National Stage Combat Workshop

Fight Directors Canada holds the National Workshop every summer. It's a two-week intensive in which actors and fight choreographers from across the country meet to train and work with the best international fight masters. It's also an opportunity to earn certification if a student does not have a certification course in their community.

And this year, the conference is in Vancouver. There's still time to register.

Certification Levels

Basic: For those who have never had formal instruction in stage combat. Weapons: Swashbuckling Sword, Quarterstaff, Unarmed Brawling

Intermediate: The safety and core skills learned at Basic are extended to an appreciation of specific historical styles and the performance requirement is more strict. Weapons: Smallsword, Longsword, Rapier & Dagger, Martial Arts

Advanced: The highest standards of theatrical violence earn this challenging distinction with endurance and professionalism. Weapons: Martial arts with weapons, Broadsword & Shield, Rapier & Companion, Found/Environmental Weapons, Advanced Smallsword.

Instructor: After a 2-year apprenticeship, an Advanced Actor-Combatant can become a Certified Instructor, which is only available at the Nationals each year.

How Intensive?

We start at 9am sharp every day (Sunday is the one day off), and finish at 6pm for Basic. Higher level students have an evening class after dinner every day until 9pm.

All day, we learn the physical skills of stage combat, so be prepared for activity pretty much constantly.

Instructors

Paul Gelineau: (Vancouver) Workshop coordinator, teaching Advanced Found/Environmental Weapon

David McCormick: (Vancouver) I'll be teaching Basic Sword and Intermediate Longsword

Ian Rose: (Philadelphia) Intermediate Smallsword, Advanced Rapier & Cloak

Jean-Francois Gagnon:(Montreal) Broadsword & Shield, Basic Quarterstaff

Jacques Cappelle: (Belgium) Advanced Smallsword, Intermediate Rapier & Dagger

Mike Dufays: (Toronto) Advanced Martial Arts Weapons, Basic Unarmed

Casey Hudecki: (Toronto) Intermediate Martial Arts, Basic Unarmed

There will also be assistants who are journeymen on their way to earning their Instructor certification.

Duello Classes

Get some training ahead of the conference: If you're already certified by FDC, and attempting to earn your next level, you may want to brush up your skills ahead of the intensive. Our ongoing classes continue Tuesdays and Thursday 8pm-10pm and Saturdays 5-7pm. We can also arrange private coaching sessions if that's better for you.

Class cancellations during the Nationals: Currently, we're only cancelling one class on 23 June, but during the period of the workshop, please check this blog, the Academie Duello site, or call the front desk 604-568-9907 to make sure class is still on. Of course, you'll be credited if we cancel class.

Interested?

Register now at http://www.vancouvercombatworkshop.com/#!registration