THEA 2720 Intro to Stage Combat
This course provides the opportunity to learn and practice the basic techniques used in staging unarmed, rapier and dagger, broadsword, and quarterstaff fight scenes. The final project is the analysis, choreographing, and performance of a fight scene form a play, with emphases on safety and acting the fight. (2 lect.)
Major Topics
- Warm-up exercises and safety procedures
- Care and maintenance of weapons
- Unarmed combat techniques
- Rapier & dagger techniques
- Broadsword techniques
- Quarterstaff techniques
- Applying play, scene and character analysis to choreography
- The aesthetics: essential parts of a good fight and how to "sell" the fight
- Choreography processes and procedures
Outcomes
In order to successfully complete this course, the student will:
1. Practice safety procedures consistently.
2. Demonstrate basic techniques of unarmed combat.
3. Demonstrate basic techniques of rapier & dagger combat.
4. Demonstrate basic techniques of broadsword combat.
5. Demonstrate basic techniques of quarterstaff combat.
6. Perform a student choreographed fight scene from a play.
7. Critique their own work and that of others.