Attendants of the Summer Stunt Academy will be given the oppurtunity to learn a number of new skills and activites, including all of the following:
Swordplay
One of the primary concentrations at the Academy is on teaching
campers the art of theatrical swordplay. We combine historical sword
technique with martial arts and modern sport fencing
to create a form of sword play specifically designed to work in
non-combative situations. We then add elements or acting, dance, and
music to "dress up" our fights, making them look more believable
from the perspective of the audience. It is the combination of these
six elements that help theatrical sword fighters practice high level
technique along with a high level of safety. We even keep the weapons
themselves in as safe a state for handling as possible. Although our
swords are functional and historically acurate, they are not sharp.
All campers will be taught the Six Layers of Safety- the various steps
we take toward keeping our partners and ourselves safe when we fight.
Campers
also learn footwork, parries (defensive moves), and attacks.
At the start of the week, all campers will begin learning how to use
swords by using wooden practice swords called bokken. Bokken are
heavier than steel swords and aid in the development
of strength, coordination, and good technique. Later, all campers will
use very light steel swords called rapiers. These swords are light
enough for eight year-olds to use, and yet they are also
excellent for use by people much older. Some camps will also use
shanai, bamboo weapons used in kendo, in preparation for lightsaber
work. At the end of the week, campers
will be invited to perform a sword fight with a short skit for all of
the parents.
Hand-to-Hand Combat and Tumbling
Not every fight in the theater is done using swords. In fact, many
sword fights are augmented by the use of hand-to-hand fighting.
Hand-to-hand combat is very important
to the field of stage combat, and so at the Summer Stunt Academy we
will be covering basic moves like punches and hair grabs. More advanced
moves such as kicks and throws may also be taught. As always, safety is
our first priority, followed by making a fight look realistic to the
audience. Campers will have each move demonstrated to them and then
explained in detail. The Six Layers of Safety also apply to hand-to-hand
combat.
In addition to throwing punches, the good stunt person needs to be able
to react to being punched. Campers will learn how to react to being on
the receiving end of a blow, which
can mean staggering back in a realistic manner, falling down, or being
laid out flat after being thrown. Basic tumbling is taught before
hand-to-hand and its reactions, since reactions
especially require knowledge of how to fall and roll safely. More
adventurous campers can learn how to jump over large obstacles, roll
with weaponry (including swords and guns), and perform more advanced
rolling and falling techinques such as flopping over backwards.
Whip Work
What would Indiana Jones ever have done without his signature weapon? Unlike Mr. Jones, however, attendants of the Academy will receive detailed instruction (without the lion or the scar on the chin). The Academy provides each camper with a 6' or 8' braided nylon bullwhip and safety glasses. A notice will be sent out telling campers when whip work is planned, since it is best if long pants are worn on those days. This activity has to be done outside, which makes it weather-dependent. The parts of the whip, its science, and its history are explained before the technique is taught. The ways to use the whip include doing different cracks, such as forward crack and overhead crack, and also performing wraps- aiming the whip and purposefully causing it to wrap around an object. This activity is generally more difficult for younger attendants, although they are encouraged to try. Some of our best whip performers at the end of the week have been nine year-olds. Everyone is welcome to take their best crack at it! (Sorry for the pun.)
Back to TopArchery
A classic activity that no stunt performer should be without. It may not be seen much on the stage, but as the movie industry continues to grow in Michigan, you never know when there may be a call for people who are handy with a bow and arrow. Campers are taught how to string and unstring the bow, how to hold it and nock their arrows, how to identify the orientation of the arrow, proper arm positioning, aiming, and how to release the string cleanly. Campers will also have the opportunity to shoot at moving targets, to run while shooting a stationary target, to fire volleys with the rest of the group, and to fire multiple arrows at the same time. The Academy has two different lengths of bow to accomodate different arm lengths. We also provide arrows. Because this activity is usually done indoors, with campers aiming at a heavy velvet cloth in front of a brick wall, it is completely understandable that arrows will occasionally be broken. If a camper breaks more than three arrows, however, we will request that they start paying for replacements. Don't worry if your aim is poor, though! Our arrows are able to take a lot of stress before they break.
Back to TopShiruken, a.k.a. Ninja Stars
These things are just too cool to pass up. The Academy has a large stock of steel shiruken and a large foam and wood target which prevents the stars from bouncing back at the thrower. None of the shiruken we give campers to use are sharp. Campers are taught the overhand and underhand methods for throwing shiruken, as well as the technique for throwing multiple stars at the same time.
Back to TopMini-Trampoline
There's nothing quite like launching yourself through the air, flipping over, and then landing on a soft, squishy pad. The mini-trampoline is used for simulating being thrown by an explosion, among other things. It involves running up to a small trampoline which is angled away from the mat, jumping onto the trampoline's center yellow square, performing whatever action is desired while flying through the air, and then landing in a controlled manner on the crash pad. Campers learn how to run and jump in order to maximize height or distance, how to control themselves in the air, and how to land is a safe and controlled manner. As students progress, they're welcome to take on bigger challenges such as jumping over barriers, grabbing objects off of barriers or out of people's hands, or catching soft objects tossed to them as they're soaring through the air.
Back to TopHigh Falls
The name pretty much covers it. High falls involve falling from a platform set on scaffolding onto a soft mat down below. To start with, students fall from a box that is level with the mat. After they have become comfortable with falling from that height, they proceed to falling from the scaffolding set to progressively higher heights. There are several styles of falling they can choose from that involve motions as simple as just leaning backward to complex moves like going down head-first. Campers can fall from as high as they are comfortable or as high as the ceiling will allow.
Back to TopFlying
It's an art that's good for stage and film alike. Every camper will be given the chance to be harnessed up and then hoisted high! There's a lot of technical stuff involved with flying, like how linked carabiners have to be made of the same metal, how the pulley sustem is set up using a 2:1 ratio, and so on. Campers will be given a brief overview of all the technical details, and then one by one they'll be suited up and given the opportunity to ascend like Superman, dive like Peter Pan, perform Spiderman-like leaps, and spin as fast as their stomachs can handle.
Back to TopGun Safety
Guns are popular in film and on stage, and since we're not really
aiming to create a war zone, we use blank-firing guns to simulate the
real thing. However, just because a gun can't fire real bullets doesn't
mean it's safe if used improperly. A blank-firing weapon can be just as
dangerous as a real gun in the wrong hands. In this case, it's
usually the person weilding the gun that becomes the victim. At the
Academy, Maestro Barbeau personally teaches all campers about gun
safety. All campers will get to handle unloaded, blank-firing guns, as
well as non-working replicas and trainer guns.
The oldest group of campers will also have the opportunity to fire the
blank-firing guns. They will be provided ample ear and eye protection
and very closely supervised during handling.
Media Time
Part of the learning experience is getting to see how it's done.
During the course of the week, campers will get to see examples of
fights and stuntwork done on a professional level. Live demonstrations
in hand-to-hand, swordplay, and whip will be given by members of the
Ring of Steel. Clips from films which demonstrate both good fight
technique and good storytelling will be shown as well.
Early in the week, the Ring of Steel will bring part of its weapons
arsenal out for display. Campers can examine and learn about the
numerous weapons they see, which will include a large selection of
swords, guns, armor, and other items such as oriental weapons, fantasy
weapons, and whips. The Academy Staff will be on hand to answer
individual questions that campers have. The weapons table will be put
on display again for the end-of-camp show.
Games
At various times during the day, open spaces in the schedule will be used for playing games. In the spirit of the Academy, all the games we play encourage martial development and/or acting skills. All of our games are low-contact (like catching a playground ball), and easy to learn and enjoy. There will also be a day in each session in which Ring of Steel's professional-grade fog machines will be set up and used to completely fill a room with mist. These machines are OSHA approved for use in operea performances and can fill a room with fog in a matter of minutes. This is a very popular time for lightsaber fights.
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