The Dortmunder Rundschau
(daily newspaper) reports:

Philippine fighters demonstrate the higher art of self-defense

Over 500 athletes from 23 countries met at the TSC Eintracht Dortmund over the weekend (March 6-7, 2004) to train in the Filipino martial arts.

Just like a scene from a Hollywood movie… fighters staring each other in the eye… but instead of blood flowed sweat. Streams of it.

Master Samuel Bambit Dulay taught 5 sessions of Modern Arnis during the FMA Festival in Dortmund. His topics included: doble daga, dulo-dulo, abaniko, doble baston amara, and dikitan (close range combat). His range of teaching encompassed the classics all the way to the Modern Arnis techniques developed by our late Grandmaster Remy Amador Presas.

Modern Arnis practitioners commented on how grateful they were to be led back to the roots, to re-learn the classics with renewed fervor. It helped them, they said, to appreciate and understand even more the art of Modern Arnis.

As his student and assistant in the trainings, I felt a surge of pride, not only in my teacher but in all Filipino masters to whom the world owes this great fighting art. To be able to help promote the strength, grace and power of the Filipino martial arts was my biggest reward. During the Gala event, Master Bambit and I poured our hearts and efforts into an original  cultural performance, showing how our martial culture was preserved through our indigenous dances. The itak (machete) portion, wherein we not only danced with the weapon but actually used it in contact fighting, amazed the audience. The performance was described as breathtaking and unforgettable.