Stage Combat

Front 1

C.R.A.P.

Back 1

Cue - Reaction - Action, and Preparation - Reaction - Action)

Front 2

Avoidance

Back 2

A movement of the body and/or feet vertically, horizontally or diagonally in order to dodge an attack.

Front 3

Block

Back 3

A defensive action made with the hand or arm intended to stop a punch, kick or similar attack. A block can bemade on either side of the body and in all lines.

Front 4

Blocked Punch

Back 4

A punch that, due to the defensive action of a block, is stopped prior to landing on its projectedtarget.

Front 5

Break Fall

Back 5

Any maneuver that dissipates the energy or force from a fall or roll and gives the illusion of impact

Front 6

Check

Back 6

The process of curbing, or restraining the offending hand, arm or leg after a successful block.

Front 7

Bind

Back 7

A checking action made on the opponent’s hand, arm or leg, executed by blocking the attack and thenmoving it diagonally to the opposite quadrant (i.e. from the inside high to the outside low, or outside high toinside low, etc.).

Front 8

Envelopment

Back 8

A checking action made on the opponent’s hand, arm or leg, executed by blocking the attack andthen by describing a circle with both arms in contact, bringing the opponent’s arm back to the placement wherethe check began.

Front 9

Choke Hold

Back 9

Any grasp or hold on the area of the throat made with any hand or limb that gives the impression ofstrangling the victim

Front 10

Contact Blow

Back 10

A punch, kick, strike or blow that actually makes contact with the receiver, generally in view of theaudience and/or camera, delivered to a large muscle group or muscle mass. Opposite of Non-contact Blow.

Front 11

Distance

Back 11

The proper measure between two or more combatants to safely execute any particular technique in stagecombat.

Front 12

Duck

Back 12

The vertical lowering of the head and torso to avoid an attack at the head

Front 13

Elbow Attack

Back 13

Any contact or non-contact strike, or attempt thereof, which seems to be made with the point of theelbow.

Front 14

En Guard

Back 14

The basic physical "ready" position of a combatant.

Front 15

Expulsion (Also, Throw Off)

Back 15

Using the energy and movement of a check or prise de fer to throw or fling the opposingarm and/or weapon aside.

Front 16

Eye Contact

Back 16

A “cue” or “check point” in a fight that has the combatants frequently look in their partner’s eyes toassure mutual awareness and readiness to perform the techniques.

Front 17

Fall

Back 17

Any technique that allows a combatant to safely drop from a standing or elevated position to the floor, landing onsome part of the body other than the feet.

Front 18

Feint Attack

Back 18

An attacking action made without intending to hit and designed to either probe the opponent’s defensivereaction or to draw a reaction or a parry.

Front 19

Flip/Throw

Back 19

An offensive movement that controls or appears to control the victim's center, giving the illusion of liftingthem off their feet and returning them to the ground on some part of the body other than the feet – usually into abreak fall or roll.

Front 20

Forward Roll/Summersault

Back 20

A roll or tumble executed down the back, rolling the length of the spine along thefloor.

Front 21

Hair Pull

Back 21

A grasp with one or both hands in which the victim’s hair appears to be clasped in the fist and aggressiveforce is applied.

Front 22

Hold/Grasp

Back 22

To use one or both hands for clutching or grasping the opponent

Front 23

Kick

Back 23

The use of the leg and foot in contact and/or non-contact striking techniques. To strike with the foot.

Front 24

Knap

Back 24

A technique for creating the sound of impact of a non-contact blow, to help heighten the illusion that contacthas been made.

Front 25

Body Knap

Back 25

The sound made by striking a major muscle group on the body

Front 26

Cage Knap

Back 26

The sound made when the hand or foot of one combatant is slapped into their partner’s slightlycupped hands. The hands are crossed, forming a "cage."

Front 27

Clap Knap

Back 27

The sound made when both hands clap together, usually made by the victim.

Front 28

Partnered Knap/Shared Knap

Back 28

A knap created by both combatants; by one hand striking another or bystriking a specific muscle mass to create the sound of impact

Front 29

Slip Hand Knap

Back 29

A self knap on the attack where the aggressive hand slips past the non-aggressive hand tocreate the sound of impact.

Front 30

Lines of Attack or Defense

Back 30

Referring to the imaginary planes that bisect the body into four equal sections, onevertical (delineating Inside and Outside) and one horizontal (delineating High and Low). The line may be open orclosed, according to the relationship of the attacking blade, the target, and the defending blade.

Front 31

High Line

Back 31

The area of attack and defense located above the waist level. Opposite of Low Line.

Front 32

Inside Line

Back 32

The area of attack and defense on a combatant, delineated by their vertical center line, which isfurthest from their weapon bearing side. Opposite of Outside Line.

Front 33

Low Line

Back 33

The area of attack and defense located below waist level. Opposite of High Line.

Front 34

Outside Line

Back 34

The area of attack and defense on a combatant, delineated by their vertical centerline, which bearsthe identifying weapon. The weapon-bearing half of the body. Opposite of Inside Line.

Front 35

Mid Line

Back 35

Referring to the imaginary horizontal plane that bisects the body into two equal sections,delineating the High and Low Lines of Attack and Defense.

Front 36

Non-Contact Blow/Strike

Back 36

A punch, kick or strike that in actuality does not land on the recipient’sbody, is properly masked from the audience, with a well timed knap. Opposite of Contact Blow.

Front 37

Off-Line

Back 37

a.) Any attack that is directed to a target away from the body. b.) The relationship ofcombatants' bodies when the centerlines of the combatants are offset.

Front 38

On-Line

Back 38

a.) A mode of theatrical swordplay where attacks are aimed at specific body targets on thecombatant. b.) The position of the two partners' bodies where the shoulders are precisely lined up, no matter wherethey are on stage.

Front 39

Partnering

Back 39

The process in which two or more combatants actively work together to safely and effectively makenonviolent actions appear dangerous and real.

Front 40

Punch

Back 40

Offensive striking techniques with the hand(s) that are executed with the hand closed into a fist.

Front 41

Back Fist

Back 41

A punch made with the back of the hand.

Front 42

Cross (Punch)

Back 42

A punch that travels horizontally across the victim’s jaw-line, from either the right to the left, or viceversa.

Front 43

Double-Hand Hammer Punch

Back 43

A large and violent punch made with the handsclasped one around the other, striking downward with the little finger side of the fists.

Front 44

Hammer Punch

Back 44

A descending, vertical attack made with a closed hand that hits with the little finger down andthumb up, to strike like club or hammer.

Front 45

Hook (Punch)

Back 45

A rising diagonal punch delivered from the side that crosses the plane of the face (or body) with the armcurving through the air in a tight hooking motion.

Front 46

Jab

Back 46

A straight, in-and-out punch delivered from the leading shoulder and foot. Opposite of a Straight Punch.

Front 47

Roundhouse Punch

Back 47

A large, dynamic,hooking punch that travels in a wide arc across the victim's face, from either right to left, or vice versa.

Front 48

Stomach Punch

Back 48

A hooking punch, delivered at close quarters towards the abdomen of the victim. A stomachpunch may be delivered from either the right or left and may be either contact or non-contact.

Front 49

Straight Punch

Back 49

A direct, linear punch delivered from the rear or back shoulder and foot. Opposite of a Jab.

Front 50

Uppercut

Back 50

A left or right blow with the fist delivered with a bent arm in an upward motion.

Front 51

Roll

Back 51

Any technique in which the body is safely turned on the floor, circling an axis parallel to the body's center line ormid line – often into a break fall.

Front 52

Stomach Roll

Back 52

A roll or tumble executed by rolling on a diagonal from the large muscle groupings of one shoulder tothe opposite buttock (forward shoulder roll) or vice versa (backward shoulder roll).

Front 53

Slap

Back 53

A blow delivered with an open hand, usually (but not exclusively) made to the face.

Front 54

Slip

Back 54

a.) A movement of the head or body, either to the right, left, forward or backward, used to avoid a punch orminimize its impact. b.) A circular step backward that takes the body off-line to either the right or left and endingwith the legs crossed.

Front 55

Trap

Back 55

An act or action that immobilizes an opponent’s limb(s) and or weapon to effect an attack or disarm.

Front 56

Traverse

Back 56

Any foot movement that takes the combatant off line

Front 57

Victim

Back 57

The actor/combatant on the receiving end of any given attack.

Front 58

Motivated

Back 58

All movement must be motivated.

Front 59

Simplified

Back 59

Art must be selective to communicate

Front 60

Heightened

Back 60

Compensate for the distance between actor and audience.

Front 61

Delineate Character

Back 61

Acharacter’spersonality,attitude,health,andageshouldallberevealedinthecharacter’smovement.

Front 62

Open to the Audience

Back 62

Movement should be open to the audience.

Front 63

Adjust to characters on stage.

Back 63

Always be aware of the other characters on stage.

Front 64

Basic Principal 1(Fear)

Back 64

Eradication of Fear is essential: knowledge replaces ignorance

Front 65

Basic Principal 2 (Fitness)

Back 65

Physical fitness is necessary

Front 66

Basic Principal 3 (Struggles)

Back 66

In case of stage struggle, opposition must become cooperation

Front 67

Basic Principal 4 (Hazard)

Back 67

Knowledge and practice reduces the risk of injury-spur of the moment can become dangerous.

Front 68

Basic Principal 5 (Speed)

Back 68

Safety and Security are best gained by practicing slowly first

Front 69

Basic Principal 6 (Detail)

Back 69

Generalized or blurry movements detract from the authenticity of the scene

Front 70

Basic Principal 7 (Pinch/Ouch)

Back 70

Demands Action/Reaction Techniques

Front 71

Basic Principal 8 (Sound)

Back 71

Properly executed reactions can add effective sounds to your fight

Front 72

3 Points of the Stage Pyramid

Back 72

Safety, Creativity, Technique