The Gift of Stage Combat

The month of December is like a gift of stage combat. It ends with the Paddy Crean, and everyone is preparing for it for the weeks leading up to it.

The Paddy Crean Workshop

I've written about Paddy Crean and the workshop in his honour before. It's one jam-packed week of stunts, stage combat, and action-oriented classes over the New Year's holiday. For over a decade, "The Paddy" has found its home at The Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada. The Paddy has offered everything from historical fencing, stunt work, military drills, Laban technique and mask work to Zulu stick fighting and Chinese opera. With a faculty and participants drawn from over a dozen countries and representing every major national fight organization, The Paddy is a truly unique experience.

The workshop's heritage goes back to the father of stage combat, Maestro Patrick "Paddy" Crean. During early-Hollywood's swashbuckling days, Paddy served as Errol Flynn's choreographer and stunt double, arranged fights for such legends as Sir John Geilgud and Sir Alec Guinness, and was directly involved in the formation of organizations devoted to stage combat in both Europe and North America.

I attended the last Paddy two years ago, and had a great time. I'm going to be there again this year, which promises to be even better.

Here's the details, you can still register and join us:

Program Dates: December 29, 2012 - January 3, 2013

Application Deadline: Registrations will be accepted as space permits.

Location: The Banff Centre for the Arts, Banff, Alberta, Canada

Single Accommodation Package: $1,600.00 CDN Includes single room accommodation and meal plan at The Banff Centre for the duration of the program. Price includes 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Shared Accommodation Package: $1,400.00 CDN Includes shared room accommodation, and meal plan at The Banff Centre for the duration of the program. Price includes 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Workshop Only Package: $885.00 CDN Includes registration and workshop fee only. Meal plan available upon request. Price includes 5% Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Meal Plan: The Full Meal Plan allows for the purchase of three full meals per day. This meal plan gives participants the flexibility to select meals according to their own needs or schedules at the Vistas Dining Room. Room service is additional.

Here's the link to the page describing every class. There's so much offered, I haven't even read through it all yet... I'm saving it for my vacation time. So register though the Banff Centre. And for those who are interested, here's the Facebook group.

Paddy Prep Workshops

Intro: This Sunday (2 December) is an Introduction to Stage Combat at Academie Duello. I'll be teaching all the essentials of safety and the illusion of violence over four hours. The Paddy is very beginner-friendly, but it's good to have some basics under your belt.

Date: 2 December, 2pm - 6pm

 

Price: $60

Maximum participants: 12

Remember that our ongoing stage combat program now includes daytime classes especially for professional actors: Tuesdays and Thursdays 10am to noon. Take the workshop, then get started on your certification, now with even more options to easily fit it into your schedule. Acting the Fight Masterclass: On Saturday 15 December, Duello will be hosting John Wright, the director of Don Juan for a masterclass for actors in fight scenes. Here's the full description:

You may know how to fight, but can you die?

 

John Wright, director of the upcoming Don Juan, leads this 2-hour acting masterclass for fight scenes. Students will use provided dialogue to explore effective acting choices and partner skills. Memorization is not required, but participants should be familiar with the material, which includes a few lines from one of Shakespeare's famous death scenes. No stage combat certification is necessary.

Date: 15 December, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Price: Please contact Academie Duello at 604-568-9907

Maximum Participants: 12

There are discounts for current members of the stage combat program, and current members of Academie Duello.