On the weekend of 24th/25th January, one of our member, Armand, had the great opportunity to take part in the first official Mamluk instructor Course lead by Alperen Alkan, the head of Mamluk Academy. Held at Fatema Elizabeth Archery Club in north London, this was a nice occasion to meet other Mamluk members from all over the UK, share experiences and ideas. An amazing weekend overal, that also included the first sabre course, lead by Alperen.
Armand: "This weekend was truly enlightening. A class setup really gave a different and more serious dimension to this course. Spending hours listening and interacting with Alperen and fellow students, while learning about Mamluk history, techniques and philosophy really elevated my love and passion for this art. Then, having to do yellow tiraz (which I wasn't aware we had to do to be an instructor) and taking the instructor exam was a nervous experience to be honest. But in the same time, it shows the high standards that Mamluk is putting out there. These standards exceed by far other courses and gradings I have done. I am delighted to have passed both yellow tiraz and instructor exam, and I am looking forward to pursue futher toward more tiraz, and other courses."
Following the instructor course, Alperen introduced sabre practice and techniques to around 20 students. From history to basic moves, this introduction to sabre, we hope, is the start of more classes being offered in the UK. Students had then the occasion to show their newly learned skills in 1 on 1 sparring sessions.
A big thank you to Fatema St Elizabeth school for welcoming us for the weekend!