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)
The question that is often asked by everyone is where did you learn?
by Prof. Buitron
The question that is often asked by everyone
is where did you learn? Those that know about fighting usually ask it in a
sincere manner, such as where did you learn to fight?
The other half especially those that come from other arts or disrespect is
quickly noticed, ask in a different way, such as; your fighting is too violent
or we do that in our system.
I usually answer those that know and respect life with the Professeur that
teaches me has done savate all his life, and passes it along with all his heart.
Yet the lessons that I have learned I carry them along in this road of life. It
is he that I respect for teaching me these traditions.
For those that ask, they already know where I come from. Nonetheless I have seen
a Fouette cut the wind and a coup de bas going after it to bring down an
opponent. Who immediately balances and slips back into a strong guard.
The Savate that I learned from the teaching of my Professeurs is integrated in
my own abilities. I want to transfer onto my students with a smile and a hard
fist for them to make it their own.
I remember my Professeur tell me one day pay attention, I am going to teach you
savate. Yet you have to have devotion and respect since Savate is an art that is
learned by the heart. It takes time to learn, yet it still grows without you
knowing, then later in time you will understand. This was told to me by my
Professeur Jean-Paul Viviani.
With all the Professeurs that I had Richard Sylla taught me the respect of the
ring the savvy of its corners. The smile of the fight that was already showing
on my face was quickly given a new glare. I remember his quote of in Savate BF
your blood carries your rhythm, you need to wear two gloves one of iron and one
of velvet.
The remembrance of Professeur Robert Paturel with his sly movements and quick
thinking abilities, along with his mannerisms are seen in my students today. His
Banter while teaching still resonates in my thoughts, his laugh and his famous
quote; “this is not, Karate nor Tae Kwon Do: it
is
Savate and it is for fighting. Be careful once you have it in the blood it will
never leave.”
I was once told that in true pugilism those that came before us sometimes show
their faces in the mists of the younger students. This I believe is true.
I have seen My Uncle's overhead punch delivered everyday in the salle as well as his famous Kangaroo punch used by Goofey, Espirito, Pelon and Mecanico in the ring; I have seen Battling Shaw’s
(World Champion of boxing of Laredo In the 1950s) the Sparring partner of my Uncle and
creator of the Gancho. Show his smile in the ring while seeing many of my
students while in the ring in competition or in the salle.
(photo: Battling Shaw)
This you start to see if you step back and pay attention to what has been taught
to you. If it was sincere or was your teacher a fake is quickly noticed , in
your students. Those residual effects are seen in competitions and in the street by your
students, which have given time to learn and appreciate their schooling.
I saw that this past Passage de Grade by I saw My Uncle once more in the
techniques of my Students saw the tenacity of his hands in over zipotera Silvia
Martinez known to us as mongoose for here spirit.
Silvia “Mongoose” Martinez began Savate in 2000. She was one of my first
students when I moved back to Laredo. Despite being a beginner in Savate, the
quality of her movements was seen with a tenacity bound together with cunning
respect.
Always with a smile on her face she would show up to class rain or shine. When
many others failed the task of practice she was there.
I had seen many with excellent talent and skills leave quickly due to either
getting hit or being corrected to better their techniques. Yet, Mongoose
continued her relentless pursue year after year.
She had received her Yellow Glove last year and trained day after day putting in
her time, sweat and blood on various occasion. She understood the exam and the
overview of the Jury which the Guild follows correctly.
With in traditions of forming a Silver Glove you need: Three Professeurs of
Savate. A sole Professeur can not produce a Silver Glove, unlike our many
counterparts in the US claiming what is not theirs, release silver gloves at the
color of money.
I realized that she would be the first women in the Untied States to formally
reach this rank. So I called my Professeur Richard Sylla to partake in the jury.
He would be the third one, out of two Professeurs that are in Texas, my Father
and I.
Understanding the world of jealously that surrounds us by our counterparts in
California and in New Jersey who have no clue about tradition, yet release
assumptions to signify abilities.
I spoke with two other Professeurs Gnocci and Big Blue about the situation.
Neither one would be able to come one due to work and the other due to a knee
surgery. I was bringing a forth to shut the mouths quietly instead of bleeding
them like it should be done.
I spoke to by Sparring Partner and Professeur Stephen Gougne, my brother in the
art to come and aide us in this new elevation of Savate in the United States.
I was asked by Prof. Gougne, what was this moment truly going to signify, a mark
in the history of a traditionally masculine art, that no one really cares about
the traditions not in the US nor in France. He told me Paul traditions have been
lost, do what ever you need to do, you have done more for savate that many here
in France.
I answered him with, if we lose the traditions we have lost our art, I understand
the jealousy the lies with in the French Federation of Savate and its new
misconceptions of Contemporary Savate, But it is still Savate. I told him, when
you see movements gestures that looks like those that came before you. You know
that the traditions were pasted on,
He replied with I know, it is just hard to bring forth traditions when there are
so many teaching without them.
That is the reason for the International Guild of Danse De Rue Savate, yet that
reason I can answer with in the following; in essence Savate is pure combat that
becomes the personal expression through which the Zipotero or Savateur, flows
from a fighter, a philosopher that later in life become one in the same.
During the Passage de Grade I called upon Mongoose to step up to the jury. She
did all of her Sets, Showed the last weapon learned the Foue (whip), then it was
her turn to do her rounds of 16.
She was paired up with: Y l’Grande, Coach Mecanico, Couach Agujas, Initiateur
Jilgero.
I saw here with a stern look a glimmer of a soft smile and Prof. Sylla yelled
Alle
This completely inundated the room, quieting everybody like s hawks screech
after a kill. His Alle was loud which resonated sheer emotion.
This began here rounds. The determination, the prevail of hitting while getting
hit, the cunning of the feints and the changing of speeds to confuse your
opponent.
Then the flurries of overheads and ganchos, seeing my Uncle in Silvia gave me a
sign that I had done my Job as a Professeur of Savate.
The Smile of Sylla and the glare of Stephens eye the look in both Sifu Ringness
and my Fathers eyes when Coach Mongoose pushed round after round.
Silvia “Mongoose Martinez became a Silver Glove 1st Degree, the first official
women of the united States in Danse De Rue Savate and the whole essence of
savate for the matter.
A precedent that was done with pride, hard work and persistent where many men
fail to achieve Yet now we have a new sister in the system.