Who are you people?
Sword Class NYC started as a once-a-week class for fun in 2009. Now, in 2015, we offer classes in four martial forms in both eastern and western traditions. We have classes for youth and adults seven days a week and are the largest sword school by attendance in the US. We’ve become a major distributor of training gear and practice weapons. We compete in international tournaments . . . and win.
For the past several years, we’ve been training in rehearsal studios that we rent by the hour, but we’ve recently acquired our very own training studio in East Harlem. It’s a fantastic space and we’re working hard to make it even better, but we need your help!
Why is this so important?
Sword Class NYC is the only sword school in the country that offers both eastern and western forms under one roof. We study the traditions of iaido (the art of the quick-draw with the katana) and kendo (Japanese fencing). We teach several forms of Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA), including German Longsword, Langes Messer, Sword & Buckler, Dagger, and Ringen. Just this spring, we partnered with the Armored Combat League to become the New York chapter of the Knights Hall. There is no other school like us in the world.
This studio will not only allow us to offer more forms and expand our schedule, but also to host more special training events, such as cutting practices and tournaments. We’ll be able to host specialized seminars with some of the best instructors and masters from around the world. Our school will become a nexus for the sword arts community in New York, the US, and across the globe.
We’re also setting up a retail storefront for swords and training equipment — the very first (and only) place on the east coast where you can “try before you buy.” It’s vital for a martial artist to have the right gear in the right sizes, and we are making it possible for athletes and enthusiasts to find what they need at the right price, without the guesswork and hassle of online shopping.
What do you want? What do I get?
We’re looking to raise $12,500 to renovate our studio and create a full-time space for Sword Class NYC. Creating two training spaces, putting down a new floor, building personal storage space for gear, and constructing specialized training equipment . . . it isn’t cheap! And, believe us, big construction projects like this one always present challenges you don’t expect.
You may say, “Yeah, swords are cool, but what’s in it for me?” Well, we are giving away some killer perks. You can score classes, protective gear, and high end, steel training weapons. Swords aren’t your thing? You can also gift the perks to your favorite samurai or knight, just let us know their name and email in the comments at checkout!
You guys are amazing, but is there another way I can help?
We know not everyone can contribute financially right now, and that’s OK! You can still help us immensely by sharing this campaign and helping us get the word out. Email it to all your friends and coworkers. Use these nifty links that Indiegogo makes to post on all your favorite social media sites. Go door-to-door with flyers. Hire a skywriter. Every little bit helps and we appreciate every tweet, post, like, and reblog!