This course provides an introduction to the choreography and basic hands-on swordfighting experience for any budding actor, be they Jack Sparrow, Inigo Montoya or Tybalt. A fun-filled and active course instructed by accredited fencing coach, Bas De Groot. Equipment hire included in fee.

Your Tutor is Bas De Groot

Bas de Groot has been with the WEA since 2024.

Bas de Groot was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

As a young boy Bas became obsessed with history.  From Roman times to World War 2, and especially the Middle Ages and the Napoleonic period.

By 12-years of age Bas decided he wanted to know all the things a Georgian Era gentleman had to know, like dancing, fencing, shooting, horse-riding and archery. Therefore when he was in his teens he got into Modern Olympic Fencing and ballroom dancing and Living History. And then in his early twenties expanded into historical dancing and shooting, and occasional horseriding. In his thirties, in 2012, he emigrated to Australia with his partner and two children, where he now works as a school support officer, WEA tutor, Historical Swordfighting instructor and part-time Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Master.