My Tai Chi class includes sword work, but not as a separate class. Many of the students have learned some sword, but not all, so it really depends on who is there that day. Could be 4 or 5, or 10 or 12.
Depends from week to week, but on the day we have kobudo classes, we ususually have about 10-15 people. Fortunately, the dojo floor is large enough to easily accomodate everyone comfortably and safely.
Sorry I read the question wrong. We have around 20 members but they do not come at same time. Some classes only 1 or 2 will come in, others may run into the teens.
But my question was not in each individual class. I ment "signed" up in each program. for instance, one can have like 30 people in the sword "school" but only 10 people in a class.
Also, I am talking about classes and schools that have only a sword art, not an artform that has sword in it.
I do Tang Soo Do Mi Guk Kwan, and there is sword work required at the higher dan levels, but that is not what I am talking about.
Well for the last several years, our MJER dojo in Denton has averaged anywhere from 15 to 35 more or less active students. Some train harder/more often than others.
In my Eishin Ryu class is pretty small. About 10 people. Everyone mostly use Iaito. Sensei used to use a shinken in class. But lately he's been using an Iaito and occassionally some classes he'll use a shinken.
In my Kung Fu school, if we're doing paired practice or sparring, it's usually with wooden jian. For solo forms we either use a wooden or metal jian. I don't spar with broadsword/saber so mostly do forms with that. Sometimes the room is filled with around 10 or so people.
Recently added Nami Ryu to my training. As if my plate isn't full enough. :erg:
In Nami Ryu uses only bokken and shinken. Iaito is nonexistant in Nami Ryu. Bokken is used for paired work and for solo work either bokken or shinken but shinken is encouraged if you have the control for it. And for test cutting, shinken for sure.
I and my associate Matt Anderson teach 6-8 Swordsmen in our local ARMA study group in Virginia Beach and we have alot of Asian martial arts enthusiasts stop by at random to cross swords to see what we're all about.Most leave with a high regard and new understanding of the historically-accurate western European martial arts.