Saber Conventions?

[Master Rel]

Other than tagging along with ComicCons and DragonCon (which is crazy cool) is there a focal convention that supports the Star Wars community with particular consideration towards sabers, saber dueling, and related costuming?

Star Wars Celebration pops up every now and then.

Perhaps we could look at combining efforts to use various conventions as vehicles to support the saber culture?

DragonCon seems like a good fit for the East coast.

How about the Midwest and West coast?

[Jammo]

No lie, I try to recruit a bit at Phoenix Comic Con...

[Master Rel]

No lie, I try to recruit a bit at Phoenix Comic Con...

You say that as if you had limited success?

 

[Jammo]

You say that as if you had limited success?

 

I got a couple...

[Manroon]

I recruit straight off the streets at all opportunities, but I know of no saber cons. I had my buddy represent with my SI at AX this year though! And some guy saw my Bellicose and screamed at me from his car last night! 

[dreaming0616]

I got a couple...

*cough* I kinda count as one....

[Master BStone]

I have about 8 students here in Cleveland that have or want to own an ultrasaber. we're putting together a class as we speak.

[Jammo]

I have a good half dozen regulars here in Phoenix, a few not so regulars, and at least 10 kids that I've sabered up and given a test drive. I might even take on Dreaming's nephew for a Padawan.

[Master Rel]

I have a good half dozen regulars here in Phoenix, a few not so regulars, and at least 10 kids that I've sabered up and given a test drive. I might even take on Dreaming's nephew for a Padawan.

I had not considered that aspect...but the idea of dueling around or with kids kinda freaks me out.

I have been in and out of dojos and gyms for most of my life since the age of choice, so roughly 34+yrs...and as I did not own the gyms and the kids were not mine the idea of hanging out sounds way too much like babysitting, I have four and I have little interest in entertaining younglings lol.

Serious fun with dueling, costuming, and such with fellow adults...spot on   

Phoenix sounds interesting though.  I have never visited said city.  Great name.

[Jammo]

I had not considered that aspect...but the idea of dueling around or with kids kinda freaks me out.

I have been in and out of dojos and gyms for most of my life since the age of choice, so roughly 34+yrs...and as I did not own the gyms and the kids were not mine the idea of hanging out sounds way too much like babysitting, I have four and I have little interest in entertaining younglings lol.

Serious fun with dueling, costuming, and such with fellow adults...spot on   

Phoenix sounds interesting though.  I have never visited said city.  Great name.

Its actually not a bad way to learn control and measure your moves, plus there's nothing like letting them go 2 or more on 1 against me to see if I can take 'em while only putting light touches on them and taking hilt dings on them. It really makes you focus on certain moves when you're thinking "can't break off the nephew" because you'd rather not have to explain the need for an ice pack to your sister-in-law (my brother said I should hit them harder to toughen them up).

[Master Rel]

Yikes 

Better you than me...no spank you.

I will stick to adult dueling.

I tend to to only spar with those who are acknowledged by the law as adults and are able to secure their own insurance policies.  I have seen way too many injuries, beyond those functional ones like bruises and bumps...I mean the other ones like stepping wrong and both going down in a heap, broken fingers, and in this particular case an adult falling/stepping on a youngling...yikes.

No, I will leave it to kind souls like yours   

[Jammo]

You know, we've never had a serious injury out here. Busted up knuckles here, a nasty looking welt there, but never anything that somebody missed work or took a trip to urgent care for...

[Master Uilos]

In terms of a saber-centric convention is interesting. Speaking for NY Jedi, we normally do recruiting either through already existing conventions with NYCC, Wizard Philly, Dragon Con being our major attractions. We also practice around the city all the time, which garners us just as much notoriety.

As a A Saber-Con would be interesting to hold, but does hold a few concerns:

1) Where would it be held? I can imagine CA or NY being thrown around as sites because their presence is more prominent as hubs for this sort of stuff. But in the end, How and Who would decide and if one were chosen, would everyone still be made
2) Uncle George will want his cut, or try to block it wholesale. No ducking this one. When it comes to hoarding treasure, Dragons have nothing on LucasArts. We are, most of us, protected in the fact that we use non-licensed sabers (ie; not replicas) thanks to sites like Ultrasabers and a few others. If that was the criteria to join the convention: that saber's cannot be licensed replicas, then this shouldn't be TOO much of a problem.

Not raining on people's parades. I'd like to see this happen, but if we're gonna talk about it happening, we've gotta talk about why it wouldn't happen.

And as for sparring, I generally only do it with people I know and trust. I've seen too many Man Children go apeshell with a saber and I've seen too many kids treat it with some seriousness

[Jammo]

Yeah, I personally check out every duelist that steps in front of us, regardless of age, training, skill level, or any other factor. I guess the rule is that you fight me first in Phoenix. One guy isn't welcome back... kept breaking equipment maliciously and trying to play it off as dueling mishaps.

[Master Rel]

Good points guys.

As long as the event was a non profit exercise then Uncle Lucas would sign off on it, as he has done in the past.

As adults going ape sheckle and kids getting all serious...easy to fix this...only those who are members of established clubs with standard club minutes, registry, club insurance, and other common martial arts related certifications to prove they have the established basics, etc. would be allowed to duel.

Even then a series of hoops would have to be cleared first...absolutely no walk on dueling, especially with rigid sabers...perhaps with padded weapons and head/neck/hand protection; kendo style.