Stage Combat Training

Stage combat is the art of creating a choreographed fight for a theatrical performance. This could be for stage, film, tv but the principles are typically the same. A fight routine with a sequence of well-timed moves and actions is created for the actors and they rehearse this extensively much like you would a dance routine. The routine may be unarmed or armed with weapons such as swords or guns – although these weapons are usually fake or harmless. Stage combat creates an illusion of violence whilst actually keeping the performers safe from harm.

Fight scenes and action sequences are a common part of theatre, tv, or film. Well executed stage combat is crucial for making those fight scenes look and feel believable to the audience. Everyone is capable of recognising a poor fight scene but performing a good one yourself is a different matter. Stage combat is also an extremely useful skill for an actor to have and so experience with it could help you land certain roles.

First and foremost stage combat is a form of acting so will require basic acting elements like characterisation and motivation. Your character is the one doing the fighting so you will need to think about why they’re doing it and how the fight fits within the context of the story. For the actual combat itself you’ll need to employ spatial awareness, coordination, and timing all at once to create fight choreography that can often be quite intricate and complex. You’ll be required to learn and remember many different attacks, blocks, and dodges especially if you’re fighting with weapons.