Board of Directors of the Guild
Words form the National Director
How to learn Danse De Rue Savate
Certified Academies of Danse De Rue Savate(sm)
A breeze in the morning....
This morning I left the house
early and a breeze was blowing, which carried me away. As I felt the air blowing
around me I started to reminisce. It was a sunny morning with the moon out, a
moon known for hunting and searching. I understood the message that was brought
forth in that moment I realized that Savate was deeper than many believe.
I realized that it is the fulfillment of oneself through the passage of the
technical knowledge from one to another. As the breeze took me away it took me
to time and place when hitting and training was what one looked forward to, a
place when hitting each other was what made our day and the shaking of hands
produced a fraternal bond.
I saw the smile of my Uncle Chilo Chapa as well as the keen eyes of Sifu Keith
See staring right back at me. I caught a glimpse of my Professeur Viviani in his
direct posture explaining as he did a technique as well as the laughter of
Professeur Richard Sylla when you were struck or struck back.
I saw a little old man, explained the reasons of the political upheaval between
the groups of Boxe Francaise and Savate, how to walk and realize your distance
as well as producing the last step which was known as Panache. This little old
man who could embarrass you is Professeur Roger Lafond. The trickery of
Professeur Paturel the acceptance of hit with the quick recovery of the
technique that went bad turned into a good strike. I saw at last the smile in
the corner of Professeur Sot Mezaache telling you whether you did good or bad.
I remembered the sweat and shaking of hand after rounds of pounding on each
other round after round. The ones that I have just mentioned are the ones that
taught me how to fight.
At that moment what I was teaching is a walk of life with the truth not being
told; that truth of many that have not been mentioned, the facts of those great
champions as well as the inherited traditions of the art, which many enjoy.
The reason that I bring out this topic is due to the many misnomers and
assumptions that are spread by both students of savate and martial artists of
other systems alike about the traditions that are being forgotten and talk about
facts of our system and the comparisons of the different styles of Savate.
The need to know the facts is always a great reasoning to many. Who have already
smudged the truth with misconceptions and misinterpretations of the reality of
Savate and its associate arts.
I have heard stories and lies on the history that many proclaim to be fact and
spread along the realm of the World Wide Web as correct. This happens when you
have several Professeurs with similar names as well as several different arts
with individuals that trained in the different facets of this pugilistic theme
and confusion starts.
Savate as many proclaim too teach and study is an art that dates back to 1803,
when Micheal Pisseux opened the first salle to the public. Many call him Casseux,
which is the name that he used during the French Revolution. Their were many
students of Pisseux. Yet, several continued with the system of their Professeur
teaching its technical movements, strikes, abilities and philosophy which became
doctrine.
While one student in particular Charles Lecour when becoming a Professeur named
his style Address Parisian, a Fact. Within the confines of history, Lecour took
a bout with Owen Swift and won, with him getting his nose broken. Lecour
realized his need to change the system to build more closed hand strikes.
By having several students of the high society of France such as Theophile
Gautier, Victor Hugo, Alexander Dumas and many more it quickly gained ground.
Yet, the name Boxe Francaise was not given by Lecour it was given by Theophile
Gautier. This was quickly taken as a statement. So, within twenty-five years
Boxe Francaise had its own techniques, traditions, strikes and abilities.
These two systems became dual fighting styles in France and abroad. For more
than 140 years the two systems developed and lived in France, along with three
other foot fighting arts Zipota, Chausson and Purring. The later three were
blended into either Savate or Boxe Francaise.
Yet, many say Boxe Francaise is the sport while Savate is for the street. This
is actually wrong, they both were self-defense systems and both had sporting
rules around them. The problem is that in 1978 two distinct federations of each
of the arts (Boxe Francaise and Savate) merged to from the new and highly
effective sport of Savate: Boxe Francaise.
Many instructors have no clue of the false history or jumbled up history that
has been past down or assumed. This has caused many to disbelieve in the rich
history of Savate. In fact outside of Europe the claim to Boxe Francaise as a
sport has taken refugee.
In France the sport is Savate: Boxe Francaise or Boxe Francaise Savate depending
on the club or Professeur that is teaching you. Depending on the name that is
given, you can quickly gather where the tutelage of that club.
The French Federation of Savate: Boxe Francaise has proclaimed even in its
teachings a jumbled up history on the lineages, facts, techniques and traditions
altogether. Its sole care for well over two decades was for the sport of Savate
Boxe Francaise, giving little care to the other associated disciplines. Most
important the respect and care to the past Professeurs of old, those that
brought Savate and Boxe Francaise back into the popularity that it is today.
I remember the sadness in the eyes of my Professeur Lafond when he visited us in
Texas 1997, on how Boxe Francaise has claimed both histories and never once
mentioning the combative aspects of Savate. Even when his students of Savate (savatiers)
would beat the champion Boxe Francaise practitioners (savateurs) during the
beginning of the merge and development of Savate: Boxe Francaise.
How two years later the director of the French Federation International
Committee a good friend of mine Gilles Leduigo told me and others that Lafond
was a crazy old man telling lies. He stated this as I showed him the diplomas of
his Maitre Lafond’s Father when he won the world championship of Boxe Francaise
in 1909.
Many claim that Danse De Rue Savate is from France, which is wrong it is from
Texas of the United States, with roots in France. Just like 90 percent of the
martial arts of today are from the Untied States, such as arts like Kajukembo
which is from Hawaii with roots in Japan. Jeet Kune Do from California with
roots in China.
I will explain the creation of our art and the reason behind its development.
After the president of the International Federation of Savate, Michael Roger
(1994) sent a letter to several Professeurs teaching savate as a self-defense in
its schools. The letter stated that the International Federation will recognize
any one teaching Savate: Boxe Francaise as a martial art.
Granted the understanding of the sport is crucial, yet you have to do things
legally in each and every country. Which is not the case and it is another story
of truth.
Several Professeurs felt short of the decision of the federation and left
Savate’s realm altogether. Yet, those that stayed understood that a common
ground was needed. At that point in time I was chosen to formulate the
Curriculum of the International Guild of Danse De Rue Savate (in 1994) by the
following Professeurs: Robert Paturel, Pierre Change, Jean-Paul Viviani, Andre
Germe, Dominique Dakhlaoui, Roger Lafond, Dr. Paul Buitron, Michael Gilbert and
including Alan Salomon (the president of the French Federation at that time).
The new form or style that became a system was called Danse De Rue Savate, which
took over the presence of the realm of the true disciplines in teaching in its
entirety of balance and formation of a Savateur.
All of the disciplines were covered in a progression process that builds
practitioners (known as Zipoteros) in a correct fashion. The essences of Savate:
Boxe Francaise was taught as respect to the many that had built it during the
1980s. Yet Canne, Baton, Foue, Lutte Parissienne, Savate, Boxe Francaise,
Panache and Zipota were all brought together in a richly new discipline that was
gaining ground quickly.
Yet the French Federation itself is to blame for the reason techniques and
traditions are not taught. They teach seminars world wide and leave a person in
charge until the following seminar a year or two later. This has caused
political havoc in all the countries that tried to formulate Savate: Boxe
Francaise.
The Savate that has remained in those places broke into two distinct styles one
is known as contemporary savate and the other is known as re-created savate.
With in the confines of Contemporary Savate, most of those instructors are very
proud of the art and train hard with in the basic techniques having no tradition
whatsoever or guidance by any Professeur. So misnomers start and grow rapidly.
They believe that factual mistruths spread by the federation. Mistruths such as:
the history development of the techniques and ultimately the art in general.
Within the confines of Re-created Savate, you have the following: no structure
in technique base except for copying photographs of past Professeurs and
claiming to be actual teaching methods. These Methods have been dead for well
over seventy years. They produce theories of technical abilities without ever
actually have trained in Savate Salle (school) or with a true Instructor of any
level.
So stories of Boxe Francaise and its great Professeurs gleam the history
outlines forgetting the essence of Savate and the other disciplines. The
techniques have been stripped such as kicks have been jumbled together in a
teaching style that is geared solely for the ring.
Thus many other arts state the misconceptions of Savate. With false history
being transmitted by savate instructors, leaving them with no energy to teach
quickly start to doubt and belittle their own art.
In 1998 the technical Director Michael La Roux visited us since the creation of
USA SAVATE had already made progress in having two US Championships and the
proclaimers were saying that we had never approached them or invited them to
compete. Immediately after the visit the production and design of Savate Defense
the new art of the French Federation starts to emerge. In my opinion the art had
merits but it actually looks like very bad Tae Kwon Do with no substance of the
martial art of Savate but the name.
Another lie of the following individuals that have slandered Danse De Rue
Savate, my name and Family’s name to enrich themselves in an egoistic trifle of
lies which have been heard world wide. People like: Armando Basulto, Nicolas
Saignac, Norman Taylor, Noel Eynard and Joseph Schultz among other students of
theirs.
Nonetheless, during this meeting the president of that faux federation at that
time which was created by Michael Roger, sent their President a Ms. Joan Wabisca
to the event and she was told by Micheal LaRoux personally and witnessed by many
that the ranks given of silver gloves were not valid due that Three Professeurs
were need to be part of the jury of a Silver Glove Exam and their was only three
in the United States (Dr. Paul Buitron, Paul Raymond Buitron III and Nicolas
Saiganc) that those proclaiming to have those ranks were lying.
During this time USA SAVATE grew and many fought in the sanctioned bouts of the
USA SAVATE. Many joined from different styles, Contemporary Savate, Danse De Rue
Savate, Boxing, Karate and Kung fu all eager to fight in a safe environment.
Yet the proclaimers never showed up once after letters sent to each one and
invitations where posted publicly in the website of USA SAVATE as well as copies
sent to the French Federation. To prove wrong their enriched lies.
Of the Danse De Rue Savate zipoteros who participated in the International
Events. All were of the lower technical ranks of Savate such as Blue or Green
and won several times both here and in Europe via knockouts or technical
knockouts.
Thus Danse De Rue Savate’s ideology became Boxe De Rue by my Professeur Robert
Paturel in 2003. Thus, giving fact that Danse De Rue Savate has already spread
forth and influenced others of savate and other arts to grasp forth knowledge on
what is seen since 1998.
I was recently questioned by a martial artist about the ranks of Savate on how
they fit into the rest of the martial art Ranks.
I replied with let me explain. I will break down the equivalents in the
following forms:
• Contemporary Savate: Silver Glove I is at best a brown belt in Karate or Red
in Tae Kwon Do
• Savate: Boxe Francaise : A Yellow Glove is a First Black
• Danse De Rue Savate : a Red Glove is 1st Black do to knowledge and technique
that they acquire
• Recreation Savate: Should pray and go buy a gun
Then the following question was how each system or style differs. I replied
explain what you are actually trying to ask. His response was you can study
Karate, the Okinawan styles will usually shuffle in a straight line then strike
as compared with the Japanese styles that will attack then shuffle forward.
I said I get your question. The Contemporary Savateur will always say we do
that, in comparison with the Savate: Boxe Francaise Savateur that would show you
he can do the technique, compared to the zipotero that would smile as he proves
the technique then you have the recreation savatis (As I call them) fumble
through a technique and pose at the end of the strike in a picturesque nature or
having no control what so ever in its direction of the strike.
This is the reality of the different studies of Savate, that I have seen and the
technical abilities as well as knowledge of each difference. I have taught many
in all fields and seen personally the abilities with in all. Granted that each
person has there own abilities and merits but I am talking about the average
student or practitioner of each of the systems or styles that claim this martial
realm.
There is nothing fake about the teaching or history of the Guild unlike other
counterparts that claim and proclaim such evidence. I say to them what I have
forgotten of savate, they will never learn. If a distance of truth to there
slanders exists then let them prove it any time and any place of there choosing.
My School is open to all and this goes to all the salles of the Guild. As I say
respect and you shall be respected.
I have earned the right of passage through the training of my Professeurs when
and where many dream of being. I have been hit by the best and struck them back
as well. I understand the banter of training and of spilling blood as well. This
I relay back to my Students hoping that they understand the sub culture that
they are being schooled in.
I am Professeur Paul-Raymond Buitron III “Popeye” and I am of the following
Lineages that I hold : 5th Generation Professeur of Savate (under Maitre R.
Lafond) , 9th generation Professeur of the lineage of Boxe Francaise (under
Maitre Jean-Paul Viviani), 7th Generation Professeur of Savate (under Professeur
Robert Paturel) these are my Professeurs that formed me into a Professeur.
I had other Professeurs that I learned from and their remembrance and homage is
greatly honed into my daily teachings such as Professeurs Sot Mezaache,
Dominique Dakhlaoui, Richard Sylla, Pascal Mazoue, Hubert Abela, Pierre Change,
Andre Germe and Michael Gilbert.
I say this breeze that made me remember the past has taken forth this art and
its teaching. Which have already traveled around the world bringing groups
together as well as making many aware of the true traditions, techniques and
fraternity that make up Danse De Rue Savate.