Combat for Stage and Screen
Choreographed violence, whether for live theater or film, is an art form all its own. From Shakespeare through John Wick, there are a thousand different ways to make the action look real, and every story and medium calls for something just a little bit different. Taking martial arts and bar room brawls and making them safe enough to do dozens of times in a row, while keeping the intensity and simulated danger, takes a lot of skill and a lot of practice.
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The trade-off, when the action is well executed, is almost always worth it. Choreographed violence is a special art - a magic trick - the art of consistently not hitting anyone while convincing everyone else that you have - and it's one that BFAC takes very seriously!
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Stage combat training opportunities at BFAC include choreography, techniques, falls and rolls (with and without crash pads), box falls, weapon work, death and dying, and a ton more. Interested in learning more?? Check out our schedule for more info on upcoming stage and screen combat classes!
Stage Combat Classes
Stage Combat involves a huge variety of techniques - from making it look like you got punched in the face, to falling to the ground safely, all the way up to sword fights and landing on crash pads! Our stage combat techniques classes are broken into two different skill levels, to ensure you get the training you need.​​
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Stage Combat Techniques classes are on the First and Third Saturday of every month, from 1 PM - 3 PM. Visit our Schedule page for a detailed look at this month's schedule (and the live Google calendar that we use to keep our schedule up to date), and be sure to join our Discord for any announcements regarding cancellations, schedule changes, etc.
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Beginner classes will focus on basic stage combat techniques including footwork, rolls and falls, slaps, punches, kicks, and swordwork, and how to execute the basic techniques safely and as believably as possible. Even for folks with experience, getting a fresh look at the basics can sometimes be eye-opening for how we perform!
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Intermediate classes will be focused on the artful execution of stage combat techniques - this includes adding speed/timing to build suspense, acting through death and injuries, box/pad falls, advanced roles, work with more fantastical or exotic weapons, etc.
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Final Fridays is a series of stage and screen combat workshops that feature choreography, techniques, and style lessons geared towards a particular theme each month.
Workshops are 7-10 PM on the last Friday of every month. The theme rotates each month, so be sure to keep an eye out for more info!
Upcoming Final Fridays:
8/30/2024: Knife or Death
9/27/2024: Samurai Showdown
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