Xander George Fields of Canton recently earned “Level 1” certification in stage combat.
Fields, a second-year student in the theatre program at Spoon River College, participated in a two-week stage combat workshop July 7-21 at Southeastern Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. The workshop was conducted by the independent organization Dueling Arts International, which has been offering instruction and certification in stage fighting since 1995.
The program Fields participated in included instruction in the disciplines of Unarmed Theatrical Combat, Medieval Broadsword, Rapier and Dagger of the Renaissance, Transitional Single Rapier, Smallsword of the Restoration, and Quarterstaff. The Level 1 certification requires a minimum of 12 hours of instruction in each skill.
Fields, who anticipates further collegiate study in Theatre beyond SRC, followed by a career in performance, intends to do more advanced work in stage combat as part of that training. Dueling Arts International offers both Level 2 and Level 3 instruction for more advanced learners, including the opportunity to become a trainer of combat students or a fight choreographer.
“When I was in high school and just getting started in theatre, I wanted more opportunities, not just acting or music or tech,” said Fields. “I wanted to learn more about every avenue of theatre. I wished I had more opportunities. So being able to do this workshop was really cool.”
The SRC Drama Program has an academic curriculum that includes acting courses as well as drama-oriented classes for humanities and fine-arts credit, and also offers performing grants. The Theatre program offers two productions yearly. This year’s fall production is The Book of Will by Lauren Gunderson, with open auditions taking place September 3 and 4 in the Taylor Hall Theater on the Canton Campus.
Douglas Okey, English and Drama instructor, serves as the advisor for the SRC Theatre program.
