Level One TrainingDueling Arts International Level One Training Program in Theatrical Combat provides training in the most common and basic theatrical fighting techniques available to Instructors and Fight Directors in the following primary disciplines: Unarmed Theatrical Combat, Medieval Broadsword, Rapier and Dagger of The Renaissance, Transitional Single Rapier, Smallsword of The Restoration, and Quarterstaff. Students who successfully complete this entire training program will have received a minimum of 12 hrs. training in each of the basic disciplines noted above. (Instructors may provide more hours of training if their curriculum and training time allows.) Students who complete just part of Level One Training will have received a minimum of 12 hrs. training in each of the disciplines listed on their certificates of recognition. This number of training hours represents half the number of training hours of students who have completed all or part of The Dueling Arts Level Two Training Program.
Students are eligible to participate in a skills adjudication test in each discipline that they have received at least 12 hrs. of training. (Instructors may provide more hours of training if their curriculum and training time allows) Students who choose to take and pass this test may be acknowledged as either Beginning Combatants or Basic Theatrical Combatants.
A student who has completed part or all of Dueling Arts Level One Training, and has demonstrated the ability to execute basic theatrical fights of a length of 18 to 21 moves in the disciplines listed on their certificate with the most basic level of proficiency at or near performance speed. The disciplines in which students have achieved the level of Beginning Combatant are listed on their certificates of recognition.
A student who has completed part or all of Dueling Arts Level One Training and has demonstrated the ability to execute and perform theatrical fights of a length of 18 to 21 move fight in the disciplines listed on their certificate at performance speed while exhibiting precise technical skill, and also exhibiting necessary dramatic intention and emotional commitment serving both the physical action of the fight and the overall dramatic content of the scene. The disciplines in which students have successfully achieved the level of Basic Theatrical Combatant are listed on their certificates of recognition.
Please note that for students to be recognized as Basic Theatrical Combatants they must have studied and be recognized as such in a minimum of two disciplines, with one discipline being unarmed combat. Students may be recognized as Beginning Combatants in certain disciplines, while being recognized as Basic Theatrical Combatants in others. These Certificates of Recognition expire after three years.
It is the opinion of Dueling Arts International that students recognized as Basic Theatrical Combatants are able to technically execute, and dramatically perform the average theatrical fight that is choreographed and directed for plays staged here in the United States and abroad.
Level Two TrainingDueling Arts International Level Two Training program provides training in most, if not all of the theatrical fighting techniques available to Instructors and Fight Directors in the following primary disciplines: Unarmed Theatrical Combat, Medieval Broadsword, Rapier and Dagger of The Renaissance, Transitional Single Rapier, Smallsword of the Restoration, and Quarterstaff. Students who successfully complete this entire training will have received a minimum of 24 hrs. training in each of the primary disciplines noted above. (Instructors may provide more hours of training if their curriculum and training time allows.) Students who have completed this Level Two training have received twice the number of hours of training as students who have completed The Dueling Arts International Level One Training Program. Students who just complete part of Level Two Training will have received a minimum of 24 hrs training in each of the disciplines listed on their certificates of recognition. Additionally, students of Level Two training shall also have received training in performing scenes that contain contemporary violence drawn from contemporary dramatic literature. These scenes may or may not utilized contemporary found objects as appropriate.
Students are eligible to participate in a Dueling Arts International skills adjudication test in each discipline that they have received at least 24 hrs. of training. Students who participate in Level Two skills Test and pass this test may be recognized either as an Intermediate Combatant, or Theatrical Combatant.
A student who has completed a Dueling Arts Level Two Training program and has have demonstrated a proficiency which allows them to safely execute technically more challenging theatrical fights of a length of 28 to 31 moves in the disciplines listed on their certificate at, or near, performance speed. The disciplines in which students have successfully achieved the level of Intermediate Combatant are listed on their certificates of recognition.
A student who has completed a Dueling Arts Level Two Training program and has demonstrated the ability to safely execute theatrical fights of a length of 28 to 31 moves in the disciplines listed on their certificate at performance speed, while exhibiting precise technical skill, and also exhibiting necessary dramatic intention and emotional commitment serving both the physical action of the fight and the overall dramatic content of the scene. The disciplines in which students have successfully achieved the level of Theatrical Combatant are listed on their certificates of recognition.
Please note that for students to be recognized as Theatrical Combatants they must have studied and be recognized as such in a minimum of two disciplines, with one discipline being unarmed combat. Students may be recognized as Intermediate Combatants in certain disciplines, while being recognized as Theatrical Combatants in others. Additionally, for students to be recognized as Theatrical Combatants they must work from pre-scripted scenes, either comedic or dramatic, that appropriately drive the scene toward a resolution requiring fighting and violence. These Certificates of Recognition expire after three years.
It is the opinion of Dueling Arts International that students who are recognized as Theatrical Combatants are able to technically execute and dramatically perform fights that are more challenging than the majority of fights commonly choreographed and performed in theatre today, and that Dueling Arts Theatrical Combatants should be able to perform and execute most, if not all fights choreographed for today’s stage.
Level Three TrainingDueling Arts International Level Three program provides 96 hours of training in advanced techniques of Theatrical Combat. This training process will review most, if not all of the theatrical fighting techniques available to a Fight Director in the following disciplines; Unarmed Theatrical Combat, Medieval Broadsword, Rapier and Dagger of The Renaissance, Transitional Single Rapier, Smallsword of the Restoration, and Quarterstaff. Level Three students will be expected to safely execute and perform fights of 38 to 41 moves in all of these primary disciplines at performance speed while also exhibiting necessary dramatic intention and emotional commitment serving both the physical action of the fight, and the overall dramatic content of the scene. Students of Level Three Training will also receive training in the additional disciplines Sword and Buckler, Sword and Shield, Sword and Cloak, Double Rapier, Knife-Fighting, Theatrical Martial Arts, Swashbuckling with a Sword and Interpretive Fighting Styles, among others, and also perform fights in these same disciplines. Additionally, Level Three Training will examine fighting techniques for the camera, with and without weapons, and provide training in gun safety and handling. Students who complete a Level Three course will have received a minimum total of 240 hrs. of training including the hours of training received on Levels One and Two.
Students who successfully complete Level Three Training may be recognized as an Advanced Theatrical Combatant or Performance Master of Theatrical Combat.
An Advanced Theatrical Combatant has received a minimum total of 240 hours of training in theatrical combat is able to execute and perform fights in length of 38 to 41 moves in the primary disciplines of Unarmed Theatrical Combat, Medieval Broadsword, Rapier and Dagger of The Renaissance, Transitional Single Rapier, Smallsword of the Restoration, and Quarterstaff, as well as 28 to 31 move fights in the additional disciplines of Sword and Buckler, Sword and Shield, Sword and Cloak, Case of Rapiers, and Knife Fighting at an advanced level consistent with expected standards of professionalism. The Advanced Theatrical Combatant must be able to perform and execute these fights with fully realized dramatic intention and emotional commitment serving both the technique of the fight and the overall content of the scene, and must be able to achieve this level of performance within an accelerated rehearsal period. Additionally, any student recognized as an Advanced Theatrical Combatant will also have received training in Theatrical Martial Arts, staging of Contemporary Violence, Gun Safety and Handling, and Fighting Techniques for the Camera.
Performance Master of Theatrical Combatant
A Performance Master of Theatrical Combat has received a minimum total of 240 hours of training in theatrical combat is able to execute and perform fights in length of 38 to 41 moves in the primary disciplines of Unarmed Theatrical Combat, Medieval Broadsword, Rapier and Dagger of The Renaissance, Transitional Single Rapier, Smallsword of the Restoration, and Quarterstaff, as well as 28 to 31 move fights in the additional disciplines of Sword and Buckler, Sword and Shield, Sword and Cloak, Case of Rapiers, and Knife Fighting at an advanced level consistent with the highest standards of professionalism and performance excellence. The Master of Performance of Theatrical Combatant must be able to execute these fights with fully realized dramatic intention and emotional commitment serving both the technique of the fight and the overall content of the scene. Additionally, any student recognized as a Performance Master of Theatrical Combatant must be able to achieve this level of performance within an accelerated rehearsal period. Furthermore, any student recognized as a Performance Master of Theatrical Combatant will also have received training in Theatrical Martial Arts, staging of Contemporary Violence, Gun Safety and Handling, and Fighting Techniques for the Camera. Dueling Arts has provided this Recognition as Performance Master of Theatrical Combat to acknowledge actors who have chosen to pursue theatrical combat to the highest level as a without necessarily pursuing a path toward becoming a Fight Director or an Instructor.
Please note that Recognition as an Advanced Theatrical Combatant or Performance Master of Theatrical Combatant is not discipline specific. Any such recognition assumes that the actor is able to work at this level in all disciplines noted in Level Three curriculum. It is the opinion of Dueling Arts International that the level of technical difficulty of fights students are required to execute and perform at this level are equal to, or more challenging than most fights commonly performed in theater today.