In the world of stage blood (and for the uninitiated yes there is absolutely a “world of stage blood”) manufacturers take great pains to get the bright red and dark red hues of oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, respectively, to look realistic. But what does “realistic” even mean in this case? Take a look at the […]
Not all knife fights involve two people with a knife. In fact, most knife fights have only one person with a knife. For stage, both people having a weapon adds tension and makes things interesting. In reality, someone who knows how to use a knife knows that it is extremely rare to escape without getting […]
There are many things that will keep you safe while performing stage combat. The most important is breathing. This may sound elementary, but pay attention to your breath the next time you are in a stage fight. In our attempts to add tension or to focus on parts where we are unsure we direct energy […]
The body is an extremely loyal and obedient tool of the mind. Whatever you think or imagine, the body does its best to fulfill. It has no other choice. The individual muscles, organs, bones, etc don’t have the capacity to think. They can only move when told to do so. Many imagine this to only […]
There is a very well researched and constructed argument that violence in movies and video games desensitizes children (and adults) and leads to more violence/aggression. There is no way to argue that violence on stage or television/film and video games does not have an effect. Our goal in any entertainment medium is to get a […]
We learn things one step at a time. No matter how much of a “multi-tasker” you think you are, the reality is that your brain is switching from one thing to another very rapidly. When you are learning a new, complex physical skill, like stage combat, your brain can only focus on one aspect of […]
Check your area. Always check to be sure where you are falling is clear of people, furniture or objects. Stay in control the entire way down. Gravity and Momentum should only take over at the last possible moment or not at all. Don’t rush! Take as much time as you need. Very few falls in […]
Everyone knows the difference on some level. We have all seen two people scuffle over something simple. Sometimes there are shoves, slaps, even punches, kicks and tackling. There is certainly a lot of noise. That situation is a fight. At the end of it people may be bruised, broken, and a little bloody but they […]