November 2026 Further Weapons Intensive

Advanced Unarmed Combat

For Intermediate and Advanced students

Hand to hand combat is an essential skill for anyone working as a stunt/special action performer, but even if you are not looking to specialise in combat roles unarmed combat is one of the most frequently used disciplines.

This 4 day course will further your training, reinforcing your technique and understanding of how unarmed combat is applied to both stage and screen.

Training will include an exploration of strikes, grappling, falling, tumbling, takedowns and submissions, changing audience perspectives and how to play with bodily intention, reactions and pain.

Note: This course is open to any student who has previously obtained qualifications at at least the Standard Level grade, including those who obtained their grades during the pandemic and were unable to previously train in unarmed combat at the Standard Level.


** UNARMED COMBAT IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE ADVANCED ACTOR COMBATANT TRAINING SYSTEM, AND ANYONE LOOKING TO CONSOLIDATE THEIR DISTINCTIONS INTO AN OVERALL ADVANCED GRADE MUST HAVE A DISTINCTION IN UNARMED COMBAT**


DATES:
Monday 9th to Thursday 12th November 2026
9am - 5pm. Monday’s class finish at 4pm.

VENUE:
The Thanet Youth & Community Centre, Malden Road, Herbert St, London NW5 4HD.

WHO IT’S FOR:

  • Performers working towards BADC Intermediate or Advanced Fight status

  • Anyone with a current Standard BADC qualification

  • Performers looking to add or improve upon grades at the Further Weapons Level.

  • Anyone with at least a Standard Level qualification from another Stage Combat training organisation (BASSC, APC), if their qualification is still valid and they have done both a sword system (eg rapier) and unarmed combat.

WEAPONS COVERED:
This course will cover Unarmed Combat
This is an intensive course in which:

  • Students will spend over 25 hours learning to safely perform fight choreography in the chosen fight discipline.

  • This course will engage with the dramatic and martially specific elements of the unarmed combat, whilst presenting a technique that is hidden to the audience to create a fully committed, truthful performance.

  • The exam performance will incorporate a script.

Students will have the opportunity at the end of the course to certify with the British Academy of Dramatic Combat.

The test fee is included in the course price.

FURTHER WEAPONS LEVEL: How it works

Two distinctions are required at the Further Weapons level for a performer to gain Intermediate status.

A total of four distinctions are required to become Advanced, where one of the four must be in Advanced Unarmed Combat.

This course offers those students looking to improve upon past qualifications the best chance to hone their skills, improve technique and combine it with the dramatic intent needed to operate at the top level.

FEE: £250

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