Our Instructors

Jess Finley has been studying the martial arts of medieval Germany for more than twenty years.  

Currently the head instructor at Ritterkunst Turhalle in Lawrence, Kansas, she began training Medieval Swordsmanship under Christian Tobler of Selohaar Fechtschule in February of 2003, and has achieved the rank of provost.

While Jess has experience teaching every weapon in the medieval German arsenal, she is perhaps best known for her knowledge of unarmed combat through her study of medieval German wrestling.  She has published a book on the fifteenth century German Master Ott's wrestling treatise under the title "Medieval Wrestling," and also has a background studying Judo under the tutelage of Arden Cowherd of Topeka Judo Club.

Jess has taught and competed internationally at events like the Western Martial Arts Workshop in Chicago, USA; Paddy Crean International Workshop in Banff, Canada; Swordfish in Gothenburg, Sweden; and Longpoint in Baltimore, USA and has taught intensives at various events and schools, as well as weekend private intensives at her home.

In addition to her scholarly work on medieval martial arts, Jess also researches medieval clothing construction and fabric armor, and has presented her findings at the International Congress on Medieval Studies at Kalamazoo, and has published an article in Medieval Clothing and Textiles (Boydell and Brewer) on her study of a 15th century quilted armor.

She currently lives in Lawrence, Kansas with her family. In-between family management and remodeling her house, she writes books and struggles (largely in vain) to get those around her to complete their assigned physical therapy exercises.

John Pence has been studying Yang style taijiquan (tai chi) since 2004, and has worked with teachers from several lineages, including from the Yang family and from Cheng Manching's branch. Additionally, he studied 3 years of Chen-style Hunyuan taijiquan, but eventually returned home to Yang style. 

John has worked closely with Allen Pittman and his senior students since 2009, and is authorized to teach Chen Pan-Ling's baguazhang and 5-element xingyiquan. In fifteen years leading classes, he has taught in commercial gym environments, parks, backyards, dojos, and yoga studios. John's classes focus on the martial aspect of the arts, but health and meditative aspects are also vital to our understanding.

His favorite joke?

"How many tai chi teachers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?"

"One to do a perfectly fine job, but a hundred will stand around and talk about how they did it wrong." 

He is a licensed physical therapist assistant in Kansas and Georgia, and has 7 years' experience treating neurological and balance issues.

Alina Boyden has been studying martial arts for more than twenty-five years. With a background in modern and historical fencing, traditional Japanese sword arts, Chinese internal martial arts, and Historical European Martial Arts, she is excited to share her passion for the fighting arts of yesteryear. In addition to her group classes, she is available for private lessons.