The working relationship between the Seneschal and the Exchequer and how they handle financial affairs for a branch.

Budgets and Financial Planning are the most important aspects of developing a bid for an event. Listen to experienced Exchequers as they navigate the process of developing a bid for an event. From the birth of a new event idea all the way to the submittal of the final event report. We discuss building the financial structure of the event, finding a feasible site, to building and submitting a budget for financial approval, purchasing all the goods and services required to support the event, setting up and running a gate, dealing with income, paying the bills, and putting together the final financial support.

In this class, I will discuss software and hardware choices, finding or making 3d scans and creating original designs, casting molds, and using molds for everything from beeswax to soap to tin to porcelain, and finishing techniques like electroplating.

Accessibility over the internet takes on new challenges, for those of us who need this support, knowing where to go or what to look for is sometimes tricky. This class provides tips for how to make things run smoother both on the host end as well as the participants end. Will include technology support as well as some perspective considerations.

An overview of the major settings in zoom accounts and how they impact your experience whether you are a host or a participant. Topics covered: where to find settings, things that make zoom more convenient for you as a host, things that help you as a participant, settings that zoombombers exploit, breakout rooms for fun and safety, disclaimers, chats, and many more things. The class is one hour of content with the second hour reserved for questions and discussion.

In this class we will examine the basics of Jacobean Embroidery. We will look at period examples, discuss materials used and modern equivalents, learn the two most used types of stitches, and learn how to set up your embroidery for stitching. There will be a demonstration of materials used, example pieces, and a demonstration of how to do the stitches.

Blackwork embroidery is an elegant and beautiful combination of floral and geometric patterns, used primarily in Spain and then England in the 16th century. Blackwork embroidery was used on smocks, coifs, sleeves, ruffs and more.

We will cover both freehand and counted stitch Blackwork, with a focus on the latter. In period, the patterns ranged from the simple to the complex, some reversible, and some not, but the same, simple, easy-to-learn stitch was used for all counted stitch Blackwork.

You will need:

An embroidery hoop
White Aida cloth
embroidery thread (doesn’t need to be black, but should be a bold colour)
A cross stitch needle
Scissors

In this class we will examine Canvas Work Embroidery, the type of stitching made famous by Mary, Queen of Scots. We will look at period examples, discuss materials used and modern equivalents, types of stitches, how to set up your embroidery for stitching, and period uses of canvas work
pieces. There will be a demonstration of materials used, example pieces, and a demonstration of how to do the stitches.

Have you ever seen a temari ball and wonder how it's made? We'll go through how to start one, some designs, and really cool pictures. If you just want to watch, great, but if you'd like to follow along and create your own, awesome! Please watch the short Material Prep video at to see what you'll need and how to make the temari base.

The Bayeux Tapestry (not a tapestry) is one of the largest and most famous works of period embroidery in the world. It makes use of a form of laidwork embroidery which is named after the Bayeux Tapestry (not a tapestry).

In this class, we’ll briefly go over the history and narrative of the Bayeux Tapestry (not a tapestry) and learn this easy stitch, useful for quickly filling in large areas of figures, animals, plants and patterns.

We’ll also learn why the Bayeux Tapestry is not a tapestry.

Students will need:

I sq meter of an even, loose weave fabric (preferably white or unbleached linen)
An embroidery hoop
A crewel or tapestry embroidery needle
Scissors
Crewel wool - I recommend ordering it immediately from the Embroidery Marketplace. They ship quite quickly, and have good prices and selection.

https://embroiderymarketplace.ca/collections/appleton-yarns

I also recommend you obtain a package of Frixion pens.

https://www.staples.ca/products/797437-en-pilot-frixion-ball-erasable-gel-pens-07mm-assorted-6pack

This class teaches the history of bead embroidery and provides the students with both period stitches and uses of beads in embroidery.

The class goal is to make a simple ball. By doing so you will learn how to create a spiral start, smoothly increase and decrease your stitches, and learn shaping. All these skills become integral to moving on to creating hats, socks and gloves. And we all want to make our own socks right?

Gather these items before class: A needle, yarn, and small spray bottle of water.

1. Needle – You will need a nal or needle. It doesn’t have to be a fancy bone one, or made from an antler or wood. In fact I would highly recommend you do not start with those because it adds yet another dimension to learning basic stitching techniques and tensioning. Start with a bent tipped tapestry/weaving/darning needle. You can find them at Joann’s or order them off of Amazon. They are inexpensive and handy to have around.
2. Yarn – You will need 100% wool yarn. Wool is preferred because Nalbinding is done with lengths of yarn rather than pulling from a continuous skein. The ends are felted together rather than knotted, and wool obviously is best for this. If for some reason you can’t use wool or want to use an acrylic yarn, knots are fine, but it adds another step to the process you may want to avoid at this time. Avoid a light weight or thin yarn. It’s easier to learn with a heavier, worsted wool. Think along the lines of Patons Classic Worsted Wool Yarn, or Patons Classic Bulky Wool Yarn, 3.5 oz. Again easily found online or at Joann’s.
3. Water – A little spray bottle of water is used to dampen the frayed ends of the yarn to felt the ends together. If you don’t have a spray bottle, you can also use a bowl or cup of water.

Lets GO!

A salon style discussion about Kute-uchi, Japanese Loop Braiding. I'll talk about a few things I've learned over the years, cover some helpful tools both SCA period and modern, some experiments/thoughts about Kute-uchi, and answer as many questions as you have that wasn't already covered in the previous two classes. Want to talk fiber contents, lengths/ratios of loops, getting the most braid out of the fiber, getting the best most consistent tension, etc. this is the lecture for you.

This class focuses on the 15th century fingerloop braiding techniques, braids, and utilizations.

Here I'll go over the intermediate and advanced Kute-uchi moves including linking moves for multi-braiders. Some will require finger/hand dexterity practice but are easily learned. Familiarity with basic Japanese loop braiding is helpful but not entirely necessary. For those that wish to follow along with the demo, please prepare one or two bundles of loops using this video, this will allow me to spend more time with you going over the moves. If time and experience allows, I'll also go over helping hands, strap making for hand loops, and an overview of the footbeater for longer braids.

An Introduction to Kute-Uchi, Japanese Loop Braiding. Includes a very brief overview of the history of Japanese loop braiding and the basic moves. A familiarity with European and other styles of loop braiding is not necessary but can make e-learning easier. For those that wish to work along with the demo, please prepare one or two bundles of loops a head of time using this video, this will allow me to spend more time working with you. If time and experience allows, I may go over some intermediate moves and/or tips.

This class consists of a presentation of what types of beads were used in period jewelry and techniques to recreate them.

This is a basic beginning lampworking course where we will touch on (not necessarily in this order):
• lampworking and beadmaking equipment,
• glass properties, beadmaking techniques and annealing,
• safety

A demonstration using an oxygen/propane fueled torch and soft glass will cover how to apply molten glass to metal rods, shape beads, how to use shaping, raking and poking tools; surface decoration.
Questions and conversation are welcome and encouraged, please note that this will be a casual and relaxed presentation.
This will be purely modern in presentation – modern tools and equipment. The history of lampworking, historical methods of manufacture etc. will not be covered during the presentation, but is certainly welcome as conversation!

You're JUST about finished painting a charter or scroll when, *SPLOTCH*!!! What now? Scrap it and start over? Maybe not.
In this whimsical class, we will look at how some medieval scribes solved their OOPSES and some practical solutions for "fixing" OOPSES in our modern Illumination and Calligraphy.

What colours are period? What colour should I use next? Why would anyone want to MAKE their own black? How do I make skin tones? In this class we will explore the world of COLOUR, both the theoretical and practical choice of colours for Scribes. The class will explore period and SCA examples, the medieval meaning behind some colours, why some colours work together and why some don't. I'll give some suggestions for exercises you can practice at home to expand your colour palette and also 'recipes' for making your own flesh tones, blacks and other colours you can mix yourself! AND I will answer just WHY RED & BLUE don't make PURPLE like we were taught in kindergarten.

History of quill pens and showing how to make them functional from feathers

Different body types have different needs when designing and fitting patterns. We will be addressing some of the unique aspects of drafting patterns for larger sizes and demonstrating how to a well fitted body sloper allows you to create patterns for a variety of historical periods.

How to turn an source image into a pattern - and a finished hat! Patterning hats seems daunting, but there are some easy techniques to getting the right shape, style and size to suit you and your outfit. We'll look at sizing up headforms, the patterning process and materials and methods for construction.

Reconstructing hairnets from 13th to 16th century is a lecture on what we know about the hairnets of the period. How they probably were made, what materials and tools were used, how they were decorated and worn.
The lecture is from an artisans view point and concentrates on the challenges and solutions made while reconstructing extant pieces.
The lecturer is a Finn but the lecture will be in English. She has an MA in European ethnology and is a textile arts teacher. You can find her work on hairnets at www.knotsinanet.wordpress.com.

We have evidence of articulated seams going back to at least the 14th century, mostly in garments designed for or fashioned after those worn in combat, where range of motion is critical and a snug fit beneath body armor is most comfortable. It might look daunting and strange at first, but articulation is well worth the effort to learn. It allows a better fit not only to the body while at rest, but to the motions that body is expected to do. It also creates a visually cleaner garment by removing bulk from the areas most prone to wrinkling and bunching.
In this class I will teach the basic principles of seam articulation. It will be most beneficial to those with some basic pattern modification skills (you don't need to be a skilled pattern drafter!) but all skill levels are welcome!

A brief history of draped headwear in medieval Western Europe, followed by a tutorial on drafting and sewing your own.

The Tunisian Melia is very obviously related to thr roman tunica, the grecian chiton and even fhe ubiquitous bog dress. Oone major difference.. versions of it are still in use today among some morthafrican women. You will learn to wrap a striking garment that is cool, practical and does not need a stitch .
Supplies needed:
{1} 5 to 6 yards of approximately 60 in wide, light weight linen or cotton fabric ( if you are upwards of 5'1") [i wear a 22/24 tall and am almost 6 feet tall, for reference. ]
If you are 5'1" or shorter, 4 to 5 yards of 45 in wide will be appropriate (often only cotton comes in this width)
If its a bit longer , dont cut it off. There are ways to deal.
{2} 2 KILT PINS. These are sold as such in fabric store or on line.. if you have medium weight penandulars this is closer to the actual pins but the kilt pins work just fine.
{3}A piece of sturdy, nonstretch woven trim cotton or linen, at least 2 in wide, though 3 is better at least enogh to go around 3 x.
Once you've learned , you can make choices about how you'd like to manage your accessories.
Optional
A light under tunic of any length can be appropriate but not necessary. For demonstration purposes i often wear a camisole night gown.
Also optional a heavy, glass or stone bead necklas at least 18 in long.

Create a Scythian hat starting from raw wool with a minimum of tools. No existing craft skills are necessary, just some time and patience. We'll cover how to do basic felting and dying with supplies around your house then basic hand sewing to complete the hat itself.
Supplies list available before class for people who want to work along.

An overview of headwear worn in the Germanic states in the 16thc - what types of headwear were worn by men and women, and how this varied by class and purpose. We will also look at the different materials in use, and (if time allow) discuss some construction methods.

This will be a general overview of the tools and materials used for tooling leather items and a small demo showing a bracer made.

In this class you will learn about the behavior of metals and their micro-structures.
Lean about terms such as:
work hardening
Toughness
Hardness
Brittleness
Malleability
Ductility
Alloy
Quench hardening
Annealing
Normalizing
Thermal cycling
Casting
Forging

Alchemy is often boiled down to what was considered the main goal - to turn lead into gold - but what does that actually mean? This class will break down the common myths of what alchemy is and explore the common philosophies behind the science.

This is a demonstration on the technique on throwing a clay jug common in medieval times. These vessels can be found all over Europe and England, as early as the 10th Century and into the 17th century. The jugs were mostly used for storage.

This demonstration uses modern equipment to produce a facsimile of the historical piece.

Using a 6th Century pot as a model, we will use handbuilding techniques to make an accurate drinking cup of clay. We will be using bossed, stamped, and incised methods of surface decoration. Clay experience is not necessary for this class.

An overview on the history and construction of bentwood boxs. Primarily seen in Scandinavian history examples have been seen from Italy to Spain and cover a wide span of time.

we will make 2 types of period coffee. ( turkish and Ethiopian)Recipes and supply list will be available for those who want to try may making at home. Iand a limited number of kits will be available for nail order for those who a want a simpler way to acquire supplies .

In this class we'll look at olive oil as an ingredient. First we'll look at modern standards, then compare modern and ancient Roman processes as recounted by Cato and Columella.

This is intended to be a fun interactive class focused on discussing modern myths about medieval food and food practices.

This is a lecture class focusing on how recent archaeological finds have changed our understanding of the Roman diet. The class will focus on recent archaeological digs at the port cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii. It will discuss how new finds and methods are being used to re-examine the traditional viewpoint of the diet of the average citizen and reach towards a better understanding of the diets of these members of the Roman population.

This is a lecture class focusing on methodology of identifying and redacting a period recipe from a primary source. Students will be introduced to a recipe from a period text, and they will be taught methodology for redacting that recipe with an aim towards creating a plausible recreation of the dish. Principals of experimental archaeology will be discussed and taught with an eye towards educating the students on how to track and record culinary experiments for further study and for others to be able to recreate the results of their research.

Did you know that literacy in Rus society wasn't just reserved for the wealthy and clergy? There is ample evidence that shows that literacy was widespread. Join us for an overview of the birchbark letters and what literacy looked like as early at the 11th century.

Japan is a country steeped in history and culture, but a lot of what is familiar today actually stems from the Edo-period (1603-1868), which is decidedly post-SCA period. This class will look at prior concepts of history, religion, culture, and etiquette and how it all ties together.

Have you ever wanted to sort out your 'veni, vidi, vici' from your 'alea iacta est?' Join Aelia Fortunata (East Kingdom) for an introductory crash course on the basics of Latin phonology and grammar.
No previous language experience is needed, and a handout will be provided

This class is intended for people who are just starting to look into Old a English language and who are looking for primary sources. We will look at the extant examples of Old English text, including the Verceli Manuscript, the Junius Manuscript, the Exeter Book, and the Beowulf Manuscript (more properly known as Cotton MS Vitellius A XV). These manuscripts comprise nearly all of the Old English text that remain to us. We will also look at the Ruthwell Cross, which contains Latin and a version of the Old English text “The Dream of the Rood”, though the English is written in runes.

“Scythians, Sarmatians, and Sakas, Oh My!”, or “How to Steppe Up Your Game”: A Roundtable Conversation on Early Period Steppe Cultures and Personas

“Who were the Scythians, Sarmatians, and Sakas, and what were they like?”
“How do I go about finding useful resources to develop an early period Steppe persona?”
“What sorts of pitfalls, challenges, and exciting discoveries have other SCAdians encountered in their own journeys studying early period nomadic cultures?”
“Where can I find these fellow early period Steppe enthusiasts?”

If you’ve asked any of the above questions--or others like them--then please join several Scythian-interested (or obsessed!) SCAdians who have spent decades learning everything they could about these cultures and who want to talk about that knowledge with others!

Baroness Achaxe Auchate, Sir Ataias ek Paralates, and Magistra Raven Qara ton will hold a roundtable discussion, facilitated by Olivier de Bayonne, on early period Steppe cultures, and you’re invited to participate!
* Learn about their experiences researching and recreating various components of nomad life from hat-making to metalwork to felting and applique to tattoos.
* Ask questions about your own related interests--it’s the perfect opportunity to pick the brains of these experts.
* Learn about their recommended resources, and share your own discoveries.
* Meet fellow enthusiasts who are delving into a fascinating, but often perplexing, set of cultures!

Yokai are a varied bunch of strange and mysterious creatures. In this class, we will explore the culture around the idea of yokai, as well as exploring a few yokai themselves.

This class will focus on how to find and use archaeological discoveries as evidence in your research. The class will demonstrate how to search for and identify relevant archaeological finds. It will also demonstrate how to use information obtained from archaeological finds in your own research.

Trying to find reputable scholarly sources can be difficult, particularly on the web, and even more so when you're looking for obscure topics or period resources. Join Isabella da Firenze, the SCAdian Librarian, for some tips on how to use the internet to your advantage, where to search for those odd sources, and where to ask for and get help when you need it.

This class will introduce students to environmental history as an approach to consider SCA research topics from a new perspective.

This class with debunk some of the misinformation floating around about doing documentation, particularly in An Tir, and show students a simple & effective. method for documenting your work.

This class will teach students how the An Tir A&S/Bardic Judging Forms work, the pedagogical & design philosophy behind them, and how to use them to your best advantage when preparing for Kingdom A&S Championships.
This class is a mandatory class for ALL judges in An Tir (if using the Kingdom forms) and is EXTREMELY helpful for those preparing to enter Kingdom Champs and many other competitions in An Tir.

Interested in learning about how copyright, fair use, and other aspects of intellectual property play into the SCA? Join this class for an overview with an eye towards practical application, and please bring your questions!

Research and documentation can be intimidating, but they don't have to be! This class will cover the basics of types of sources, how to research, and how to turn that research into documentation for your next magnificent piece of art. I love research and I love talking about research, let me infect you with my joy!

Frustrated and occasionally infuriated by researching and learning the way you're "supposed" to and it just doesn't work for you? How about some new ways to research that work for YOUR brain? Tools, tips and some old fashioned you're-not-alone reassurance that research and learning can still be fun. Taught primarily but not exclusively from an ADD perspective.

Beadwork is one of the oldest craft forms. Documenting period beadwork though is not an easy task. This class helps the student to learn what beadwork is period in the SCA and how to find the documentation needed for competitions and displays.

You have the pavilion of your dreams, now make it truly unique and unquestionably yours. We will discuss how I went about painting my tent, paint choices, tool options, and some does and don'ts to get a good final result.

Beginners instruction on supplies, methods and techniques. Listen along, or purchase supplies (dm me for a list) and do your own along with me!

We will look at what life was like in the early universities in Europe.

A chance to explore three topics in the Witchcraft trials that swept Europe in the later part of the Middle Ages and Early Modern Europe, but also looking at how exaggerated some things have become. Population make up of the trials, how they came about, and lastly men prosecuted.

Just like today, there were societal expectations for medieval and Renaissance wives--everything from general demeanor to specific roles within the partnership of marriage. In this lecture class, we will address these issues, supported by extant manuals and tales, often with unexpected and sometimes comical results.

NOTE: This class does not address the matters of childrearing or being a period domestic goddess.

After a brief review of the various forms of heraldic flag and banner-like display forms, this course will focus on design of a Heraldic Standard, including ideas for SCA specific choices, and will also discuss options for materials and techniques for creating the Standard once it is designed.

Intended for marshals in any discipline who have some experience, and now want to learn more. How to authorize new fighters, and strategies to obtain cooperation from the more experienced ones. How to be an effective Marshal in Charge, and the responsibilities of a Branch Marshal. What reports are required and how to properly complete them.

A chance for us to discuss the rules and get a refresher to hopefully help be ready for whenever things get to open up again. This would cover Society and An Tir specific rules. If any attendees want a quick refresher on any equipment inspection piece, please let me know ahead of time so I can have the needed equipment.

While part of my interests are Japanese crafts, my other love is target archery.
Along this path I started using a yumi, and making my own arrows in the japanese style. As bamboo arrows are becoming more popular in the SCA, I'd like to share how THL Tarou and I make my arrows, including cutting snap self nocks, cutting fletches from full feathers, making split fletches, and wrapping with silk.

Kalaripayattu is a modernly practiced martial art centered in Kerala India. Its lineage derives from the study of martial arts by the Nayars of the medieval kingdoms in this region and their use of training spaces called "Kalaris". The art is a system of training encompassing bodily exercises, hand to hand, weapons forms and healing techniques that build from the Ayurvedic system of medicine. In practice, the art is unarmored, unmounted combat used in either one on one or small group fights.

In this class we'll cover a quick introduction to what we know about the history of this art and some resources for the study of the precedents for this art in India.

The majority of the class will be taking a look at some of the introductory concepts and body exercises used to build skill in this art form. Our primary focus will be the exercises that can be done solo to build core skills and movement vocabulary in ways that combine strength, flexibility and balance, as well as a short demo into how these skills can be combined into sequences, and/or used with stick weapons.

This is a great form for building strength and flexibility simultaneously. Due to the rigor and combination of movements used in these exercises, it's a great way to build core strength and control for both dance and other styles of movement. These days, many classical Indian dancers will cross-train in this style to increase their dance abilities as well as by martial artists looking to challenge themselves.

This is a vigorous style. Students are recommended to:
- have a free and open area for practice - at least 10'X10', but a wider space in at least one dimension is recommended.
- wear clothing that allows you to squat deeply, jump, turn quickly, and kick high. Traditional clothing is a short dhoti drape or sewn pants, with or without a vest, and tight sash at the waist. Tie back long hair.
- have bare feet and a space you can be barefoot in safely. As a fall back, jazz shoes or martial arts sneakers may be workable.
- this is a tricky form to make adjustments in - please tell me if at any time you are having pain or if you have been previously injured, and we'll figure out what we can. I may advise abstinence from certain movements.

For some of us headspace comes easy but for others not so much. This class looks at how to achieve getting in the zone and some obstacles you might encounter on the way

This class is a survey of perfumery traditions in imperial China and will cover the dynasties from late 3rd century BCE to 16th century. I will discuss ingredients and their origins, the foreign influences that shaped local traditions and the ways of preparing fragrances.
This class is not going to be recorded.

An overview of the history, structure, and customs of our community: How the SCA started and has grown. The intersection of modern rules and medieval role playing. Branches and households. Rank, awards, regalia, and forms of address. Etiquette, basic camping tips, heraldic display, persona development, and more. Activities you can participate in throughout the year. Where to find out more.

Are you new to the SCA and curious about fighting activities, but weren’t sure who to ask? We’ll talk about the different types of combat that occur at SCA events, commands and customs you’ll witness, the role of various personnel on the field, and how you can get involved. Pictures included.

Just as athletes can optimize performance by understanding how their bodies work, singers, voice heralds, and other performers can benefit from understanding how their voices work. In the first half of this class, we will cover topics such as warming up, volume and projection, breath control, vibrato, and health and stamina, and you gain a better understanding of why your voice works the way it does.

The second half will be conducted in a master class format. Up to four volunteers will share a short piece of a performance with the whole group. Magistra Iselda will give them pointers on how to achieve the sound and expression that they're going for, which the rest of the observing class may be able to apply to their own performances.

If you're interested in volunteering to perform a short section of a piece for the master class portion, please contact alix.evans@gmail.com.

This is a come-as-you-are class defined by those who attend it.

Mistress Lakshmi has spent 20+ years studying Mysore Style Bharata Natyam, the context and practice of dance in India, the life of dance and dancers and how that connects to the modern practice of classical dance today, and bringing the practice of this to the SCA in the East Kingdom. She's also spent 13+ years studying Kalaripayattu and it's history, and a similar length of of time digging into the practice of it in medieval India. And somewhere in there she also formally studied Carnatic vocal music, and Kannada (the language spoken in the modern day state of Karnataka in India). Through that research, she's also gleaned a fair bit of knowledge about Carnatic music (the classical music of South India), the myths and stories of India, musical performance, and just about any performing art she could dig into.

The goal here is to help performing artists or those looking to start on a path in these arts - to find their next step or some good places to start with celebrating the arts of the kingdoms of medieval India in the SCA. It may be a dance practice class, a reference material class, a slide show, a storytelling class or something else - please be ready with your current experience, your goals and your questions. Our goal - collectively - is to grow as performing artists who can thoughtfully bring an understanding and appreciation of the arts of India to SCA events.

As this class could become movement oriented, wear clothes you can move in and have a space you feel comfortable moving in if you so desire.

We have a tremendous set of resources in both text and sculpture describing dance in the Indian subcontinent during the SCA time periods. We'll do a quick run through some of these resources and how they connect to the modern classical dance styles of today.

That will be followed by a hands-on intro dance practice into some of the fundamentals of Bharata Natyam - a modern classical dance style, covering some of the basics for how both pure dance and expressive movement work in this form, and also tips on how to continue train and use it in an SCA context.

Bharata Natyam can be a physically intense form consisting of keep knee bends, repetitive stamping and precise hand positions. It's a total body workout. Students are recommended to:
- wear clothes you can move & sweat in, nothing that drags on the floor, confines the legs, or impedes the arms. Bring a sash to tie at the waist. Traditional clothing for this form would be a sari draped to hang halfway between ankles and knees or a sari draped in one of several dhoti style drapes (ie, into a pair of pants), and hair pulled away from face. Bare feet strongly encouraged or the most minimal footwear you can manage.
- be somewhere with some space to move - a 10'X10' square or more that you can move in barefoot is ideal. Also, downstairs neighbors that won't hate you stomping on the floor are ideal. Concrete floors are hazardous to knees - tread lightly or avoid if possible.
- use good judgement - if you have knee, hip or lower back problems - the lower body movements may not be for you. Treat yourself gently and we will organize class to balance time to move to hand movements with can support a wider range of mobility limitations.

All are welcome - we'll figure out a way to have fun and learn some dance together!

A quick and dirty introduction to bardic arts in the SCA. The class covers often used terms, bardic circle etiquette, how to know if your child has become a bard, what do you call yourself if you don't want to use the term bard, why even bard? Bring your questions.

The hammered dulcimer, aka Psalterion, is a percussive zither with ancient and rather obscure roots. Known by many names across the ages, this "hammered harp" lead to the invention of the harpsichord and piano as the Renaissance grew into the Baroque period. Santur is the Persian ancestor of the Psalterion, dating to approx 6th century. The construction is nearly identical, yet tuning and playing is quite different.

The Greek Bouzouki and Turkish Baglama are both descendants of the earliest known Occidental long-necked lute, the Greek Pandura circa 3rd Century BCE. With a small resounding body, long slender neck and two, three or four strings, the Pandura spread both East and West, evolving and improving as other cultures took up the instrument. The Russian Balilaika, Egyptian Buzuk, and Armenian Kapogh are a few examples; nearly identical in concept and construction, yet such variety in playing methods.

The ancient roots of these instruments will be explored as we travel in time from 3rd century BCE Athens to Anatolia, into 6th Century Jerusalem and Persia, and out from 13th Century Constantinople to the west through Romania, Russia and Hungary, ending in 17th century Ireland. A variety of period music and original compositions and improvisations will be performed on several instruments; Pandura (3rd C. BCE Greek Lute),Cura Bouzouki Trichordo (10-11th C. Greek/Turkish Lute), Bouzouki Tertrachordo (15th C. Greek) Baglama Saz (15th Cent. Turkish) and the Hammered Dulcimer (12th C) and Santur (Approx 6th C.) . Q&A will follow each section. Family friendly for All ages, no exp needed.

This class is for guitar and ukulele players who know how to play a few chords, but don't know how to find the chords for a tune. Some experience with reading music is nice but not essential. Students will learn about key signatures, scales/modes, and chord families. We will use that information to harmonize 16th century musical examples.

This lecture class will explore the history, structure, study and collection of Scandinavian Balladry, with some visuals and audio clips, an extensive handout and suggestions for more reading and listening.

My name is Volk the Grey.
Goutte De Sang
Jambe De Lion
Archarius to Master Gryphon the Black
Protege to Sir Cedric Wilfraven
Yeoman of the Barony of Glymm Mere
Overly helpful man

Come meet KUKOL'NYYe DRUZ'YA VOLKA - (Volk's Puppet Friends) and learn about story telling with puppets from the cuddly bard himself.
class will be one hour and family friendly. Open to all interested.

Want to know what English sounded like as spoken prior to 1066 on the island we now call “England? We will look at the pronunciation of Old English through the lens of “Caedmon’s Hymn”, one of the oldest English poems.

Shakespeare, from ~ a dozen perspectives.
Cultural phenom - (Big Business still... Why?)
Iambic Pentameter - how a rhythm influences word choice
The plays as canon - the similarities from play to play
The importance of Sonnets to Shakespeare being Shakespeare
The Elizabethan World Picture and how it framed all WS did.

These and other topics, plot lines explained, your questions answered (or at least guessed at with some good research)
Come, chat, ask, get performed at, and see why WS is still a guide to the Human soul.

Find out more about the Golden Swan female persona development challenge. Hosted by Appledore, this long running (38 years) competition challenges participants to a very high standard of persona development.
Learn some of the history and goals of the competition, hear about the mechanics of the competition, and speak to Golden Swans of the past.

Join Eleanor in a deep dive into the history of the Bottle Gourd, also known as the calabash (Lagenaria siceraria). We will explore its ancient origins, usage patterns in pre-1600’s Europe, including recipes. We will also review modern cultivars, and how to grow your own.

They didn't have Amazon or even a corner drugstore! Where did folks get their OTC medicines? Where did they get soap? How about things that smelled good? Flea and louse remedies? We will be covering Europe in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, but the remedies of the people, not the doctors, physickers and apothecaries.

Sex taboos from a medieval, western European physician's perspective. This class will discuss lust (and associated medical conditions), chastity, adultery, and pregnancy avoidance. This class will discuss anatomy, sex, contraception, abortion, witchcraft, menstruation, and religion. It is recommended for mature audiences.

It wasn't all bloodletting and ghosts in your blood. Women's health was largely managed by women, and managed successfully. In this class we will discuss pregnancy, childbirth and gynaecological concerns and how they were managed.