ORIGINS...
How did this get started? Ask Tom Knowles, Founder....
In 1988-90, I was finishing my bachelor's degree at the (then) Memphis State University. I had to take some sort of Physical Education course to satisfy all requirements (now, Phys Ed is not a requirement but an elective). So I scanned the list and FENCING jumped out at me. Without hesitation, I signed up for the class. I really enjoyed it. So much that I completed my required 1 hour credit with the second half of the class in semester two. Then I audited the course just to be able to take it again. I was hooked. I became a fencer!
I met a beautiful girl in college named Julie and persuaded her to try it. She liked the class as well! I KNEW she was the one for me! ( for a LOT of other important reasons as well! ) Anyway, we graduated, got married in '91, and eventually - a couple years later, opened our own dance studio - with Julie as the dance teacher/owner.
So now I had a business with my wife that had a certain amount of space ( a large room ) and I still liked to fence...and the fencing club that had existed at the University sort of fell apart. I called up a couple of the former fencing club members and asked if they'd like to come out to our new place on Winchester Road in Memphis. They said sure and started coming regularly.
At first, our club was just that. A regular fencing get-together where we simply free-sparred. Learning was done by trying and winning or trying and losing. I was a newbie fencer back then and simply fenced because I loved to fence (I still DO!). However, our school, Crescent Dance Center, was located in a retail strip center where people parked right in front of our front windows where they could see in - especially at night, when we fenced. Also, just down the sidewalk in our center was a new Cajun restaurant, Café Roux. So people would park in front of our place to go eat at Café Roux and do a doubletake when they saw us fencing. Soon, people would come in and start saying things like, "That's so cool! I'd love to learn how to swordfight!" And as an astute entrepreneur, I sensed an opportunity to make money doing something I really loved! So, a fencing teacher (me) was born!
Now, over fifteen years later, I am now the teacher for the course where I originally learned to fence at the University of Memphis. I am also the head coach/fencing instructor for CBHS Fencing Team. At Collierville Arts Academy, I have solid stable of close to fifty regular fencing students and club fencers. And, to date, I have probably now taught over 1,000 people how to fence in the Greater Memphis metro area.
I find it wonderful and fascinating at the same time that I am making a substantial portion of my livelihood from teach swordplay.
MY BIO
Thomas Knowles is the Director of Martial Arts and at Collierville Arts Academy. He has been teaching people how to wield weapons since 1991. He conducts historical padded weapons courses and modern fencing programs for young and old, male and female.
He is also Adjunct Professor of Fencing at the University of Memphis and directs the high school fencing program at Christian Brothers High School (Memphis). He is a member of the US Fencing Association, US Fencing Coaches Association, and the US Chanbara Federation.
See Mr. Tom on Fox-13 TV (March 26, 2009) here:
Using padded weapons, he can offer realistic battle experiences to a large age range without fear of pain or injury, giving students the closest approximation of combat scenarios (outside of video games) that one can get. As Director of Martial Arts at CAA, Mr. Knowles is a Black Sash.
As co-owner of Collierville Arts Academy, Mr. Knowles teaches music arts programs as well as the sword arts. As a musician he has played piano, french horn, trumpet, and guitar. After studying classical guitar under John Stover and then Lily Afshar at the University of Memphis, Mr. Knowles earned a Bachelor of Music with an emphasis on Recording Technology. He has worked as a recording engineer in the music industry, a video editor for commercial production houses, and editor for live broadcast news. His theatre background is extensive and includes work on productions for high schools, colleges, and universities. He has also worked in outdoor theatre with productions of Blue Jacket and Annie Get Your Gun in Xenia, Ohio. Also, he is an accomplished Christian worship leader and singer/songwriter.
He feels truly blessed to be married for over eighteen years to an incredible lady and is the father of four exceptional children.
In addition to actively competing in the Modern Fencing arena, he has worked with actors on stagecombat sequences, choreographing the pivotal swordfight scene in the recent University of Memphis production of Don Giovanni. Mr. Knowles may also be found in the community demonstrating the historical authenticity and modern concepts that make up fighting with an edged weapon.
Past public appearances featuring the Sword Arts have included:
Comcast Fun Day (Click here for pictures/video)
Westminster Academy: Demo (click for pictures)
St George's School: Demo
Sheraton Casino: as Robin Hood
Pink Palace Museum: Demo
Woodland Presbyterian Day School: Demo
Macon Hall Elementary School : Demo
Presbyterian Day School : Demo
Grace-St. Luke's Canterbury Festival: Demo
Malco Theatres: as Zorro
Southaven, MS Public Library: Demo
Memphis University School for Boys: Demo
Lausanne Collegiate School: Demo
The National Ornamental Metal Museum: Demo
Colonial Hills Church: Sermon Demo