Ragnhild Viken
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'Smallsword dynamics and seeing what is there.'
The smallsword or court sword was very much a civilian personal arm, a light, fast and agile weapon. Drawing on the writings and experience of contemporary wielders of the smallsword, we will cover the basics of this weapon and how it differs from other, earlier styles, and using this basis focus on the self defence principle of seeing and dealing with what is there.
Level: Any
Еquipment: Smallsword, Foil or very light rapier. Standard equipment (fencing mask, light gloves, fencing jacket, fencing pants).
Biography
Having loved swords from a tender age, Ragnhild («Raggi» amongst anglophones) began fencing around the turn of the millennium, and has since 2007 been practicing and learning the Art of Fencing on a more or less regular basis, primarily studying with the current Scottish academies.
She has travelled extensively to attend schools, classes, workshops and meetings in Europe and N. America as well as in her own native Norway so far. Eventually starting to instruct she has taught at the Smallsword Symposium in Edinburgh and at various other historical fencing related events in Norway and abroad. She currently runs the rather low-key Polaris Historical & Traditional Fencing in Norway, and became Certified Instructor by the BFHS (British Federation for Historical Swordplay) in 2018.
Somewhat relatedly she has studied and worked with other forms of martial arts, self defence and conflict de escalation.
Being a restless and relentlessly curious sort of person, her other interests include Irish dancing and outdoors pursuits like mountain hiking and cross country skiing. She is also a keen aviator, holding a pilot’s license for small aeroplanes.
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