Back by popular demand, I will be teaching another one-day workshop in Bartitsu. This time, it will be a more condensed 4 hours (2pm-6pm), and more physical.

Workshop January 23

Learn the fighting style of Sherlock Holmes in this unique one-day workshop at Academie Duello.

England in the 19th century was replete with instructors in martial arts from the world over. E.W. Barton-Wright had returned from Japan and opened a school to teach the English gentleman how to defend himself against ruffians using only the most effective techniques whether unarmed or carrying the accessory of the time: the walking-stick.

The Bartitsu system worked so well that Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle wrote that Sherlock Holmes used it to defeat Moriarty.

Learn:

• English boxing, French kickboxing and the English interpretation of Judo
• Stick fighting and self-defense with an umbrella
• Modern urban self-defense evolved from the principles of Bartitsu

Whether your interest is in history or practical self-defense, this workshop will give you the skills and knowledge of 19th century fighting.

Only $60 (15% discount for members)

Register Now: Call 604.568.9907 or Drop by Academie Duello

412 W. Hastings St.

Check out the new trailer for the upcoming documentary:
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YouTube link: Bartitsu - the Lost Martial Art of Sherlock Holmes

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YouTube link: Bartitsu: The Gentlemanly Art

Workshop July 26

Learn the fighting style of Sherlock Holmes in this unique one-day workshop at Academie Duello.

England in the 19th century was replete with instructors in martial arts from the world over. E.W. Barton-Wright had returned from Japan and opened a school to teach the English gentleman how to defend himself against ruffians using only the most effective techniques whether unarmed or carrying the accessory of the time: the walking-stick.

The Bartitsu system worked so well that Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle wrote that Sherlock Holmes used it to defeat Moriarty.

Learn:

• English boxing, French kickboxing and the English interpretation of Judo
• Stick fighting and self-defense with an umbrella
• Modern urban self-defense evolved from the principles of Bartitsu

Whether your interest is in history or practical self-defense, this workshop will give you the skills and knowledge of 19th century fighting.

Only $120 (15% discount for members)

Register Now: Call 604.568.9907 or Drop by Academie Duello

Upstairs 422 Richards St. – Corner of Hastings

First a quick documentary on Parkour, for those who are unfamiliar:
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YouTube link: Le Parkour VFS

Get Running Today

This is a big weekend for parkour in Vancouver. Read the itinerary and directions from PKBC, the largest group of local freerunners.
Parkour BC – British Columbia’s Parkour Community

JULY 3rd

5:00 PM – Burnaby Mountain Secondary School
8800 Eastlake Drive, Burnaby
Directions:
Skytrain + Freerun:
Take the train to “Production Way Station” – Freerun east down “Lougheed Highway” – Cross the street at “Gaglardi Way” and follow the path to your left up to the school.
Skytrain + Bus:
Take the train to “Production Way Station” – Hop on the “110 Lougheed Mall” at the bus loop – Get off at Eastlake and Beaverbrook (school is to your right)

8:00 PM – 10:00 PM – Omega Gymnastics Drop in
125 B Glacier Street, Coquitlam
10$ Drop in

JULY 4th

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM – Coopers Park
located underneath the “Cambie Street Bridge” (downtown side)
Directions:
Skytrain + Freerun:
Get off at “Stadium Skytrain Station” – Slide down the railing to the lower Level – Freerun left on “Expo Blvd” – then Freerun right on “Abbott Street” – take a right on Pacific Blvd and Freerun as hard as you can until you hit Nelson Street – Go Left on Nelson and do your best Freerunning possible (everyone will be watching) as you head straight for the park.

12:30 PM – til you drop – Downtown Training

JULY 5th

2:00 PM – Dark – Lighthouse Park, West Vancouver
Directions:
Bus + Normalruncausetheresnobstaclesinwhichtoexpressyourfreedomwith:
Catch the “250 Horseshoe Bay Bus” on “Georgia Street” Downtown – Hop off at “Marine Drive & Beacon Lane” – Follow the sign that says “lighthouse park” and meet everyone at the gate to the trail.

I’m not going to promise to be at every event all the time, but I will try to attend. If the organizer, Rene, is game, I’ll also teach a bit of a fight scene for interested parties.

Every Thursday from now on, you can drop by Academie Duello and get an hour (or more) stage combat on Thursdays at 5pm.

We’ll cover a different topic each week, and I’ll give instructions for all different levels of experience. We’ll cover a few fundamentals, then we’ll put together some choreography to show off.

No, it’s not for kids, I just found this photo and thought it was great: two children finger-fencing (that’s my interpretation). And the one in black looks so serious and angry while the blonde is looking at the audience. It’s a great visual for an intro to stage combat.

For members of Academie Duello, it’s free. For non-members, it’s only $10.

I’ve just started a group on MeetUp.com, so if you’re thinking of joining us once in a while, please sign up there. It’s a great way to stay in touch, and to get news about our next meeting. And meetup has tons of other local groups where you can connect with your other hobbies. Our group is Vancouver Stage Combat Drop In

Update: Due to scheduling conflicts, the first day of class is July 13. The course will be 3 weeks, 2 hours per day: 5pm to 7pm. Since the time is reduced, the price is reduced to $250.

Are Your Stage Combat Skills Rusty?

How long has it been since you took a stage combat class? Have you ever? Most theatre schools in Vancouver don’t even teach stage fighting. However, it is a fundamental skill for the performer.

Get a Refresher For Your Physical Performance

Stage combat is a shortcut to mastering your instrument by incorporating:

• moving around the stage with purpose
• interacting with another character in a life-or-death situation
• playing fear, anger, injury, effort while still concentrating on the choreography
• staying aware of your environment
• breathing, yelling, speaking your lines while exerting yourself

Don’t Accept Less Than FDC

Learn the foundations of Fight Directors Canada:

• Unarmed combat
• Quarterstaff
• Sword

It’s not just weapons, FDC emphasizes:

• Safety: You need to move with high speed and intensity, without risking any kind of injury.
• Storytelling: It’s not a game, it’s part of the play/movie… learn to incorporate combat into a scene.
• Style: Techniques change based on history and geography. Learn a versatile system.

Fun and Intensive

This is a jump-start program:

• 3 weeks
• Monday-Wednesday-Friday
• 3:30-6:30 5pm-7pm
• Starts July 6 July 13

Convenient

Any actor can do this:

• Afternoons: So you can get to other jobs in the evening, or auditions during the day
• Short duration: You don’t have to plan for 4 months of classes
• Affordable
• Downtown: Getting to Richards and Hastings is so easy

Get in gear, get an advantage over the other actors, get real safety and FDC standards (internationally recognized quality), get to Academie Duello.

Only $499 $250

Register Now – Call 604.568.9907

Drop by Academie Duello 422 Richards St. (upstairs)

The first class is July 13!

ps: Are you auditioning for Bard on the Beach in August? With this workshop on your resume, they’ll know you can handle a sword.

This is your last week to catch Fat Pig, which is getting fantastic reviews, like this one:

From Vancouver Observer:

Fat Pig: Highly Recommended
Director Michael Scholar Jr. has done a great job at staging the play in a way that keeps the audience focused and engaged. The set is minimal and shifts direction, both physically and metaphorically, at several points throughout the performance.

Kathryn Kirkpatrick delivers a brave and stellar performance as Helen, the object of Tom’s (Lawrence Haegert) desire and Haegert pulls us in completely with his performance, giving us hope that he’ll come through in the end. Jennifer Mawhinney and Aaron Craven’s characters (Jeannie, Carter) provide the cringe. Their dialogue is rich with all we try to hide in ourselves.

Fat Pig is a play that everyone should see. If you can get past the title, it’s definitely worth the time.
Vancouver Observer: Articles

The play is not about obesity itself, but concerns honesty. I found it a fascinating exploration of what it means to be honest with oneself and with others. Is being truthful always good? Is changing your mind a matter of integrity? Is there any truth or lies without a society’s judgment? Each of the characters struggle with these ideas, and that’s what makes this play engaging.

A couple of other reviews:

From “An Unidentified Production”: Blog by TwentySomething Theatre

This Is What I Like To See
The quality of this Vancouver production of “Fat Pig” was equal to what I saw on Broadway.

From Irresistible Theatre: Blog by Angela Konrad

Fat is Phat
Michael Scolar Jr. has created a terrific production in every respect. In addition to drawing lovely performances from his actors, the staging is inventive without being self-conscious, the pacing is spot on, and the comedy and pathos are in perfect balance.

Fat Pig makes my first Top Ten entry of 2009.

The performances are selling out, so call to reserve tickets.

Where: Performance Works, Granville Island
When: May 20 – 30
Tickets: Tues – Thur & Matinees $21.50; Fri – Sat $25.50
Contact: 604 684 2787
Tickets Online: ticketstonight.ca
Website: www.fatpig.ca

Fat Pig

Jesse nominated actor Michael Scholar Jr. takes the Director’s reigns for “Fat Pig”, with actors Kathryn Kirkpatrick (Helen), Aaron Craven (Carter), Jennifer Mawhinney (Jeannie),and Lawrence Haegert (Tom) giving compelling performances filled with realism and passion. “Fat Pig” also features designs by Itai Erdel (Lighting) and Naomi Sider (Costume and set Design) with poster design by Dion Johnstone and website design by Richard Johnson. – Fat Pig website

The Vancouver premiere of Fat Pig by Neil LaBute opens May 20 on Granville Island, 1218 Cartwright St. There is not much physical violence in the piece, but I consulted for the stage combat. I also watched a full run of the show. The writing is by turns hilarious and heart-wrenching. With news piling up every day about the obesity epidemic, it is important to see theatre that reminds us that fat people are first and foremost people. The acting is strong from all four performers, the timing is tight, and the emotional connections are touching.

I loved working with the talented cast, and I can’t wait to see opening night. Hopefully I’ll see you there.

FDC 2009 Nationals

In case you weren’t aware, I am the VP of Communications for Fight Directors Canada, and the webmaster. As such, I have the pleasure of announcing that I have completed a major re-design of the FDC site.

Click Here for the All New FDC.CA

Features

• Glossary: Yes, the FDC glossary is back online.
• Member Profiles: All members get a listing, categorized by their level, and with tags indicating where you live and your union status.
• Beautiful: Don’t you love the new look? If you think something doesn’t look right, it might be because you’re using Internet Explorer. Try Firefox, it’s free and renders pages more accurately and quickly.
• Awesomeness: Need I say more?

National Workshop

Don’t forget to sign up for the National Stage Combat Workshop held in Waterloo, Ontario this year. You get a 30% discount if you register before April 1!

Come see my fight choreography and magic in this show. By the way, the writing is brilliant and I’m really excited about the direction. This show is the jewel in the New Ideas Festival crown, and week three always sells out… so get your tickets soon.

Asleep at the Wheel Poster

Week Three of the 2009 New Ideas Festival
March 25-28, 2009, The Alumnae Studio Theatre, Toronto

For Tickets Call: 416.364.4170 or email reservations@alumnaetheatre.com

Soul Samurai Logo, from Tor.com

Dear gods of stage combat, please grant me the means to see this show:

Soul Samurai is the joint work of Ma-Yi Theater Company, which is devoted to “develop[ing] new plays and performance works that essay Asian American experiences,” and Vampire Cowboys Theatre Company, which tends “towards the creation and production of new works of theatre based in stage combat, dark comedy [and] a comic book aesthetic.” While both of these goals are fulfilled to some extent, VCT’s is certainly the more prominent of the two, especially their allegiance to comic books: every fight scene seems to have at least one freeze-frame that obviously would have been that issue’s splash page.
Tor.com / Science fiction and fantasy / Blog posts / Vampire Cowboys’ Soul Samurai brings hip-hop, martial arts, and comic books to the New York stage