Marshall University Marshall Digital Scholar Fight Master Magazine The Society of American Fight Directors Fall 2016 The Fight Master, Fall 2016, Vol. 38 Issue 2 The Society of American Fight Directors Follow this and additional works at: https://mds.marshall.edu/fight Part of the Acting Commons, Other Theatre and Performance Studies Commons, Performance Studies Commons, and the Theatre History Commons The FıghtMasterSpring 2016 The Journal of the Society of American Fight Directors From Page to Stage Fighting Over Fifty & Pen to Sword Meditations on not Script analysis getting down for fight directors about getting gray When “It’s Fine” Reading Romeo Research guide for Means it Isn’t Romeo and Juliet How we can talk around our egos “None Ever Saw Francois His Equal” Joseph Boulogne, Delsarte Chevalier de and the Saint-George Language of the Body WWW.SAFD.ORG PRSRT STD US Postage PAID Bartlett, IL Permit No. 51 THE FIGHT MASTER SPRING 2012 | SAFD.ORG 1 FM_Spring2016_Cover.indd 1 2/10/16 8:23 PM ' MACE was created out of the need to have one place where people could study physical movement in all its forms. We are continually progressing toward that goal by offering more workshops and classes each year in more MACE movement styles. We bring in some of the best instructors in their fields of expertise because students deserve nothing less. If you want to be the best, \iO\l.\ll\T .\\0 you need to train with the best. CO'.\IB.\T EDUOTIO\ While we cater to performing artists, our workshops and classes are for everyone. All shapes, all sizes, all backgrounds. MACE feels everyone can Movement for EveryBody benefit from movement training. After all, everyone moves. l _-. ... 'J!-...-.,.----,.. .. •: ' ~ :- . ~ . • _.·!:'. -"·~ ~-\ / ~- .' .. I i, • .. - www.macetraining.org MACE is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide education and training that specializes around physical movement in the performing arts. B THE FIGHT MASTER FALL 2014 | SAFD.ORG Cover2+TOC ALT.indd 2 2/10/16 8:25 PM Spring 2016 | Vol 38, Number 1 MACE was created out of the need to have one place where people could The study physical movement in all its forms. We are continually progressing Visit the website for The Society toward that goal by offering more workshops and classes each year in more of American Fight Directors at www.safd.org. movement styles. We bring in some of the best instructors in their fields of The Journal of the Society of American Fight Directors expertise because students deserve nothing less. If you want to be the best, FıghtMaster you need to train with the best. While we cater to performing artists, our workshops and classes are for everyone. All shapes, all sizes, all backgrounds. MACE feels everyone can Movement for EveryBody benefit from movement training. After all, everyone moves. FightMasterThe Journal of the Society of American Fight Directors Features = 4 From Page to Stage & Pen to Sword Fight choreographers must be able to identify the sources responsible for their violence. Meron Langsner examines diferent methods of script analysis and their applicability for the choreographer. 6 FightingThe over Fifty Aging is inevitable, but it does not have to end an actor’s fght career. Randy Messersmith refects on what changes more “seasoned” performers should take into consideration FıghtMasteras they continue to fght in the theater world. 12 Francois Delsarte and the Language of the Body In this article, Joseph Travers re-introduces the work of Francois Delsarte, and his interpretation of energy and movement. 14 Stage Combat Physique In a follow-up to his article on adrenaline reactions, Eugene Solfanelli takes a look at honing the actor’s greatest tool—the body. 20 When “It’s Fine” Means It Isn’t In this article, Andrew Perez takes addresses the difcult issue of handling actors who get a litle too real in their performances, and how to handle the delicate mater of ego. 23 Reading Romeo At some point, everyone works on play featuring star-crossed lovers and a prince Standards of cats. Danielle Rosvally closely examines the myriad texts available for fght choreographers approaching Romeo & Juliet for the frst or ffieth time. 2 Editorially Speaking 3 Submission Guidelines 28 None Ever saw his Equal 3 Contributors One of the greatest fencers of the 18th century, Le Chevalier de Saint-George rose 36 Governing Body above racial barriers to atain acclaim throughout Europe. Heidi Wolf takes a look at 36 Regional Representatives his life and contributions. 37 Fight Masters 37 Fight Directors 31 The Killer’s Journey 38 Certified Teachers Tere are multiple factors that go into the physical act of killing, and it is important for performers to understand those factors to present stronger scenes. Jay Peterson delves deeper into the emotional, physical, and psychological aspects of completing a successful kill onstage. www.macetraining.org 34 Fight Matters Tough we might be safer overall, we still live in violent times. In his editorial segment, MACE is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization whose purpose is to provide education and training that specializes around physical movement in the performing arts. Joseph Travers asks what theater asks of a performer, and what the performer must give back. THE FIGHT MASTER SPRING 2016 | SAFD.ORG 1 Cover2+TOC ALT.indd 1 2/10/16 8:25 PM The FıghtMasterThe Journal of the Society of American Fight Directors Editorially Speaking FightMasterThe Journal of the Society of American Fight Directors The W at was the f rst thing you learned in stage combat—footwork? T e parts of a sword? A brief history lesson? T ink back—did anyone explain what violence FıghtMaster was? Probably not—violence is inherently understood, to the peaceful and Published bi-annually aggressive alike. Yet we, as actors and choreographers, live in a strange limbo Copyright ©2016, SAFD where we create safe violence. We are taught to go of -line, watch our thumbs, EDITORIAL STAFF and those of us who know how to break wrists and smash bones are conditioned Editor Jean A. Monfort not to when it comes to our f ght partners. To do this successfully, we must un- [email protected] derstand the nature of violence as it relates to our craf . Art Director T at sounds easy, and it is deceptively so, because each of us has a dif erent Jonathan Wieder interpretation of the fundamentals. For some, violence breaks the moral contract between [email protected] individuals and sends us backwards. For others, humanity never truly moved forward, and Associate Editors violence is simply sewn into the nature of man. Neither of these points of view is wrong, Michael Mueller though advocates would argue loudly for their side. Consider the f rst-time f ghter who does Editors not necessarily want to hit her opponent, or the male f ghter who has been socially con- Noah Appelbaum ditioned against hit ing women. Compare them to the competitive f ghter learning stage Advisor combat, not wanting to unleash the full power of an at ack. How you understand violence Ian Rose impacts how you look at choreography. W at is the basic level of a f ght, and what determines [email protected] a character’s relationship to the core concept of being violent? GOVERNING BODY T is Spring issue is all about basics. How do we, as choreographers, research the reason President for a f ght? How do we, as actors, f nd the motivation in a character to end the life of another J. David Brimmer human being? How do we, as performers, keep ourselves malleable and healthy so that we [email protected] can play all the types of characters we wish? It is my hope that in reading these articles you Vice President take an opportunity to f nd your own fundamentals, and see where you stand. It is a healthy Chuck Coyl exercise, both in terms of understanding potential character motivations, as well as where to [email protected] start when you look at piece of f ght choreography. Secretary T e SAFD welcomes the newly elected members of the governing body, as well as the new Darrell Rushton [email protected] regional representatives selected to keep the channels of communication running smoothly. We hope that you will continue advancing the goals of the SAFD, to get more theaters to Treasurer Andrew Hayes recognize the need for skilled f ght choreographers, and to encourage performers to improve [email protected] their combat skills to ensure safe f ghts on stage. We also welcome the recently established AAC/AC/Friend Rep. Diversity Commit ee. T is commit ee’s purpose is to improve inclusiveness in the SAFD, and Katherine Coyl we wish them luck with this noble goal. [email protected] Certifi ed Teacher Rep. Be well. Fight well. T. Fulton Burns [email protected] Fight Director Rep. Mike Mahaf ey [email protected] Jean A. Monfort, Editor Fight Master Rep. [email protected] Ian Rose [email protected] ADVISORY BOARD Chairman Jef rey Koep, Ph.D. Board Members Geof rey Kent, Robert L. Hobbs, Lisa M.K. Jones, Kim Zimmer HONORARY MEMBERS Rod Colbin, Anthony De Longis, Richard Gradkowski, Dale Kirby 2 THE FIGHT MASTER SPRING 2016 | SAFD.ORG Editorial+Contribs.indd 2 2/10/16 8:18 PM Contributors SUBMISSION GUIDELINES Meron Langsner, PhD has composed violence for over 150 productions, tours, and Editorial and graphic content featured in Te Fight flms and has published extensively on the subject of stage combat. He recently taught Master is the product of contributions from SAFD a dramaturgy workshop for the Choreographers’ Track at the NY Summer Sling.