Story
For FDC's National Workshop, 2014. It's test day. Remember: It's all about the story. It's tempting to get caught up in performing the technique perfectly, and yes, perfect technique is lovely to watch. But in the end, if you don't know why you're there, what your...
Protected: Working Your Fight with Music, playlist
Easy (Barenaked Ladies) Come Fly With Me (Michael Bublé) Falling for the First Time (Barenaked Ladies) Don't Stop Me Now (Queen) Koi Kahe Kehta Rahe (from Dil Chata Hai) Like Flames (Berlin) Cartoon Heroes (Aqua) Skip to 1:30 for the song proper to start Assclamp!...
Dying ain’t dead
"...Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Dylan Thomas All too often, test fights end with a "light switch" kill, meaning that the character gets stabbed and one breath later, they expire (many fight scenes in shows end...
Acting Aggression
We're coming up to final performance, and it's time to get "test-ready". At this stage most people need to increase their level of aggression. This does not mean that you go as fast as you can, or move with tension because it feels like that's the way to play your...
Trust yourself
I had a post ready-to-go on working the scene with focus on how to discover a rich variety in each and every moment, while deepening your character work and strengthening your connection to your partner. Important work. And then I thought about it again, and decided...
Working Your Fight Scene: learn the moves first
(This may post be a little late as far as the timeline is concerned for this particular workshop, everyone already has their choreography.) Train slow, because anger will give you speed in the fight. - Fiore dei Liberi (paraphrased) While this quotation is...
Preparing Your Fight Scene: have fun!
This week's posts will be covering a small number of the many things you can do to prepare your fight scenes for performance. The first, perhaps the most important, is to enjoy it. This can be extremely difficult to remember to do! You're tired. You may be frustrated,...
Self-Care: a bit of “pampering”
There's a few luxury items in my self-care regimen. If I can, I get a massage. Whenever possible, I go to a sauna/steam room. In Toronto, I like Body Blitz Spa and Hammam Spa. If I'm somewhere without those kinds of places, a hot yoga class is the next best thing. In...
Instructional video, martial arts demo, fight scene
I recently read a Facebook post wherein the Question Of The Day was: what is the difference between a choreographed fight for a visual narrative (ie short film, feature, etc) vs. for a Martial Arts demonstration or a self-defense video you might see at a tournament or...
Practice
Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. Practice just makes permanent. Jared Kirby Train it the way you want it to end up. Megan Cooke Put quality time and effort into your practicing. On your own time, do all of the drills your teacher has...
Practice vs. Rehearsal
Practice is what you do alone. Rehearsal is with other people. --Tim Klotz So let's talk about Rehearsal (tomorrow is Practice). When you rehearse --when you are with a partner-- they are gifting their time to you, just as you are to them. Communicate with...
Saturation point
At this point in the workshop, four days in, you've probably reached saturation point several times, at least once a day, if not four or five! The first strategy is to realize that this happens to absolutely everyone. It's the moment when nothing seems to make sense...
Day 3: be gentle
Today is day 3. If the pattern of every other workshop I have gone to holds up, today is the day that everyone is so very sore, and it's is the day that injuries tend to begin. Be aware of your limits today. Take care of yourself. Eat well, drink water, stretch.
Stages of Learning
When you're being immersed in new skills and information it can be helpful to remember that learning is a process, and most of us don't just magically look at something and "get it". Here is a theory that was developed at the Gordon Training International by Noel...
What to do in rehearsal period?
Practice what you learned today. Do all of the exercises you can remember. Ask your classmates to run partner drills with you. Do solo drills and ask a classmate or an instructor-type (instructor, assistant, journeyperson) to be an outside eye and catch little...
Our mentors
If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants. -Isaac Newton (and others) Judging by the people that are referenced in the blog, you'd think that Burning Mountain had studied with very few people. However, please know that we have learned from...
Tie up loose ends
Just a couple days left. Be sure to take care of any loose ends that you can. You WILL NOT have time for the rest of your life during the workshop. If you do, your time management and stamina far exceeds that us mere mortals.
Self-Care: foam rollers and massage balls
In a situation where you can't have your own private massage therapist follow you around and give you a treatment after every workout -- Wait a sec, let me imagine how awesome that would be.... I'm back. When visiting a massage therapist isn't an option, you can do a...