Controlled Violence 0 + 1

One very exciting aspect of 2nd year I've been very much looking forward to is stage combat. It's a skill I've wanted to learn for some time, but never had the opportunity to do so. I'm only 2 weeks into the course but the class, taught by Derren Marshall (a fantastic fighter and teacher, might I add!) has already become my favourite of the week. I'm pretty inexperienced in this field of performance (as you can see by the video) but I do feel that from week to week I am learning and improving my craft. I do feel, however, that although I am a dancer and therefore pretty flexible, I do need to increase my strength and flexibility to ensure I get the most from this class. I have started stretching every morning, something which has also improved my mental outlook on all my classes as I am more in tune with my body. In our first lesson, we learnt the safety protocols we need to go through prior to every fight scene. This includes checking ceiling heights (for sword fights and/or throws), checking your distance between yourself and any possible hazards (such as tables, chairs, walls and other fighters!) and the distance between yourself and your fight partner. This is to make sure you don't injure yourself, others, or (most importantly!) your partner. Although these punches are meant to look real, they are always done at a safe distance so you don't literally knock someone unconscious.

In week 2, we dove straight in to learning basic boxing moves and choreographing our first fight scene to be recorded. I decided to partner with Ned Bunting (above) as we trust each other and were both nervous about our first scene. In this lesson, we learnt how to do gut punches, elbow hits and haymakers. We also learnt how to block these moves. I believe I need a little more practice in reacting to gut punches accurately as I believe I'm taking a second too long to react. Overall, though, I am enjoying this class and will no doubt be continually reviewing my progress in this area. Stay tuned!