why the gloves

A bug I have is gloves for stage combat. 

We don't let our students wear them, apart from in unusual circumstances.... 

But  others do, if you look at the States almost all of them, there are a few exceptions, wear long cuffed gauntlets.

Over here in the UK I have increasingly noticed the trend increasing, especially amongst some groups. These however are not gauntlets but generally they are fingerless gym type gloves.

I don't know what real purpose they serve? They offer no protection, and even if they do, learning with protection is counter productive and leads to increased risk taking.

On the occasions when we ask students to wear gloves, such as when they are preparing to perform heavy fights such as axe vs flail, where gloves would be be appropriate, the students, having become used to fighting without them are generally resistant to doing and will prefer to work without

I have heard people ask for gloves because their hands sweat... Personally I have never encountered anyone who hands got so sweaty that they couldn't hold the sword. Also putting gloves on is hardly going going to decrease your hands from sweating.... A problem is also that if you learn, wearing gloves, then that becomes the default and what you are comfortable with, if you then have to work with out gloves you have to adapt to that, and changes a habit is harder than developing one.

Another reason I have heard is sore hands or blisters.... Again that is a problems of gripping the sword too tight or having hands that are not used to being used... So correct the grip and allow the hands to toughen up.

So what are we left with? The cool factor, wearing gloves makes me look cool! Hey you are doing combat, you look cool already! If you don't then the gloves aren't going to help! 

Guildhall Exam

On Monday my students at Guildhall took their Standard exam (this is the new name for the old Basic, Level 1 exam) Under the BADC.
All 23 passed, 6 Golds, 14 Silvers and 3 Bronze. It was also the first time having Rachel Bown-Williams as an examiner. She did a good job and was open and engaging with the students giving them information and feed back in a positive way... A vital skill, the exam is the culmination of one part of any students journey with the skill, if they get the information in a poorly considered or negative way it can destroy their enthusiasm for the subject. In some cases I have seen it break a student, with others it has taken months to build their confidence back up. Ultimately the the grade they get is less important than the way that the information is passed on.

So this examiner did the job as it should be, the students were happy and got the results that they deserved. This was the first time that I had gotten Guildhall students through the exam after 3 terms of training. If these had more time the grades would be higher.

It is always difficult teaching a 3 term process when there is a gap of the summer break in there.

Oh well

The summer has passed

I have been quiet for a while.
The summer has passed with the usual round of Summer School teaching. Kristina has been in Mexico and teaching there.

I have been working on a Production of the Hired man involving some violence and some Cumberland and Westmoreland Wrestling. This is going to run as part of the Bowness Theatre Festival, so it is likely that some knowledgeable eyes will see the wrestling.

I have also been doing some filming on a feature Called Hinterland.

This afternoon will be the start of the new teaching year at LAMDA.

So it begins again.

When more isn't more

Teaching technique and sequences is the tool we use to get the student to develop the skill. The problem is that the students tend to think that learning a new technique or a new sequence or sequence part is them acquiring more skill. Where as it is through the practice of the technique and the sequence that the skill is developed.

Three keys to unarmed combat

There are 3 fundamaentals that need to be considered to sell unarmed combat.

1. The Reality - what is being done, the action/reaction/response
2. The Trick, the artificial aspect that is added to the above to make it appear real to the audience. this is how you sell the illusion to the audience, the knap, vocal sound of pain/impact/injury,  misdirection  etc.
3. The Angle, the way  that you stage the action to the audience, so they see the "reality" to its beast effect and at he same time how you hide or mask the tricks from the audience.

D-Day...

‎6th June, D-Day, in memory of all those who were then, were before and who have been since... putting themselves in harms way for us others who sit at home, so we can play at it....

Giving Up?

I'd say it's always too soon to give..... make a choice about something. Do it or don't, but don't make excuses.
People like to give reasons for a decision they have already made.
I don't want to ask others, I don't want to hold them back....
The one that gets me the most.... "I never quit, but...."
So you never quit? But now you are quitting....

Make choices and see those choices for what they are, be honest, and don't make excuses....