Students will demonstrate their knowledge of and ability to safely fight on stage by creating and performing an unarmed stage fight, submitting a script for the fight that uses the correct terminology, and stating the safety rules of stage combat, entries to their learning log, and a test at the end of the unit.
Class Level:
Intermediate
Main Concepts:
unarmed combat, safety, working together
1994 National Standards:
Acting by developing, communicating, and sustaining characters in improvisations and informal or formal productions.
Description:
The goal of this unit is to provide a safe, but effective, way to dramatize conflict and combat on the stage. Students will be able to demonstrate their technical performance abilities in a choreographed combat performance. Students will learn their individual role as actor-combatant, warm-up exercises, staging and fighting unarmed combat. Students will be instructed in the safe procedures involved in stage combat. Safety factors in stage fighting will be stressed. They will understand the safety rules, terminology, and basic skills of hand-to-hand stage combat and will be able to choreograph and execute simple stage fights.
Lesson Plans
Lesson 1: The Definition of Safety in Stage Combat Students will demonstrate their knowledge by their participation in class activities, writing reflective entries to their learning log, and by taking a safety quiz.
Lesson 2: Falling Down on the Job (Basic Stage Combat Falls) Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding through participation in class activities, a mini-performance at the end of the class period, a reflective entry in their learning log as well as formal assessments (a choreographed combat performance and a unit test) at the end of the unit.
Lesson 3: Testing for Safety Purposes and Pushing Others Around Students will demonstrate their understanding of stage combat safety by taking a Combat Safety Rules Test. Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding through participation in class activities, a mini-performance at the end of the class period, and a reflective entry in their learning log.
Lesson 4: Breaking Away and Choking Students will learn and understand basic strike/punches that are often used in a choreographed fight in a play and/or film—namely: the Wrist/Hand Grab, two different Hair Pulls, the Choke Hold, and the Break Away. Students will be able to demonstrate their understanding through participation in class activities, a mini-performance at the end of the class period, and a reflective entry in their learning log.
Lesson 5: John Wayne and More Students will learn and understand basic strike/punches that are often used in a choreographed fight in a play and/or film—namely: the jab, the uppercut, the John Wayne.
Lesson 6: Ducking, Dropping, and Throwing Around Students will learn and understand basic drops and throws that are often used in a choreographed fight in a play and/or film—namely: Knee Drop, the Body Throw, and the Victim Lift.
Lesson 7: Fighting with Captain Kirk Students will learn and understand basic strike/punches that are often used in a choreographed fight in a play and/or film—namely: the jab, the uppercut, the John Wayne.
Lesson 8: Kicking Around Students will learn and understand basic kicks that are often used in a choreographed fight in a play and/or film—such as the Knee to Head Kick, the Groin Kick, the Stomach Kick, and the Head Kick.
Lesson 9: Practice Fight Students will demonstrate their understanding of stage combat by learning and practicing a choreographed fight with a partner.
Lesson 10: Practice Makes Perfect Students will demonstrate their understanding of stage combat by practicing and memorizing the Practice Fight with their partner.
Lesson 11: Practice Fight Preview Students will demonstrate their ability to fight safely by performing a preview of their hand-to-hand combat fight.
Lesson 12: Stage Combat Unit Test Students will demonstrate their understanding of stage combat by taking the Unit Test, then by applying that same knowledge as they practice for their practicum.
