It provides a complete and detailed explanation of our safety standards and procedures. If you still have concerns, you are welcome to our Sunday Practices where we will answer all your questions.

What About Stabbings?

Historic Entertainment, a Florida not-for-profit, has the finest safety record in South Florida. In all our years we have never has a stabbing injury and we intend to keep it that way. The cornerstone of our system is safety.

To begin with, all our weapons are blunted to remove sharp edges. We train extensively and we will not put a weapon into a student's hands until we are completely confident in their ability. We must be convinced of their understanding of our safety system and techniques, otherwise they will not be permitted to handle weapons.

How We Train for Safety

Our first level of training focuses on developing advanced motor skills. We will teach you our basic combat stances and footwork. We will teach you a variety of stage falls and rolls. We will teach you how to move from one combat stance to another. We are teaching you the beginnings of how to perform a combat dance. Click for more information on our Training Program.

Once we are assured that you won't trip over your own feet we begin teaching you punches, kicks, knee strikes and elbow strikes. If you prove that you can follow the system and are not a threat to those around you, then you'll learn stomach kicks, face kicks, tornado kicks and many others. All routines are performed using all of our Safety Protocols: proper distancing, speed, partner awareness, non-verbal communication and reaction timing.

Ten Most Common Injuries and/or the Causes of Injuries.

Safety Protocols

1. Proper Distance

   You must maintain a safe distance from your partner. Most of our combat styles are taught to be performed outside of the reach of your partner's weapon. We maintain the illusion of danger by taking advantage of audience point of view and perspective. Only advanced students that have proven a mastery of our combat system are permitted to study "in-distance" weapon styles. These combat forms require you to be within striking distance of one another and thereby increases the risk exponentially. You will be allowed to learn an in-distance weapon when you have proven yourself completely proficient in our combat system and all safety protocols.

2. Speed

   Slow down! If you think you are going slow, then go slower. Whenever new partners are to start working together to choreograph a fight routine, they must work slowly. We call this "Tai Chi" Speed and we want to see you moving at this speed first:
   
   

   
   

   Once you develop Partner Awareness and a thorough knowledge of the choreography you may increase your speed to 1/4 speed. If you can perform it safely 25 times at 1/4 speed then you can move up to 1/2 speed. And so on until you reach Performance Speed which is a bit faster than 3/4 but rarely full speed.

   
   

   While we know it sounds very tedious, it is this method that guarantees a phenomenal and safe performance. We promise you, the fight will not look safe, but you will be safe.

3. Partner Awareness

   You must always know where your partner is relative to you. This means you must try to maintain eye contact at all times. Partner Awareness is developed by working together and creating a combat rhythm. This is part of why partners who have never worked together must start with very slow motions. You must be focused on what you are doing! If you are incapable of paying attention then you will not last long. You must focus on your body and your movements all while being aware of your partner's movements and relative distance.

4. Non-Verbal Communication

   There are countless means you can develop with your partners to communicate non-verbally. We will teach you our standard facial cues that communicate volumes to your partner. For example, if you stumble and want to let your partner know you're OK, you give a single head bob after establishing eye contact. This system will ensure you can always communicate with your partner under any circumstances.

5. Reaction Timing

   You will learn a combat rhythm that will keep you and your friends safe. You will learn how to wait for certain actions before unleashing your reaction. You will learn how to develop timing with your individual partners and how to adapt to their variations in rhythm. We create the illusion of violence through our theatrical reactions to injuries. When we are punched we want the audience to believe that it hurt, and it is up to you to sell that reaction. But timing is everything. Reaction Timing is about moving your body to a non-liner rhythm as part of a stunt combat routine.