M. Jeannette Acosta-Martínez. Photo courtesy of Martinez Academy.

Jeannette Acosta-Martínez is a professional restorer of antique furniture who specializes in works of the 17^th and 18^th centuries. This, together with her interest in antique weapons, led her to the study of fencing. She began under the tutelage of Mâitre d’Armes Frederick Rohdes, and after his death in 1983, continued with his protégé Maestro Ramon Martínez. In all, Maestro Acosta-Martínez has spent a total of 26 years studying traditional fencing, both classical and historical. In 1995, she became an instructor at the Martínez Academy of Arms, the Academy’s business manager, and the chief assistant at all Maestro Martínez’s demonstrations and seminars.

In preparation for her Provost and Master’s certification, Maestro Acosta-Martínez devoted time to learning the art of teaching, as well as extensively researching the fencing treatises of the classical and historical periods. In January 1999, she was instrumental in orchestrating a historical exposition at St. Peter’s College, New Jersey, which had international participation and featured demonstrations not seen in public for more than 100 years. In May of 2000, she received her Master’s certification from the International Masters at Arms Federation and a second certification from the Martínez Academy of Arms the following November, thus becoming the only other Master certified to teach the Rohdes system of classical fencing and the Martínez system of Spanish rapier fence. Maestro Acosta-Martínez is the current Vice President of the Association for Historical Fencing and a founding member of the International Masters at Arms Federation.

Maestro Acosta-Martínez has annotated and translated various works of classical and historical fencing over the years. She collaborated on the translation of Capo Ferro’s Gran Simulacro, published by Greenhill Press in 2004. Also published by Greenhill in 2005, The School of Fencing by Domenico Angelo is annotated by, and includes some of her original drawings.