YOUTH CLASSES

BEGINNER:

Ages 8-15

6-7 PM Tuesdays

$60 / Month

We offer beginning classes for youth ages 8 through 15.

The beginning class teaches the fundamentals of footwork, blade work, and tactics. The beginning classes run one hour per week year-round on Tuesday nights from 6-7 PM, with breaks coinciding with the holidays.

Students should wear sweatpants or leggings (no jeans or shorts), a T-shirt, and clean athletic shoes with laces. Slip-on athletic shoes do not offer enough lateral support and are unsuitable for fencing.

The Academy provides all equipment for this class at no extra charge.

The Maestros will conduct periodic skill testing to determine if students should progress to the intermediate-level class. With the Maestros’ approval, students can progress to the Advanced Class.

INTERMEDIATE - Level A:

6:30 - 8:30 PM Mondays

INTERMEDIATE - Level B:

7:00 - 9:00 PM Tuesdays

ADVANCED:

7:00 - 9:00 PM Wednesdays

GRAFA’s Intermediate & Advanced classes focus on advanced footwork, blade work (foil & epee), tactics, and strategy, emphasizing competitive fencing. Each class runs for two hours every week, year-round.

The students will start with only one night of class. The Maestros will suggest each fencers’s Class Night, depending on the level of the basic skills and the student's age.

The fencers must obtain US Fencing membership to participate in these classes. They must also purchase their own fencing equipment, including electric foil, a body cord, and a lame. The coaches will help students customize their order. The purchase must be made via the GRAFA online store (coming soon).

Team GRAFA membership is incorporated into student's class price. Our value packages include the Advanced class with membership and other training options available for the students, and are highly recommended by the Maestros.

Playing Safely with… Swords?

If you’ve read our Maestros’ origin story, you already get that the draw for kids to play with swords is pretty timeless. And FUN.

Fencing is a wonderfully safe outlet for this childhood urge to mimic combat, while also developing outstanding coordination, strategic thinking, and adaptive resilience.

GRAFA’s fencing community is also a wonderfully warm and extremely professional environment to explore this classic, Olympic sport. (Bonus: If they stick with it, fencing can also help with college admissions… if you’re into that.)

Have more questions? Check out our Safety Section, where we detail all the ins & outs of fencing safety and sport.