ABOUT US
Innovation rooted in tradition “mind, body, heart”
“CURTANNA® IS THE ONLY TECHNOLOGY-BASED EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS AND SEL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM INSPIRED BY THE OLYMPIC SPORT OF FENCING”
OUR MISSION
We are true believers on the whole child development, or as we call it, the focus on the individual’s “mind, heart, and body”. Our mission is to positively instill unique values, a healthy social and emotional behavior, and transferable life skills to children, through a well-structured, sequenced kinesthetic program. Our goal is to develop a fun, innovative program combining discipline, fitness, competitiveness, creativity, and technology.
CURTANNA® PHILOSOPHY
The name of our program was inspired by the "Curtana" (with one "n") a ceremonial sword used at the coronation of British Kings and Queens for over 1,200 years and one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom. Curtana is probably the oldest sword in human history to serve a non-violent purpose but rather one of higher and positive values. It represents the legacy and values our founder, Olympic champion James Beevers wants to pass on through his love of fencing. We associate this historic symbol with James Beevers being a member of a British dynasty of a sport rooted in the times of kings and knights.
BENEFITS OF CURTANNA®
Although inspired by fencing, CURTANNA® turned and modified the exercises used to practice the skills of the sport into a unique educational tool for the 21st century. Through the use of user-friendly coaching platform and database services, Curtanna innovatively brings founder James Beevers’ 30 years of fencing knowledge and expertise to help schools, parents, and psychotherapists achieve positive results in children. This revolutionary approach to grassroots coaching allows children the opportunity to have their social-emotional learning trained and challenged by the positive values instilled through our activities in a fun, structured and highly specialized environment.
THE ROCKET ANALOGY
If a child were a "rocket" and a happy, productive life were the "mission":
- What would be needed for a successful "launch" during childhood?
- What "cargo" would need to be taken into adulthood?
- What will help "boost" them towards their mission?
Analogy based on extensive scientific research of Executive Functions
JAMES BEEVERS, CURTANNA® CEO
James Beevers is a 3rd generation fencer who followed the success of his father, mother and grandfather, who all fenced at international and Olympic level. At the age of eight, he started fencing and has since won every British national title including being a four-time Senior British champion. James has represented Great Britain at 14 World & European Championships and was a member of the British team at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Following his retirement from the sport in 2009, James founded the very successful Musketeers fencing program which reaches over 350 schools teaching 3000 children each week in the UK. As a father of two young children, James has carefully developed exercises with executive functions and whole-child development in mind while gently exposing them to the sport of fencing.
FENCING ACHIEVEMENTS
- Member of Team GB for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
- Commonwealth Gold Medalist with the England Team in 1998 in Malaysia.
- British National Championships: U-12, U-14, U-16, U-18, U-20, Senior (4x).
- Over 20 National Open Titles won.
- Junior World Championship Finalist 1997.
- Senior World Cup finalist in 1999.
- World Number 1 Ranked Cadet Fencer (U17 category) in 1995.
- Represented Great Britain in 11 European Fencing Championships.
- Represented Great Britain at 14 World Fencing Championships.
- University of London Athlete of the Year 2000.
