I've shot a lot of sports in the last dozen years, and I have to say, when I came across a fencing class in Dover, it was a really nice break from the routine. It was all new to me, and I found it really fun to watch and learn about, from the terminology and the etiquette to the face-to-face dueling.

The term "fencing" comes from the word defense, and the sport grew out of the training exercises swordsmen developed to ready themselves for combat. Sport fencing is done competitively and Renaissance fencing is done for recreation and the dramatic arts.

Brent Concilio, an Allston resident and English teacher at Dover-Sherborn High School, and a former Scottish Universities national fencing champion, teaches the classes in Sport Fencing and Renaissance Fencing for the Dover Parks and Recreation Dept., and is hoping to expand the program to offer classes for teens and adults. The Parks and Recreation Dept. can be reached at 508-785-0476 or www.doverrec.com.