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Accreditations |
Prima Spada, School of Fence is proud to be a registered member of the Australian Academy of Fencing and an affiliate member of the Academie d'Armes Internationale. These organisations are responsible for the training, registration and professional development of fencing coaches nationally and internationally. Prima Spada's membership with these bodies is made possible due to the high level of professional experience and expertise of our Coach, Prévôt Maître Keith Beattie.
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Prévôt Maître Keith C. BeattieKeith Beattie has developed his passion and personal skill in a wide variety of areas relating to exercise, health and fitness over a long career spanning a wide variety of areas from both eastern and western martial arts, to aerobics instruction and competitive Latin dance. As a young man he learnt Karate where he was taught the importance of self-discipline in personal training and competitive combat. Complementing this self-discipline, involvement in Latin dance as both competitor and instructor helped him to develop an understanding of the principles of timing and rhythm. Through his experience instructing in this area he went on to a career as one of Queensland's foremost aerobic instructors, working with elite athletes for both professional and personal training. This array of disciplines developed his teaching pedagogy which would later be vital to his work as an instructor of historical fencing for recreation, performance and competition.
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For Keith Beattie fencing was an area where he felt he was able to incorporate aspects of all of his experiences into a single activity. The strict self-discipline and martial skill of Karate, the elegance and balance of dance, and the strength and agility of a fitness trainer were of equal importance to his personal development as a fencer. While advancing these skills further he began researching and experimenting with a variety of western historical weapons from the manuals of various European masters of defence. The excitement of sharing his passion for swordplay with others led Keith Beattie to begin teaching students and begin Prima Spada, School of Fence in 1995.
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In Prima Spada, Keith Beattie developed an effective training structure through the creation of a comprehensive graded syllabus in a variety of historical European weapon codes which is safe, practical and period-accurate.
Wishing to develop his own professional knowledge and ability further for the benefit of his students and his school, Keith Beattie intensified his personal training in 2010 with the goal of obtaining internationally recognised qualifications as a fencing coach. After obtaining several such qualifications this training program led Keith Beattie to the USA in 2013 where, after intensive training and assessment he was awarded the coaching qualification "Moniteur d'Escrime Historique" from the United States Fencing Coaches Association. |
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Seeking to improve his ability as a coach further still, Keith continued his personal and professional development in Australia under the eminently qualified Maitre d'Armes Michael A. O'Brien, Australian champion fencer, Olympic coach, and co-founder of the Australian Academy of Fencing, and Maitre d'Armes Gary Worsfield, President of the Australia Academy of Fencing.
Under the tuition of Maitre O'Brien Keith Beattie was awarded the rank of Prevot Maitre (Level 4) in the disciplines of Historical Fencing, Artistic Fencing, and Olympic Fencing from the Australian Academy of Fencing in March, 2016. Prevot Maitre is the second highest rank that a fencing coach may obtain and marks Keith Beattie as one of the most highly qualified coaches of Historical and Artistic fencing in Australia.
Keith Beattie seeks now to develop the professional abilities of Prima Spada instructors in order to provide only the highest level of instruction to the students of Prima Spada, School of Fence. He also continues his own professional development with the aim of obtaining the highest qualification that a fencing coach may aspire to: Maitre d'Armes (Level 5).
Under the tuition of Maitre O'Brien Keith Beattie was awarded the rank of Prevot Maitre (Level 4) in the disciplines of Historical Fencing, Artistic Fencing, and Olympic Fencing from the Australian Academy of Fencing in March, 2016. Prevot Maitre is the second highest rank that a fencing coach may obtain and marks Keith Beattie as one of the most highly qualified coaches of Historical and Artistic fencing in Australia.
Keith Beattie seeks now to develop the professional abilities of Prima Spada instructors in order to provide only the highest level of instruction to the students of Prima Spada, School of Fence. He also continues his own professional development with the aim of obtaining the highest qualification that a fencing coach may aspire to: Maitre d'Armes (Level 5).
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Member of Australian Academy of Fencing (AAF)
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Affiliate Member of Academie D'Armes Internationale (AAI)
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Affiliate Member of United States Fencing Coaches' Association (USFCA)
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