BASSC Swashbuckling 20th - 24th April

You've seen the swashbuckling movies both old and new. Now is your chance to learn to
fight like Zorro, Jack Sparrow and the loveable rouges from the Princess Bride.

Swashbuckling is fun but it's also a challenging skill to fight like you love
it whilst keeping the tension and fear needed to give the audience goose bumps.

Fight right handed, fight left handed and look cool whilst you do it.

Who Is This Course For?

Open to all.

This course is ideal for:
• Performers excited to explore the bold, dynamic flair of Swashbuckling
• Anyone who has handled a stage combat sword before and thought, “This is great, but what if it were bigger, louder, and more dramatic?”

• Performers looking to add a recognised BASSC Swashbuckling qualification to their professional toolkit
• Anyone keen to learn a big, characterful weapon system, build agility and confidence, meet great people, and have a lot of fun

If you’ve ever wanted to leap into a room and announce yourself unnecessarily, this course is for you.

What Will I Achieve?

By the end of the course, you’ll confidently apply the core principles of safe, high-energy theatrical weapon work, with a solid technical grounding in BASSC Swashbuckling. You’ll learn how to:

• Sell every heroic moment like your life — or the audience’s ticket money — depends on it.
• Master swashbuckling choreography: big attacks, bold footwork, and story-rich blade play.
• Hit rhythms and beats with clarity, even in the most flamboyant moves.
• Practise safely while navigating swashbuckling’s larger ranges and wilder motions.
• Perform a full choreographed fight for assessment.
• Weave in text, character, comedy, bravado, and real narrative stakes.
• Partner smoothly and adapt to fast, demanding, long choreography.
• Sharpen timing, coordination, physical storytelling, and spatial awareness.
• Build confidence — and your earning power.

You leave bolder, braver, and ready to buckle your last swash.

Anything To Do Outside Class?

Just learn your scene lines.
We’ll also dedicate time in class to directing scenes and getting them performance-ready.

Do I Need to Bring Anything?

• Comfortable movement clothes
• A spare top (it will get sweaty — all fitness levels welcome)
• A reusable water bottle
• Something to take notes with
• Gloves suitable for weapon work (full-finger leather or gardening gloves — nothing slippery or bulky)

If you don’t have gloves, we can loan you a pair.

Is There an Assessment?

Yes — an exciting one!
On the final day, you’ll perform a staged Swashbuckling fight scene in a full exam-showcase assessed by an external BASSC examiner.

The exam is open to the public, so — with the teacher’s approval — you may invite friends, family, agents, or anyone you want to impress. You can also watch future exams as part of our brilliant, supportive community.

Industry Relevance

BASSC qualifications are recognised by Equity and taught at leading UK drama schools, including:
• RADA
• Royal Central School of Speech & Drama
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
• Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
• Drama Studio London
…as well as many more institutions across the UK and worldwide.

Swashbuckling is a cornerstone of stage and screen action: its bold, adventurous style appears in theatre, film, TV, fantasy, period drama, family entertainment, and motion capture. Training in Swashbuckling equips actors to work confidently with fight directors and stunt coordinators on a huge range of productions.

What Can I Do Next?

You’ve built a strong foundation — keep levelling up with further BASSC training, either as standalone courses or toward Intermediate or Advanced Actor Combatant status.

Weapon Options

• Rapier & Dagger
• Knife
• Smallsword
• Sword & Shield
• Broadsword
• Quarterstaff
• Rapier & Cloak
• ID Fight Foundation in Stunts

Unarmed Progression

• BASSC Unarmed
• BASSC Film Fighting Foundation: Unarmed
• ID Fight Foundation in Stunts

Supportive Skills

• Combat Lab
• Falling
• Reactions
…and more!