Rapier & Dagger 23rd to 27th Feb

Rapier
& dagger is not just a favoured weapon of the Musketeers and many a Shakespeare play. It's the go to weapon for most drama school training (If you can fight with two weapons, you can fight with one).

Rapier & Dagger covers a broad range of techniques that can be applied to other weapon systems making it the ideal choice to maximise your sword training.

Who Is This Course For?

Absolutely everyone. No experience needed!

This course is perfect for:
• Beginners wanting to dive straight into stage combat
• Actors refreshing skills learned at drama school
• Performers adding Rapier & Dagger to their professional toolkit
• SPACT and stunt performers building rock-solid foundations in theatrical technique
• Anyone looking to learn a thrilling new skill, boost coordination, make friends, and have a ridiculous amount of fun

If that sounds like you—this course is made for you.

What Will You Achieve?

By the end of the course, you’ll confidently perform safe, dynamic stage combat, gaining a strong foundation in both unarmed and weapon-based work.

You will learn how to:
• Perform and interpret choreography like a pro, spotting rhythm, landing beats, and reading fights
• Identify good and poor practice, ensuring safety for yourself and your scene partners
• Perform two fully choreographed fights (Unarmed and Rapier & Dagger)
• Integrate text, character, and storytelling into your combat scenes
• Adapt quickly and work effectively with partners
• Boost timing, coordination, physical awareness, and control
• Increase confidence, employability, and earning potential

Walk away with real, performable skills, taught by working industry professionals.

Outside Class Work

The only requirement is learning your scene lines.
We also dedicate class time to direct scenes and get them performance-ready, so you can practice in a safe, supportive environment.

What to Bring

• Comfortable movement clothes
• A spare top (you will get sweaty!)
• Reusable water bottle
• Something to take notes with
• Gloves for sword work (full-finger leather or gardening gloves, nothing slippery)

No gloves? No problem—we have spares!

Assessment

Yes—an exciting, real-world assessment!
On the final day, you’ll perform two staged fights in a public exam-showcase assessed by an external BASSC examiner.

Invite friends, family, or agents, and experience the thrill of performing for a live audience.

Industry Relevance

BASSC qualifications are recognised by Equity and taught at top UK drama schools:
• RADA
• Royal Central School of Speech & Drama
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
• Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
• Drama Studio London

Unarmed and Rapier & Dagger form the core stage combat training worldwide, giving actors a versatile, industry-ready toolkit. These skills are highly transferable to theatre, film, TV, and motion capture, and provide a strong foundation for learning other weapons.

Next Steps

You’ve laid the groundwork—now it’s time to level up with further BASSC training:

Unarmed Progression
• BASSC Film Fighting Foundation
• Independent Drama’s Foundation in Stunts

Weapon Progression
• Unarmed
• Knife
• Swashbuckling
• Sword & Shield
• Broadsword
• Smallsword
• Quarterstaff
• Rapier & Cloak

Supportive Skills
• Combat Lab
• Falling
• Reactions
… and more!