ABOUT ARTDU FENCING
MEET THE PEOPLE
BEHIND THE CLUB
ArtDu Fencing is a Springfield, New Jersey club training fencers from age 4½ through international competition. We teach foil, épée and sabre, and we coach the whole fencer — footwork, tactics, and the discipline to keep showing up.
Our staff has fenced at the NCAA Division I level, competed for Team USA, and refereed at the international level. What they have in common is a habit of telling athletes the truth about where they are and what comes next.
OUR TEAM
SEKOU TOUNKARA
HEAD COACH · FIE MASTER COACH
A certified FIE (Fédération Internationale d’Escrime) Master coach in épée, sabre, and foil, Sekou is originally from Dakar, Senegal. He had the lucky chance to start fencing at a young age. Between sports and education, he made his way to the international level, traveling around the world and learning a different style of fencing. Sekou participated in many international competitions and training camps around the world. He loves working and mentoring young kids to reach their highest level.
EXPERIENCE
Head Coach at ArtDu Fencing
Head épée coach at West Point Academy, NY
Head épée Coach @ New Jersey Fencing Alliance
Coached @ Columbia High School, Oratory Prep, Kent Place School
Senegal National Team Coach Junior and Cadet
USA Fencing Referee for NCAA and local competitions
NATALIA TOBY
ASSISTANT FENCING COACH - ÉPÉE
Natalia has been fencing for over 13 years. She started when she was just a high school student, and during that time, she secured a full ride to a Division I university. During her collegiate years, she qualified for the NCAA for 3 consecutive years and was named All-American 2 years in a row. She was also awarded Female Athlete of the Year twice at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
After she graduated in 2020, she had the opportunity to move to Paris, France, and train with top French coach Daniel Levevisour. During that time, she gained fencing knowledge from both training staff and teammates who were World Champions, Olympians, and World Cup Medalists. This rigorous training instilled the discipline and vision to qualify and compete at an international level. She soon became Top 8 in the USA, earning the title of being on Team USA to compete internationally to represent her country. She is now ranked amongst the Top 200 international fencers across the world and has hopes of qualifying for the LA 2028 games.
JANINE Bacchus-JOSEPH
ASSISTANT FENCING COACH - SABRE
Janine Bacchus-Joseph is a dedicated sabre coach with extensive competitive and leadership experience at both the high school and collegiate levels. A graduate of Columbia High School, Janine served as Sabre Captain and Overall Girls’ Team Captain, helping guide her team to two NJSIAA State Championship Final appearances. Her performance and leadership earned her recognition as the Columbia High School Women’s Team Most Valuable Player.
Janine continued her fencing career at the collegiate level as a member of the NCAA Division I fencing team at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), where she trained and competed against some of the strongest collegiate programs in the country while earning her Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.
As a coach, Janine is passionate about developing the next generation of athletes. She focuses on building strong technical fundamentals, tactical awareness, and competitive confidence while creating a supportive training environment where athletes are encouraged to challenge themselves and grow. She believes fencing is a powerful tool for teaching discipline, resilience, teamwork, and leadership—skills that extend far beyond the strip.
CARI BAK
OFFICE MANAGER
Cari is our newest staff member, but she is not new to ArtDu. All three of her daughters learned to fence epée with Coach Sekou. She is actively involved in the Columbia High School Fencing Parents Association. Last year she organized Columbia High School's inaugural fencing tournament, the Freshman - Sophomore Cougar Clash. She's a bit of a nomad having grown up all over the US, and even having lived a brief stint in France and England. When she's not at work, she's likely planning a trip or rewatching "Princess Bride" for the millionth time.
COME MEET US ON THE STRIP
Register today for your free trial. We’ll provide the equipment to jumpstart your fencing journey.