoned, hacked, and slashed savagely at their opponents. In reality, European martial arts integrate footwork, avoidance, and the ability to use timing and distance to exploit and enhance the sword's inherent cutting and thrusting capabilities. These skills include techniques for grappling, wrestling, kicking, throwing, and disarming of the opponent. European martial arts are distinctly different from modern Olympic fencing and Asian martial arts.

Enthusiasts of modern fencing, historical reenactment and role-playing games are now starting to focus on historically accurate methods of medieval and renaissance fighting skills. The differences between the English, Italian and Spanish schools of rapier and swordplay have been studied at length. How to properly wear your weapon, particularly when in a crowd, and knowing when not to use it, are two of the skills a swordsman must have.

It takes years before you can do anything in martial arts: Progress may seem painfully slow at first, but it will come. You should start to develop some skills within the first month, feeling more comfortable and developing a decent understanding of what you will accomplish. You can earn your first rank in three to four months. That said, you can spend your entire life perfecting your forms and training your mind and spirit.

Today in our school, we use wooden swords (called wasters), fencing helmets to protect the head and face, gloves, and padded jackets to protect the hands and arms. Safety is a primary concern, so we work very hard on mixing the medieval and renaissance martial arts with the safety concerns of the 21st century.

When you join our school, you will get to study the European tradition of martial arts while you learn how to use different kinds of swords and daggers. And, in the process, you may pick up some history, physics, and geometry, and have fun while you are learning these skills.