Saturday, February 22nd 2020. NEW SCHEDULE COMING SOON!

 

Class Period 1: (9:00am-10:25am)

 

Beginner Unarmed - UA

Skill Level: Basic

Taught by: Jon Meyer and Florian Federl

Location: TBD

Description: This unarmed class breaks down a fight into its most basic, fundamental principles: maintaining appropriate distance, staying present and communicating with your partner, executing proper technique, etc.

 

Mass Battle Fight Design 4 Vikings - S&S/Axe

Skill Level - Intermediate

Taught by: Patrick Kelly

Location: TBD

Description: Quality fight design is a team effort. The Writer writes the story for the Director to envision and passes it on to the Fight Coordinator to design and ultimately on to the Actor/Stunt performer to perform.This course will cover the collaborative film fight design process and focus on clear narrative, driven by character motivation. Choreography taken from professionally designed fights with mis-matched weapons and mis-aligned character goals will be utilized to provide an opportunity to collaborate with each other while learning a fast paced fight sequence for film.

 

Ballroom Fighting - SS

Skill Level: Intermediate

Taught by: Roger Bartlett

Location: TBD

Description: Such poise. Such grace. Truth be told, it could use some work. Perhaps this class, which marries Smallsword Fighting with music will inspire freedom in your footwork and transform your tension to ease. It's hardly a coincidence that these two forms share so much terminology. This dance of death will surely spring to life with the right soundtrack.

 

Stick Disarms - Kali

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Jacki Watson

Location: TBD

Description: This class will use basic forehand and backhand, ascending, angles of attack to explore four disarm variations. Basic footwork movement and stick flow pattern drills will be used to discuss how and when to use the techniques.  These drills and techniques should be able to safely be adapted for stage combat choreography.  No previous stick experience needed.

 

Instant Choreo - SiS

Skill Level: Intermediate

Taught by: Mike Chin

Location: TBD

Description: Using a deck of playing cards, students will perform the choreography as dictated "by the luck of the draw." Knowledge of parries and cut positions and Rapier terminology required.

 

Respect Your Objective - KN

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Amie Root

Location: TBD

Description: This class is focused on how as actors, directors, and choreographers we can find ways to better respect each character's objective when working with stage combat in storytelling.

​

RASAboxes: Athleticism of Emotion

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Anna Newbury

Location: TBD

Description: Learn to train and increase your emotional range as a performer. In this class we will playfully investigate human emotion, and invite the animal that is human to the stage. This class utilizes breath and physicality to catapult us into an engagement with emotion!

 

Class Period 2: (10:40am-12:05pm)

 

What's My Frame? - UA-STUNT

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Mark Rosenthal

Location: TBD

Description: One of the most important skills a stuntman needs to have is to know how to keep track of where the camera is, what it sees, and how to play to it. Explore how to fight for various camera angles, framings, and camera movements.

 

Sound of Violence - R&D

Skill Level: Intermediate

Taught by: Sam McDonald

Location: TBD

Description: Playing with rhythm to create a soundscape. No two fights will look the same...even if they sound the same.

 

Leaps, Falls & Rolls - STUNT

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Tiza Garland & Roger Bartlett

Location: TBD

Description: Getting comfortable with one of your constant partners, the ground; this class deals with some fundamental falling and rolling techniques used on stage as well as screen. Dedicated to teaching the body good habits for rolling.

 

Knife Fighting for the Novice - KN

Skill Level: Basic

Taught by: Sarah Flanigan & Ashley White

Location: TBD

Description: Introduction to close quarters fighting with a blade. Building on the Kali principles of Hubad flow drills, this class gives you some highly effective tools and applications to continue training on your own. From an acting perspective, it will also teach touch on the use of the full body to commit to both presentation of danger and the reactions it evokes.

​

Raid! Pillage! Plunder! - Cutlass

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Dave Gonzalez & Jason Paul Tate

Location: TBD

Description: Yo-Ho. Yo-Ho. A Pirates life for us. Cutlass Techniques meant for close quarters fighting on ships. Plenty of flair and pirate pizazz. 

 

Two to Tango! - SiS

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Lisa Kopitsky

Location: TBD

Description: The sensuous and daring Argentine tango is often interwoven with violence, especially in film and television (though not historically in its roots). There is a surprising amount of overlap in techniques between the dance and stage combat. This class will utilize some of the basic techniques of Argentine tango to explore partnering, distance, and especially circular footwork within the world of single rapier choreography.

 

*Unarmed Renewal*    SPR

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Jake Guinn

Location: TBD

Description: This class is for students who have passed a Skills Proficiency Test in Unarmed, who are looking to renew their certification over the weekend. Prior communication with coordinators must have taken place and students are responsible for $25 SAFD Renewal Fee.

 

Class Period 3: (1:15pm-2:40pm)

 

Shaolin Staff - QS/STUNT

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Mike Chin

Location: TBD

Description: Staff and spear fighting with Northern Shaolin applications. Students will be taught martial arts techniques as they apply to staff fighting. Exploration of Western and Eastern techniques.

 

Biomechanic Brawl - S&S

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: David Reed

Location: TBD

Description: The shape and execution of an act of violence can leave a lasting impact on an audience. Building a fight is more than simply choreographing some neat moves. Utilizing the movement theories of Meyerhold’s Biomechanics, the class will explore the dramatic build toward the conflict, the aesthetic shaping of the violence, and the architecture of the fight itself.

 

iFight for iPhone - UA/KN

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Jake Guinn

Location: TBD

Description: This class will teach basic camera angles for fight choreography. We will also cover information on applications that assist in video editing and sound design. This class is intended for those that are just starting to film their fight choreography.

 

Characterizing Violence - SP

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Robert Aronowitz

Location: TBD

Description: An opportunity to tweak your technique to support motivations towards (and away from) violence. And on top of whatever it is you want, how did you get here? Physically? Emotionally? In an Uber? This class presents you with a set of practical tools to enrich your acting choices before, during and after the building of choreography.

 

Staying Wounded - SS

Skill Level: Intermediate

Taught by: Florian Federl

Location: TBD

Description: Stab. Stab. You're dead. Well...you might be...in a bit. Best act as if it's a possibility at least. How to create sustainable, safe, physical and vocal choices for playing the wound. Carry that pain! It's yours! You earned it! Prior knowledge of smallsword guards, stance and point work a must.

 

Beginner Swashbuckling - SiS

Skill Level: Basic

Taught by: Sydney Schwindt

Location: TBD

Description: Introduction to beginner concepts with the Single Sword: distance management, targeting, parries, footwork and what to do with your other hand! This class might get a bit swishy swashy! Consider yourself warned!

​

Staging Intimacy

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Ashley White

Location: TBD

Description: Discussion on how to properly navigate potentially vulnerable and intimate moments onstage, reading and understanding cues for verbal and non-verbal consent, and best practices for performing intimate scenes. 

 

Class Period 4: (2:55pm-4:20pm)

 

Longsword Fencing/Killing Blows - BS

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Patrick Kelly

Location: TBD

Description: This course will take the students through the core concepts of the 14th century German Master-fencer Johannes Liechtenauer's longsword fencing tradition through choreography. They are quick, efficient and often deceptive. They incorporate defense and offense into a single focused movement, defensively close off a line of attack from the opponent while simultaneously offering a counter-attack. Lots of fight ending/killing blows will be covered!

 

Transmogrification - Mixed Weapons

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Tiza Garland

Location: TBD

Description: Lifehack. Learn to apply the basic principles of safety and translate your choreographic choices to various weapons styles.

 

Kung Fu Fighting for TV - UA/STUNT

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Mike Chin & Sam McDonald

Location: TBD

Description: This course will explore martial arts techniques used in television fight scenes. Students will employ basic kicks, punches, and blocks in a choreographed fight scenario to be sold for camera angles while addressing body juxtaposition.

 

Quarterstaff 4 Haters of Quarterstaff - QS

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Sarah Flanigan

Location: TBD

Description: You know the drill....so let's change it! Break free from your quarterstaff woes and stave off boredom as you rediscover the joys of wielding this primitive weapon. After all, it's just a stick!

 

Beginner Rapier & Dagger - R&D

Skill Level: Basic

Taught by: Leana Gardella

Location: TBD

Description: This class is an introduction to double-fence combat. The addition of the dagger brings with it a refined awareness of attack principles, spatial relationship to partner and a greater understanding of the bilateral distal-core relationship. This weapon system also introduces variations on defense such as the replacement parry, the parallel parry and the cross parry.

 

Devising Fight Choreography w/ Havoc Movement

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Jake Guinn

Location: TBD

Description: Streamlining your development process is the key to generating a lot of content. The class will offer some tips and tricks on developing fight choreography that functions as the main mode of storytelling for a production.

 

*Single Sword Renewal*    SPR

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Dave Gonzalez

Location: TBD

Description: This class is for students who have passed a Skills Proficiency Test in Single Sword, who are looking to renew their certification over the weekend. Prior communication with coordinators must have taken place and students are responsible for $25 SAFD Renewal Fee.

 

Class Period 5: (4:35pm-6:00pm)

 

Fighting in a Crowd - SiS

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Dave Gonzalez

Location: TBD

Description: Techniques and safety habits to succeed when fighting in a mass battle, a crowd at the ren faire, or an opera chorus.

 

Boxing to Trapping - UA/STUNT

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Jacki Watson & Jake Guinn

Location: TBD

Description: This class will discuss trapping as a range and a set of techniques. Using basic jab-cross entries we will use footwork, rhythm/sensitivity drills, and martial arts trapping techniques to help the artist develop an understanding of this transitional range. Movements, techniques, and concepts can be applied easily to stage combat unarmed, knife, and grappling choreography. No previous experience needed. 

​

Angelo v. McBane - SS

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Amie Root

Location: TBD

Description: Explore choreography that emphasizes the advantages and disadvantages of Angelo and Mcbane and how we as actor combatants can utilize this knowledge to our advantage.

 

Staging a Fight Scene - UA/KN/Found Weapons

Skill Level: Open

Taught by: Ashley White

Location: TBD

Description: Channeling a director’s eye to stage engaging fight scenes that are visually appealing and effective. Students will get tips from a directing perspective on how to execute fights with visual dynamics, sightlines, stacking, and then how to incorporate proper acting beats and moments into the fights through scenic analysis and perspective. This class is best taught in two parts

​

Espada y Daga - Stick (or Machete)/KN

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Patrick Kelly

Location: TBD

Description: This course will take students through double fence concepts drawn from principles of the Filipino and Indonesian martial arts utilizing a short sword and knife combination.

​

*Broadsword Renewal*    SPR

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced

Taught by: Sarah Flanigan

Location: TBD

Description: This class is for students who have passed a Skills Proficiency Test in Broadsword, who are looking to renew their certification over the weekend. Prior communication with coordinators must have taken place and students are responsible for $25 SAFD Renewal Fee.

​