Actor Combatant Master 2005-rewrite...Actor Combatant Glossary of Terms ADC/AC Gloss/2005 Revision...

Actor Combatant Glossary of Terms

ADC/AC Gloss/2005 Revision Date: July 2006 1

ACTOR COMBATANT GLOSSARY

Of Terminology USED IN

DRAMATIC Fencing. Weapons and Accoutrement

DRAMATIC Unarmed COMBAT Performance.

Copyright in this document and any attachments remain with the ADC. It is private and confidential and legally privileged. If this document is not intended for you it must not be copied or read or disclosed to anyone else and should be destroyed. Please advise the ADC immediately if received in error. The performance techniques within are to be taught by a professional ADC Instructor, however no responsibility for the misuse of the enclosed information in any way is accepted by the ADC or it’s members.



FENCING

TERMINOLOGY USED IN DRAMATIC COMBAT (Including single and double weapon terms)

Each instructor will bring their own interpretation and terminology to accompany this glossary. It is

advised that the combatant keep a notebook to ensure all information is kept up to date.

This section is separated into the following sub headings Footwork. Blade work. Body positions., Targeting, Grip

The techniques described in this document, are for the performance of theatrically safe illusions of violence, both armed and unarmed. Although based upon historically accurate forms of defense, the

enclosed are descriptions for theatrical purposes only.



BLADE WORK

ATTACK. Any attempt to inflict the illusion of injury with acted aggression, with or without weapons. ATTACK ON THE BLADE. The three actions that physically target the blade. BEAT. A sharp "tap" against the middle or the foible of the partner’s blade, with the object of opening an offensive line, or provoking an attack. FROISMENT. A preparation of attack made by deflecting the combatant's blade by a strong grazing action along it. PRESSURE. A preparation of attack made by pressing on the combatant's blade, to enable a line of attack, or to provoke a reaction COMPOUND ATTACK. Is composed of more than one blade action and incorporates one or more feints. COULÉ. (Glissade, Graze) To extend the sword-arm, remaining in contact with the combatant's blade and slipping lightly along it. CUT. An attack made with the true edge or the false edge of the blade. CUT OVER. (Coupe) A disengagement made by passing the tip over the combatant's blade or hilt. CHANGE BEAT. A change of engagement immediately followed by a beat attack. CHANGE OF ENGAGEMENT. To release contact of the blades, and re-establish contact in a new line. CUT OVER HEAD. A horizontal cut designed to look as if it will strike the head if it lands. It may travel right to left or vice versa, and is usually avoided by ducking. CUT ACROSS STOMACH A horizontal cut designed to look as if it will cut the stomach open if it landed. It may travel right to left or vice versa. It is usually avoided by jumping back. DECEPTION OF PARRY. The evasion of the defender's as they attempt to make contact with the combatant’s blade as they try to parry, engage, or attack the blade.

DIAGONAL CUT. An angled cut to either the inside or outside line. It may be rising or falling DISENGAGEMENT. Moving from the line of engagement to another line by passing the blade under the combatant's blade or hilt. DOUBLÉ. (Compound attack). A thrusting attack in any line that deceives a direct parry and a circular parry. ENGAGE. To establish contact with the blades. FEINT. An offensive movement made to resemble an attack in order to draw a reaction from the combatant. PARRY. A defensive action whereby an attack is blocked, deflected or re-directed. The three categories of parry are: Direct, Semi Circular, and Circular DIRECT PARRY. (Lateral, simple, instinctive Parry) 1. Any parry made from guard. 2. A horizontal parry that remains in the high or low line SEMI-CIRCULAR PARRY. A parry during which the blade describes a half circle from a high to low line or vice versa. CIRCULAR PARRY. (Counter Parry Acquired Parry) A parry during which the defender's blade describes a circle to gather combatant's blade. BEAT PARRY. A parry that defends a target by striking an attacking blade and knocking off target. CEDING PARRY. (Yield parry) A defensive movement immediately following a parried attack, whereby the initial attacker gives way to a counterattack while the blades remain engaged. HAND PARRY. A defensive move where the hand (usually gloved) is used to deflect, block, or seize an attacking blade. HANGING PARRY. A parry protecting the diagonal high lines with the hilt high and the point low. REINFORCED PARRY. A parry that is directly supported by a secondary weapon, object or hand HAND POSITIONS



NEUTRAL. Slang for the hand position with 'thumb on top', i.e. half-way between supination and pronation. PRONATION. The position of the sword hand with the palm down. SUPINATION. The position of the sword hand with the palm up. MOLINELLO. A cut to head following the parry of one. MOULINET. The so-called 'figure-of-eight' consists in the continuous execution of the two downward diagonal cuts, making a 'X' in the air. When the subsidiary point movements needed to join the arms of the figure are added, an imaginary figure '8', lying on its side, is created. PARRY The nine basic positions of parry used in theatrical combat are: PRIME. (Parry 1) The first position and parry, so called because it was supposed to be that which was instinctively assumed when the sword was drawn from its sheath to meet a surprise attack. Protecting the low inside line, with the hand in pronation. SECONDE. (Parry 2) The second position and parry protecting the combatants lower trunk on their sword hand side, similar to octave, but the hand is in pronation TIERCE. (Parry 3) The third position and parry, protecting the outside high lines of the body, with the hand in pronation. CARTE (Parry 4) The fourth position and parry, protecting the high inside line of the combatants torso. QUINTE. (Parry 5) The fifth position and parry. It protects the head with the hand in pronation QUINTE ALTERNATE (Parry 5A) A reversed fifth parry, it protects the head but with the hand in supination. SIXTE. (Parry 6) The sixth position and protecting the high outside line of the combatant's trunk. The hand, supinated. Usually used as a parry against a thrust. SEPTIME. (Parry 7) The seventh position and parry, protecting the lower part of the combatants target on the inside low line, the hand in supination.

OCTAVE. (Parry 8) The position and parry protecting the low outside line, with the hand in supination. One of the last to be defined and adopted PISTON THRUST. The use of the sword arm in a direct thrust, withdrawing the arm and repeating the same action. POINT CONTROL. The ability to regulate the movement of the point accurately and place it on the exact part of the target desired. POMMEL ATTACK. An attack made, with the pommel of the weapon instead of the blade. POSITIONS. Refers to the position of hand and blade at any given time and can be analyzed on a dual basis: a) The hand positions: Pronation, Supination or Neutral. b) The blade positions: (see Parries) PREPARATION OF ATTACK. A movement of blade or foot, designed to prepare the way for an attack, either by displacing the combatant's blade from its line, or by obtaining a reaction from him. Preparations involving the use of the feet are normally used to close the fencing measure and come within attacking distance, although occasionally they may succeed in distracting the combatant's attention. Preparations may be classified as follow: 1) With the foot. Steps forward and back, jumps, appel, balestras and so forth are of course included under this heading and a backward movement may well be used in order to tempt the combatant into incautiously advancing within attacking distance. 2) Prises-de-fer or taking of the blade.

a) Bind b) Croise c) Envelopement (See under separate headings)

3)Attacks on the Blade. a) Beat b) Pressure c) Froissement

PRISE-de-FER. A preparation of attack in which the combatant's blade is taken by an Envelopment, Bind or a Croise. A prise-de-fer can only be effective when the combatant's arm is extended with blade in line



BIND. A preparation of an attack that carries the combatant's blade diagonally across the body from high to a low line or vice versa. CROISÉ. Taking the combatant's blade from a high line to a low line or vice versa on the same side of the body. ENVELOPMENT. Taking the combatant's blade and describing a circle to return to the line of engagement without losing contact of blades. REDOUBLEMENT. The delivery of a second thrust, without rising from the lunge, after the first attack has been parried. REVERSE GRIP. An underhand grip on a weapon. RIPOSTE. The offensive action following the successful parry of an attack. SENTIMENT DU FER. 'Sensation of the blade.' Feeling a combatant's reactions through contact with the blades. SHUNT (quillon beat) Beating away a combatant’s blade using the quillon block or guard, after a successful parry. SIMPLE ATTACK. An attack made with one movement either direct or indirect. THRUST. An attack with the tip of the blade and the arm in extension. BODY POSITIONS ALIGNMENT. The body’s posture when fencing, where as the head and spine are straight. AVOIDANCE. A defensive movement intended to evade an attack, therefore, no contact is made. CENTRAL GUARD. An en garde position where the hand and sword are placed between two horizontal and vertical lines, thus not completely in any one line. CENTRE LINE. An imaginary line that bisects the body into equal halves.

BALESTRA. A preparation of attack. A jump forward usually, but not always followed by a lunge. CORPS À CORPS. Means body to body. Describes the moment when the combatants come into physical contact and the weapons are immobilized. DEMI VOLTE. A defensive method of effacing the target by swinging the rear leg backward and sideways, so that the torso is brought 90 degrees to the line of attack. FENCING MEASURE. The distance that exists between two combatants. LUNGE. The forward extension of the arm, body, and legs used to reach a combatant. ON GUARD. (standard) The basic position. Where the lead foot is placed a step in front of the rear foot, with the knees slightly flexed. The spine and head should be in line. SITTING DOWN. Bending the knees when in the on guard position. Part of the Stance. STANCE. Strictly speaking, the position of the feet and legs only in the on-guard position. TRAILING FOOT. The rear foot in the on guard position. FOOTWORK. ADVANCE. The leading foot steps forward, followed by the trailing foot, maintaining the same distance between the feet as the on guard position. APPEL. The stamping of the foot prior to, or after an attack. DEFENSIVE GUARD. When the trail foot is forward of the lead foot when in guard. DEMI-VOLTE. A method of effacing the target by swinging the rear leg backwards and sideways, so that the torso is brought 90 degrees in relation to the line of attack. FULL PASS. The rear leg is moved forward of the leading leg, the rear leg then moves forward



of the leading leg, thus returning to the fencing position. LEAD FOOT. The front foot when on standard guard. NEUTRAL GUARD. When both feet are parallel when on guard. OFFENSIVE GUARD. When the lead foot is forward when on guard. PASS BACKWARD. When the lead foot crosses trail foot in retreat. (one step) PASS FORWARD. When the trail foot crosses the lead foot in advance. (One step) PATINANDO. An advance followed immediately by a lunge. PIED A FERME. Standing your ground, with feet in place. RECOVER. A return to the on guard position. RECOVER BACK. (Recover to the Rear) Returning to the en garde after a lunge moving the front foot back. RECOVER FORWARD (Recover to the fore). Returning to the on guard position after a lunge moving the rear foot forward. RETREAT (Retire). The rear foot steps backward, followed by the front foot, while retaining the gap between the feet. VOLTE. A method of effacing the target by swinging the rear leg backwards and sideways,

so that the torso is brought 180 degrees in relation to the line of attack. TARGETING CLOSED LINE. (Covered Line) When the defender's weapon prevents an attack to that line of targeting. INVITATION . Opening a line to offer the combatant the chance for an offensive movement. LINES. Four divisions of the target areas (inside, outside, high, low) . HIGH LINE. The parts of the combatant's target visible above the sword hand when on guard. INSIDE LINE. The parts of the target to the left of the sword hand when one is right handed and right, if one is left handed. LOW LINE. The target areas visible below the sword-hand when on guard. OUTSIDE LINE. The parts of the target to the right of the sword hand when one is right handed and left, if one is left handed. OFF LINE. (Off Target) An attack that is directed away from the body. ON LINE. (On Target) An attack directed to a target area of the body. OPEN LINE. An unguarded area. TARGET. That part of the body to which an attack is delivered

Weapons and Accoutrement.



BLADE. The blade is divided into eleven parts. FALSE EDGE. The back edge of the blade. FLAT. Part of the blade, the width of a sword blade. FOIBLE. The third of the blade nearest to the point. The weakest part of the blade. Seventeenth century French for, feeble. FORTE. The third of the blade nearest to the hilt. The strongest part of the blade, normally used for defense. FULLER. (flute)Groove or grooves cut into a blade to lighten the weapon whilst maintaining its strength. MID BLADE. The third of the blade between the foible and forte. Ideally, most attack/defense engagements should seek to avoid mid-blade contact in favor of the foible or forte, normally through correct fighting distance and hand/blade position. RICASSO. The flattened part of the tang of the blade, immediately above and within a guard. SHOULDER. Part of the blade where the quillon block or cup sits. TANG. Part of the blade that runs through the grip. Usually threaded. TIP. (Point). The forend of the blade, used for thrusting and lunging attacks. TRUE EDGE. When an edged weapon is held correctly it is the edge of the blade pointing toward a combatant. The true edge is opposite the thumb. BLUNT. (Rebated) 1. No edge.

2. A practice weapon. MARTINGALE. A leather loop, fixed to the grip just inside the guard and passed round the combatant's fingers in order to prevent the weapon flying out of the hand in the event of a disarmament. NAKED. An unsheathed blade. SCABBARD. A leather or metal sheath in which a sword blade rests. SHARPS. The name given to swords which are not rebated, blunted, equipped with buttons, or otherwise rendered innocuous for practice fencing. SINGLE RAPIER. The system of dueling or fencing with one rapier, as opposed to rapier and

dagger, or even a case of rapiers, two rapiers, one in each hand. SWORD. A generic term for any cutting or thrusting weapon palpably larger than a dagger and at the same time neither a hacking weapon like the axe, nor a staff weapon such as the spear or halberd. The sword is divided into the following parts. GRIP. The part of the handle normally held by the hand. Also the manner in which the weapon is held. GUARD. The portion of the hilt between the blade and the grip that protects the hand. HILT. Strictly, collective term for parts of the sword including guard, quillons, grip (and pommel). The term, however, is loosely applied to the guard itself in cup-hilt and cross-hilt. LOCKING-NUT. A small nut fitting round the tang of the blade and enabling the pommel to be screwed over it. KNUCKLE-BOW. A thin curved piece of metal, extending in a bow shape from the handle, where the latter joins the inside of the guard, to the pommel. In the absence of a basket-hilt, it offered some protection to the hand against a slash, although it was frequently still found on a small-sword of the eighteenth century, when, of course, a thrust was the chief danger to be feared. PAS d'ANE RINGS. The eyes of the hilt, two circular rings located beneath the guard. POMMEL. The metal cap, in the old days often ornamental, which screws onto and locks in place the 'tang' of the blade, where the latter passes through and projects just beyond the top of the grip. The pommel’s weight also serves to balance the blade. QUILLONS. The crossbars of the hilt. SHELL. The coquille or guard. SIDE RINGS. Protections fixed to one, or sometimes both sides of the hilt on sixteenth-century rapiers, in the days when mailed gauntlets were going out of fashion and some additional protection was needed for the hand. SWORD BELTS. A method of carrying a sword on the body. BALDRICK. A sword belt hung from the shoulder. FROG. A leather loop worn on a belt in which a sword or weapon may be worn. HANGER. The girdle of a sword belt, usually with several straps.



SWORD EVOLUTION. The sword’s evolution was primarily from a broad bladed hacking weapon to the lighter, more sophisticated competitive swords of today’s competitive fencing. The following weapon descriptions are not in historical order. CUP-HILT. This type of guard is fashioned in the shape of a fairly shallow cup; it was common among rapiers in the sixteenth and seventeenth century and the cup or bell is a feature of the modern epee. EPÉE. A dueling sword that evolved in the nineteenth century. One of the three competitive fencing weapons. FOIL. The practice weapon of the small sword, evolved in the late seventeenth century. One of the three competitive fencing weapons. RAPIER. The long, narrow thrusting weapon which originated in Italy in the early sixteenth century and was destined entirely to replace the broadsword. As time passed, the rapier was progressively shortened and lightened, until it evolved into the eighteenth century small-sword, sharp on one edge only or neither. SABRE. Originally the heavy, curved, cutting weapon of the Cavalry. One of the three competitive fencing weapons. SMALLSWORD. A short elegant, light and beautifully proportioned weapon which superseded the transition rapier at the turn of the eighteenth century. SWEPT HILT. The name given to the interlocking ring guards found on many sixteenth-century rapiers. TRANSITION RAPIER. The weapon which began to make its appearance about the middle of the seventeenth century, intermediate in the development from the long Italian rapier of the previous century to the small-sword of the eighteenth. It was kept sharp at the edges, less for the purpose of cutting than to prevent its being seized in the disarming routines discussed and recommended by all contemporary fencing masters. TEMPER. The hardness or strength of the blade metal.



TERMINOLOGY USED IN DRAMATIC UNARMED COMBAT



AVOIDANCE. A defensive movement intended to evade an attack, therefore, no contact is made. BITES. The illusion of biting a part of a combatant’s anatomy. BLOCKs. A defensive action to stop a blow from reaching its intended target. Using the forearm or hand in the high line. Using the foot or shin in the low line. Inside. To deflect the on coming attack across the body. Outside. To stop the on coming attack to the outside of the body. CHOKE. The illusion of strangulation by use of a part of the operators body, hands, arm leg etc., restricting a combatants breathing. DRAG. Safe transportation of a combatant across the stage, whilst horizontal on their back or front. By various techniques and parts of the anatomy. ELBOW STRIKE. An attack using the elbow. Break FALLS. The illusion and safe execution of a combatant from a kneeling position, or higher to the ground. By means of trip, slip, throw etc. Sit Fall. Side Fall. Back Fall. Trip. FEINT. An offensive movement made to resemble an attack in order to draw a reaction from the combatant. KICK. Use of the foot or leg for striking. knaps The theatrical sound of a blow that has supposedly made contact. Performed by clapping or striking a major muscle mass. Arm knap. The sound of a blow making contact, by striking the muscle of the upper arm. Body knap. The sound of a blow making contact, made by striking a part of the body. Chest knap. The sound of a blow making contact by striking the chest. Clap knap. The sound of a blow making contact, made by clapping ones' hands.

Thigh knap. The sound of a blow making contact by striking the thigh. There are four different performance techniques of the knap:

a) First person or operator. b) Second person or receiver. c) Third person. d) Shared.

KNEE. A blow designed to look as if the knee has made contact with a combatants body. Usually delivered with the thigh . LOCK. A hold used to immobilize a part of the body. OFF LINE. (Off Target) An attack that is directed away from the combatant's body. ON LINE. (On Target) An attack made directly to a target area of the body. PULLS. Safe transportation of a combatant around the stage, whilst upright. By various techniques and parts of the anatomy. PUNCHES Back fist. A blow made with the back of the fist, using the knuckles. Cross. A punch delivered on a horizontal plane, from right to left or visa versa that crosses the central plane. Hook. A short punch that travels from left to right or visa versa, in a horizontal arc with a bent elbow. Jab. A lead hand punch. A short straight punch thrown from the shoulder. Roundhouse. A large overplayed punch from right to left or visa versa. Uppercut. A rising blow with the fist delivered from beneath the target area. rolls Shoulder roll. A forward roll diagonally across the back, protecting the head and minimizing contact with the spine. Backward Roll. Rolling backwards diagonally across the back and over one shoulder, again protecting the head and spine. Barrel roll. SCRATCHES. The illusion of raking the face or body with fingernails.



SLAPS. The use of an open hand, front or back to strike a combatant. Backhand. Using the back of the hand to strike horizontally, diagonal rising, diagonal falling. Forehand. Using the front of the hand to strike horizontally, diagonal falling. Contact Facial. (NB this slap is described here for information only. ADC does not advocate the use of this technique.) Often delivered to the jaw line, this is a slap that makes contact. THROWS. The illusion and execution unbalancing techniques which results in a combatant being transported to the floor safely. Hip Throw. Leg Sweep. Head Mare.



Performance



ACTED AGRESSION. The illusion of force or violence. ACTOR’S PARRY. An exaggerated theatrical parry of seconde #2. ARTISTIC DIRECTOR. An individual who is responsible for the overall look of a production. BLOCKING. A method in which individual movements are set within a rehearsal. CADENCE. The rhythm in which a sequence of movement is made. CHOREOGPAHY. A series of preset movements that when performed together give the illusion of a fight routine or dance. COMMUNICATION. The ability to communicate with a combatant whilst staying in character, with theatrical believability and complete the set choreography. ELEMENTS OF STAGE COMBAT. Time, velocity and measure. EYE CONTACT. Looking into a combatant’s eye to ensure safe execution of a technique. FIGHT CAPTAIN. A member of the cast who oversees the fight rehearsals on behalf of the Fight Director. They are not permitted to change, re-choreograph or choreograph without the Fight Directors presence at the rehearsal. FIGHT DYNAMICS. Energy of movement, expressing intensity, accent and quality. FIGHT DIRECTOR. An advanced actor combatant who has served a two year apprenticeship with a certified Fight Director / Fight Master to meet the set requirements to be recognized as a Fight Director. FIGHT INSTRUCTOR. An advanced actor combatant who has served a two year apprenticeship with a certified Fight Instructor / Fight Director / Fight Master to meet the set requirements to be recognized as an instructor. FIGHT NOTATION. The written shorthand notation system used by fight directors to record a fight routine

FIGHT STORY. There are four stories to each fight routine.

a) First person story. b) Second person story. c) Combined. d) The audiences perception of the story.

GROUNDING. Having a stable base from which to perform fight choreography. IMMEDIATE. A movement made without pause. MASKING. 1. The action of ‘hiding’ combat techniques from the audience, to create the illusion of realism. 2. Drapes that hide the wing spaces, rear wall, scenery and lighting bars from the audiences sight. COMBATANT. For the purposes of staged combat, all techniques both in attack and defense are worked in partnership. Not in competition with a fellow actor. PHRASE. A section of fight choreography. RAKE. The angle of the stage from a low to a high point. Usually from downstage to upstage, enabling a better view of the production for the audience. REACTION. The perceived direction, speed and weight in which a body moves after being struck. REVERSE ENERGY. The ability to reverse the energy direction of any attacking motion, so that the operator is in complete control of both their body and any weapon. SAFETY. The first rule of stage combat. No technique, choreography, weapon or prop shall be used without safe operation. SELL. The illusion of attack or receiving of any blow. SPATIAL AWARENESS. The ability of a stage combatant to recognize where they are within the confines of the area in which they are working. STAGE DIVISION The way in which a stage is divided.



STAGING. The physical area on which a performance takes place. Proscenium Arch. The auditorium is separated from the stage, usually by the orchestra pit. Thrust Stage. The stage juts out into the auditorium in the form of a walkway. Round. The audience sits around the performance area. Promenade. The audience is physically transported from one area to another during the performance. TECHNICAL MANAGEMENT. The individuals who make up the technical team. They are responsible for all the technical aspects of a production. They include: Stage management, Lighting, Rigging, Stage hands, Carpenters, Props, Wardrobe, Sound, Electrics Etc. TRACKING. The ability to throw a punch, kick or weapon attack to where the combatant was, not where they are going to be, thus keeping the inherent safety measures of the fight. VOCAL KNAP. A vocal reaction in place of the body or clap knap. WALK THROUGH. A slow rehearsal speed / pace. WIELD. The use of a weapon. WILLING SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF The willingness to accept something that does not exist. The actor’s ability to convince an audience that an attack has made contact, when in fact it hasn’t.

Actor Combatant Master 2005-rewrite...Actor Combatant Glossary of Terms ADC/AC Gloss/2005 Revision...

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