Stuff You Need: Scenes
Along the lines of mental preparation, let's chat about fight scenes. (Skip to the bottom if you're in a situation where you don't need text.) For FDC certifications (and many other societies) you may choose your own scenes for your test fight, but some teachers will...
Preparing Your Mental Foundation: an empty cup
Your mental preparation is just as key as the physical. Be present. Come with "an empty cup". Approach every day as if it is your first lesson: Knowing nothing and ready to receive all information. Try everything, "relentlessly and without hesitation". It's learning...
Building Your Physical Foundation: Breath
"One of the best pieces of advice Siobhan gives when she teaches is 'think about your breathing'." There is a big difference between "Breathe! Breathe! Don't forget to breathe!" and a gentle reminder of "think about your breath". The former is perhaps not as useful a...
Building Your Physical Foundation: Cardio
Performing a fight scene in a show is essentially sprinting at the end of a marathon. Every night you experience the intense build of an emotional story and then it explodes, both emotionally and physically, into fight scene. First previews an opening nights are an...
Building Your Physical Foundation: lunges
After yesterday's longsword video, let's add some lunges to our daily routine to prepare for that class. Of course, this footwork applies to numerous stage combat disciplines. Jared Kirby -- fight director, martial artist, teacher and author -- states that the...
longsword
The Real Gladiatores The videos on this channel are great for actor/combatants to watch to see how each action can succeed and then can be countered. Note the precision of the bladework, and their use time, as opposed to speed. Watch also how they maintain...
Stuff You Need: Gloves
This is part of a category of Performer Support. When beginning and developing your career as an actor/combatant there's a few items and bits of information that can help you get on you way. So, without further ado, here's some information on gloves. At first, all you...
Why “Burning Mountain”?
Our name and logo are inspired by the Grant Clan badge (Matt is connected to the Grants) which features 3 beacons lit on a mountain, Craig Elachie, which is the rallying place at which signal fires were lit to call the clan to battle. We use this image of a Fiery...
What is Stage Combat?
"If a fight is to be exciting, believable and yet safe, everyone involved should be aware of two things: firstly that though the people in the script are capable of committing acts of violence, the actors or actresses themselves must always be in total control of...
I’m in Munich
I'm in Germany. I have wanted to come here since I was a teenager. I can hardly believe I am ACTUALLY here! Why this longing to visit Germany? I'm really not sure. A well-designed language program? I took German in high-school, grades 10 through 13. I love the sound...
On my way again.
Sadly, I am now leaving Finland. There's been a good amount if training and a good amount of recreation and visiting. I've had time to absorb the first leg of my trip and some time away from responsibility so that I can let my subconscious put it all together. I am...
Almost three weeks done!
I'm in the airport in Oslo on my way to Helsinki. The first two-and-a-half weeks have been so busy, I feel like I've already been gone a month! It's been wonderful to re-connect with colleagues, and share ideas about our innovations and current projects. I've done a...
Yoga Haven
Mmmmm, hot yoga. Wow, I needed that! And what a small world! The woman teaching class that day is also from Toronto, and went to Sheridan, so of course, we know a handful of the same people! Funny how that happens in such a big city. Oh! By the way, if you'd like to...
Living Scrapbook
Before I left, Andrew and Bri suggested that I purposely under pack so that I would need to buy clothes and such along the trip. This would give me a kind of Living Scrapbook: every time I would see that item in my closet, I would be reminded of my journey. I didn't...
Getting older, or too much stuff?
Part way through my day yesterday, I realized that I probably should have done a warm-up before lugging my two months of supplies with me for the day. Did a bit of a cool down last night, while I sipped my Shepherd Neame "Master Brew" and nibbled my cheese. This...
Waiting for baggage at Heathrow
Why does it feel like it's midnight? Oh yeah, travel day. Just waiting at the baggage carousel at the moment. My brain is actually a bit confused by all the English signage I see and the English conversation I'm hearing! -- Hours later: I am rewarded for my diligence....
Stockholm teaser
Stockholm has been fantastic! I'll write a proper post in a day or two, but for now, here's a little gem that was shown to me here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ommvE5p3F8
Visit to Linköping
What a joyous and awesome way to start my European tour. Literally awesome. Like, I was struck with awe. I visited my mentors Peppe and Maria at their theatre program, which happens to have a number of my friends and colleagues as students. I haven’t seen these...