Category Archives: Class

Outdoor Dance Practice, Sunday April 2

The Canton of Appleholm once again invites you to join us for a casual weekend renaissance-dance workshop: Taci e Balla — shut up and dance!

On Sunday, April 2, we will meet at 3 PM at the newly-reopened pavilion adjacent to Grant’s Tomb, on Riverside Drive at 122nd Street. It’s still cool out, with Sunday’s weather predicted to be sunny and 50°F, so throw on some warm layers and come enjoy the amazing river view!

We’ll be reviewing the same sixteenth-century bransles we’ve learned over the last few weeks. These are easy dances to learn; newcomers and first-timers are welcome!

This event is free. All are welcome to join us. No Society membership or previous experience required. Modern attire; come as you are. Feel free to RSVP or just show up.

The pavilion, and the adjacent memorial, is a National Park, open from 9–5 Wednesday through Sundays. The site is level and accessible. Alas, the public restrooms are still closed “due to COVID restrictions,” and the nearby playground bathroom is also closed at this time, so we’ll have to scope out the nearest facilities for emergency purposes.

Directions — and see below for map:

  • Subway: The closest stations are the #1 to 125th Street or 116th Street. It’s about a 10 minute walk from either; the path from 116th is downhill, while the route from 125th involves climbing a steep hill.
  • Bus: Take the M5 bus to Riverside and 122nd Street, which is immediately outside the pavilion (downtown) or across the memorial plaza (uptown).
  • Driving: There’s lots of on-street parking along Riverside Drive immediately in front of the pavilion.

Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.

June 18: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Researching Your Bardic Pieces

As events swing into high gear, we gather ’round the bardic fire to regale each other with song and tales once more! How can you polish up your pieces for competition, performance, or entertainment?

Researching your bardic pieces can add greatly enhance your performance! Why do the “extra work” of researching more about your piece? Why do you want to tell this story? What is YOUR story? Why are you telling it? Why is it important to you? When you know your “why” your enthusiasm for the piece can give you another source of energy to pull from. Being passionate about your art shows. Knowing your inspiration or goal will help you find the drive to practice and prepare.

Join The Honorable Lady Agnes Marie de Calais as she goes over the rationale for researching a piece and its time and place, how to organize the research and things to consider, and going over an example together. Participants can also discuss their own work and examples in the discussion portion afterwards.

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

Agnes is a spoken word bard and storyteller, a researcher whose personae is from Calais, France before the year 1600. She first joined the SCA in the early 2000’s. Recently, she has been sharing her research, bardic interests, retaining, and service wherever and whenever needed. She has taught, run bardic circles, and judged, and teaching youth and adults, and sharing research, is an important part of who she is. She is a Maunche, Silver Wheel, Troubador, Golden Lyre, and recently stepped down as the Queen’s Bardic Champion. You can read more about her on her EK wiki!

The Saturday Night Solar occurs every other Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Canton of Whyt Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

March 26: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Getting Ready for Archery Season

Spring has sprung – get ready to go outdoors and loose some arrows!

Join Østgarðr’s own Friderich Grimme as we discuss how to get ready for archery season after a long winter! Though warmer weather brings thoughts of good times on the archery range, the vagaries of winter may well have played havoc on your bow and arrows.  For the new archer, this class will provide suggestions for how to check and prepare your equipment for the archery season to come.

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

Friderich Grimme lives with his wife, Lile Dubh, in the city of Köln at the end of the 14th century.  In the SCA, Friderich’s interests include archery and cooking.  He is the current webminster for the Crown Province of Ostgardr and an archery marshal at large.

The Saturday Night Solar occurs every other Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Canton of Whyt Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

March 12: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Documentation Do’s And Don’ts!

If research and documentation is keeping you from entering an Arts & Science competition or display, this class will help take some of the mystery and stress out of the process.  Learn how to evaluate a source, gather research, and do basic documentation – including sources.  Also learn how to take the next step and bring your documentation into the intermediate level and really make a splash!

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

HL Ysabel de la Oya is from the Barony of Forgotten Sea in Calontir.  She is Currently head of Calontir’s Cooks Guild and A&S minister for the Barony of Forgotten Sea. She also has a GoA in cooking and research and entered many Kingdom-level Arts & Science competitions, and while she has only won one once, she always does very well on the documentation component.

The Saturday Night Solar occurs every other Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Canton of Whyt Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

Access the handout here!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dMK7zJDCyx7UkyPTHrHfImkig-7jHpiyLMjOA6vT0mk/edit?usp=sharing

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dMK7zJDCyx7UkyPTHrHfImkig-7jHpiyLMjOA6vT0mk/edit?usp=sharing

February 26: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Stained Glass of Chartres Cathedral

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Chartres, France, was built in the 13th century and has some of the best preserved medieval stained glass in the world. Come learn about how the purpose of the stained glass, how the orientation of the cathedral mattered for sunlight and religious symbolism, how stained glass was used to convey stories to illiterate parishioners, and more!

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

Epy lives in Highland Foorde. You can find them most often with the equestrians, but they also greatly enjoy performing music in ensembles. They are a member of Laydes Fayre (since Fall 2019), and likes to play in the pit band for dances/balls when able. Currently serving as the Minister of the Lists of Highland Foorde, Epy also tries to stay active as an Equestrian Marshal or Autocrat of an event.

Epy’s name came from a lost bet, and they saw it through by registering the name. It is a Cornish name, from the 10th – 12th c. They do not strictly adhere to this region or time period for a persona, but do tend to dress in the looser-fitting clothes of this era.

The Saturday Night Solar occurs every other Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Canton of Whyt Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

February 12: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Cheese Making With Joshua

People have been making cheese for thousands of years across almost every culture where dairy has been consumed. 

Let’s get together, hang out in the kitchen, and talk about how cheese is made while Joshua shows you how to make your own!

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

Joshua has been in the sca for about 30 years. He created the first East Kingdom web page and was the founding seneschal of the Shire of Ma’ale Giborim (Israel, Kingdom of Drachenwald) 

Joshua took up cheese making during the pandemic and currently lives in The Barony Beyond the Mountain ( greater Hartford, CT area).

The Saturday Night Solar occurs every other Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Canton of Whyt Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

January 15: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Finger Loop Braiding Make and Take!

Join Scheiny of Dalhraidia to learn how to make a five- bowe [five loop] braid. This can be modified to three or seven based on personal preference. 

Students will need: 

-At least three yards of yarn in two colors each. Two skeins of embroidery floss is more than enough. 

– scissors

– ruler/ measuring tape [no big deal if you don’t have one] 

– A shoe on one of your feet

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

Finger loop braiding is a historical way to make cords that can be used as decorative trim or favors, or practical applications such as lacing, drawstrings, button loops, purse straps, seals on documents, etc. Finds date back at least to the Bronze Age Hallstatt Salt Mines. 

Finger loop braids can be made by individuals or collaboratively by pairs or even groups of people. It is done by manipulating loops, called “bowes”, through each other rather than wrapping individual strings around each other as in typical braiding. 

More information, including patterns, can be found at sites such as www.loopbraider.com and www.fingerloop.org.

Scheiny of Dalhraidia is an Iron Age Insular Celt. She enjoys [swearing at] card weaving, finger loop braiding, and sprang. Scheiny has been medievally LARPing since 2009, and has been wading deeper into the SCA since her first Pennsic, Pennsic 41, especially drawn in by the expertise available in fiber arts. At events she especially enjoys attending classes, teaching belly dance and finger loop braiding, and eating. She’s card woven as Least Weasel Weaving since 2015 and finger loop braided since 2016. She also leads Port wine tastings, and enjoys unicorns, puns, and cheese. 

http://Instagram.com/LeastWeaselWeaving

https://facebook.com/LeastWeaselWeaving

Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

December 18: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Brewing Basics

Join Jon Chesey of Calontir for this live demo! In this class, we’ll explore the basics of what all brewing has in common then walk through the process of making a simple mead, beer, and wine in a live demo.

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

Mundanely, Jon Voisey has a BS in Astronomy. Bringing that passion into the SCA as Jon Chesey, he has worked to understand astronomy as it existed before the telescope, reconstructing period instruments, and working through Ptolemy’s 2nd century Almagest.

He also regularly brews tasty things and enjoys sharing them with friends!

The Saturday Night Solar occurs every other Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Canton of Whyt Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

December 4: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Common Sauces in Western Medieval Court Cooking

Come join the Canton of Whyt Whey with Friderich Grimme as we discuss the common sauces in Western Europe in the 14th and 15th century!

This brief survey of the common sauces represented in the Anglo-French tradition in 14th & 15 century manuscripts (with some Italian Sauces as well) will give newcomers to medieval cooking a glimpse into the tastes present on the tables of well-to-do diners.  Examples of the various recipes will be provided notes on preparation, and possibly a cook-along at the end of class.

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

Friderich Grimme has been cooking in Østgarðr and helping in kitchens in the East Kingdom for a decade.  His main areas of research are Western European cuisine of the 14th and 15th century, and archery in the same period.  

The Saturday Night Solar occurs every other Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Canton of Whyt Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

November 13: Whyt Whey presents the Saturday Night Solar: Documenting 14th and 15th C. Armor

Come join the Canton of Whyt Whey with Boris Tuman of the Barony of the Roaring Wastes in the Midrealm as we discuss the fundamentals of documenting 14th and 15th century armor, and other stuff too, for fun and reenactment!

This class will give you a core understanding of the most important principles of armor documentation, which are also applicable to general garb documentation as well. It will also provide the background knowledge you need when dealing with snooty gatekeepers.

Please join us here: https://meet.google.com/otq-vnjr-qfk

Boris has been involved with the Barony of Roaring Wastes for a little over a decade, and is a consistent practice attendee at the Legio Draconis fight practice. One of his specialties is the documentation of armor from roughly the 13th to 15th centuries. He has looked over far too many medieval manuscripts for funsies so you don’t have to!

You can find Boris’ slides here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZXrLzTlOO4Aq3j0HkPygjuF0BW4ZCI5IFyJ2cMFt9Qk/edit?usp=sharing

The Saturday Night Solar occurs every other Saturday night at 8:00 PM ET. The Canton of Whyt Whey in the Crown Province of Østgarðr hosts teachers and topics from all over the Known World so that even when we are apart, we can learn together.

**Please be aware that there will be no Solar the weekend after Thanksgiving, due to the Thanksgiving holiday.**