Devon Boorman

Devon Boorman has been practicing martial arts since 1986. Starting first with Chinese and Filipino martial arts, Devon discovered western swordplay through the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) which connected him with a burgeoning community of martial artists and scholars studying Historical European Marital Arts throughout the world. Devon has traveled extensively, first as a student, then as a competitor, teacher, and researcher. He has won international tournaments, worked on both stage and screen as a stunt person and choreographer, and is the authour of two DVDs: Introduction to the Italian Longsword, and Introduction to the Italian Rapier, and a book by the same name, all available through Freelance Academy Press.

Devon’s expertise centres on the Italian swordplay tradition including the arts of the renaissance Italian rapier, sidesword, and longsword, as well as polearms, wrestling, knife and mounted combat. He has taught workshops and seminars throughout the world on both the study and practice of historical techniques and on practical combat implementation.

Devon is the co-founder and director of Academie Duello, which has been active in the Vancouver area since 2004. Under his leadership the school has become the largest school of its kind in the world with thousands of attendees in its programs each year. He is also the principle creator for Duello.TV the largest online academy for the study of Historical European Martial Arts with over 100 courses on swordplay and martial arts. Devon is a part of the Martial Advisory Council for the International Armizare Society and a research adviser for the journal Acta Periodica Duellatorum.