AGES: 9 & Up
DESCRIPTION: Thirteen-part Online Course
ONE EPISODE: $8
PACK OF THREE: $20
ALL THIRTEEN LESSONS: Only $50 (save $46 off buying episodes individually)!
Theatricum teaching artists, choreographers, and fighter/performers Celina Lee Surniak and Mollie Wilson take participants through short, fun, physical stage combat moves using a Broadsword! Each short segment includes a warmup, breakdown of a move, practice, and a cool-down. Each segment builds on the one before it – use one, two, or all 13! Once purchased, students can watch/review/repeat each segment as often as they’d like. All videos are available to watch online or download and keep forever.
Course requirements:
- The ability for students to watch a short video, with sound, on a screen that they can see and hear (could be a computer, iPad, large phone, or TV screen)
- Room to move and swing your sword!
- Something to use as a broadsword (can be a stick, a dowel, or a sword if you have one!)
Jump To A Lesson!
ONE – TWO – THREE – FOUR – FIVE – SIX – SEVEN – EIGHT – NINE – TEN – ELEVEN – TWELVE – THIRTEEN
Celina: Hello everyone! In our first lesson we will be exploring the basics of a Quarterstaff and how to begin flow training! A quarterstaff is a long stick and flow is the art of moving it around in circles in a lot of different ways! Find yourself a stick, a broom handle, or whatever you can find and let’s get started!
Celina: Hi everybody! Welcome back! This time, we will be learning about the importance of momentum and how weight shift comes into play with broadsword! There will be a warm-up and a quick recap, because practice makes perfect! Make sure you find some space, grab whatever you are using for a sword, and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Three: Defenses
Celina: This lesson we will learn DEFENSES! There are so many ways to protect yourself with a broadsword. We are excited to show you! There will be a warm-up and a quick recap, because practice makes perfect! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Four: Attacks
Celina: This lesson we’re learning how to safely attack!! Huzzah! We will be introducing partner work! This lesson is a great next step to all we have been working on. There will be a warm-up and a quick recap, because practice makes perfect! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Five: On the Move
Celina: This lesson, we will be taking our sword work on the move. New territory! You will learn how to safely move with a partner while attacking and defending. These will lead into our work in later lessons and we are excited to show you! There will be a warm-up and a quick recap, because practice makes perfect! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Six: Sending Swords
Celina: This lesson will be super exciting! In this lesson we will be learning about sending your opponent’s sword away in a super exciting way! Another way to increase your knowledge of sword work! We are excited to show you! There will be a warm-up and a quick recap, because practice makes perfect! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Seven: Thrust and Defend
Celina: Not everything is a big swinging cut! This time we learn about how to thrust with a sword and properly defend yourself! We are super excited to build upon last lesson! There will be a warm-up and a quick recap, because practice makes perfect! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Eight: Slashes and Avoids
Celina: Welcome back! This lesson is dedicated to SLASHES and AVOIDS! Come learn the proper ducks and dodges and have some fun! There will be a warm-up and a quick recap, because practice makes perfect! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Nine: Zah!
Celina: This lesson, we get to talk about something called ZAH! This is a wonderful exploration of how important sound is in stage combat. We will explore proper vocal techniques and how to take care of our voices when fighting. There will be a warm-up and a quick recap, because practice makes perfect! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Ten: Choreography 1
Celina: CHOREGRAPHY DAY 1!!! Yay! The choreography is here! We get to learn part of our class fight today! Come ready to learn and make a cool fight! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Eleven: Choreography 2
Celina: CHOREGRAPHY DAY 2!!! Yay! The choreography is here! We get to learn the rest of our class fight today! Come ready to learn and make a cool fight! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Twelve: Dramatics
Celina: This is our dramatics lesson! Today we learn about how to create the illusions of a dramatic death or wound! We will teach you how to safely pull off these acting techniques! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Broadsword Lesson Thirteen: Culmination
Celina: Our final lesson!! Thank you so much for coming on this journey with us and I hope that you feel like you learned something! This lesson is dedicated to putting all of the pieces you learned together! We are super excited to see what you have come up with! Make sure you find some space, grab your “sword” and let’s get started!
Purchase a Set of Three Lessons!
Purchase Three Lessons at Once and save $4 off buying them individually! Choose any set of three lessons below.
ABOUT the INSTRUCTORS
Celina Lee Surniak is a stunt woman and stage combatant based in Los Angeles. She has been a fight director for about 5 years and has put her name on several Shakespeare productions such as: Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Titus Andronicus, Cymbeline, Julius Caesar, and more. She has worked in stunt coordination for film and new media and loves to problem solve and create wonderful story telling. She has been teaching stage combat around Los Angeles for about 6 years and loves teaching young people the elements of safety and techniques associated with this art form.
Mollie Wilson has spent the last 9 years training with the Society of American Fight Directors, learning how to safely stage fight in many different weapon disciplines. During this time, they have worked in this field around the country. Most recently, they were on the stunt team at Six Flags America in Maryland. In Los Angeles, they have worked with many theater companies, including: A Noise Within, Five Star Theatricals, LOFT Theater Ensemble, and The Geffen. Teaching has always been a passion for Mollie, and they enjoy teaching people with all levels of movement training. They hope these lesson snippets will help students learn how to stay safe, while looking and feeling like a Rockstar!
Questions about Theatricum Botanicum’s Youth and/or Teen programs? Contact Youth/Teen Programs Manager Cindy Kania-Guastaferro for more information.
Tech difficulties or questions with our online video series? Email Education Programs Coordinator Frank Weidner
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