Introduction to Stage Fighting

Series Summary

Fencing, or the art of armed combat involving strikes such as cutting and stabbing, is known as the art of swordsmanship. It has developed into a competitive sport and is an official Olympic sport. Protective fencing gear consists of masks, gloves, breeches and plastron. Typically made of tough cotton and nylon and Kevlar, the full-body padding is very protective and cannot usually be punctured. This form of competitive swordsmanship has been in practice for centuries. Today, thanks to modern technology, the fencers wear electronic wires for scoring hits or strikes.

There are different types of swords used in fencing including and Epee, a Foil, and a Saber. In this series of video clips, you’ll learn more about these different weapons. An important component of fencing is the footwork and balance. Get informative tips on the choreography of a sword fight from our expert. Learn more about the modern scoring apparatus and other fencing equipment. If you are a novice fencer, you can get more advanced tips and ideas for fencing foil techniques and vaulting and linear footwork.

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Amy Boyle and I'm here for Expert Village. We'll be talking to you today about the basics of fencing and stage and film combat, which is choreographed fighting. I was a fencer in college and after that, I moved into choreography so that I worked not just with foils and sabers, but also with katanas, with broad swords, with cutlasses, rigor and daggers and a lot of other different sword forms. They all have their own style, but it's very satisfying once you know what you're doing and you can do it safely to do it with a couple of friends, have a couple of swords and be able to work up a fight to speed so that you know what you're doing. You can have fun, you can do it safely and it's a good workout. If you're doing it for film, television or stage, you can also tell a great story with a fight. This is my assistant. He will be assisting us today. This is Ken Peterson and I'd love to get started and start talking to you about a very important part about fencing, which is the sword."