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16th December 2025
If your child loves action, storytelling, or performance, our Stage & Screen Combat Bootcamp is an unforgettable way to dive into the world of stage combat. Running in Spring 2026, this four-day intensive course is designed for young people aged 6 to 16, offering a thrilling, creative, and safe introduction to combat for stage and screen.
Led by expert tutors, students will learn how to perform both armed and unarmed combat, mastering the skills needed to fight, fall, and tell a story convincingly, without ever putting safety at risk. Whether your child is completely new to stage combat or already has performance experience, this bootcamp offers something truly special.
What Is Stage Combat?
Stage combat is the art of making fights look real while keeping performers safe. Throughout the week, students will learn how professional performers communicate with their partners, use precise technique, and build trust to create exciting, believable fight scenes. The focus is always on safety, creativity, and collaboration.
To ensure the best learning experience, the bootcamp runs with two differentiated age groups, allowing students to train at a level appropriate to their age and development.
What Will Students Learn?
Across four full days, students build their skills step by step, combining physical technique with performance and storytelling.
Day 1: Foundations of Broadsword
The course begins with the essentials; footwork, targeting, and safe partner communication. These core techniques form the building blocks of broadsword choreography. Students who plan to take the optional exam will also use this day to prepare and practise the required demonstrations.
Day 2: Performance and Theory
On day two, students develop the performance side of their fight work. Through scene work and characterisation, they explore intention, reactions, and storytelling. Alongside this practical work, students are introduced to the theory of stage combat, learning about key practitioners, historical influences, and technical terminology.
Day 3: Polish and Performance Spark
This is where everything comes together. Students add elements such as costume, music, and performance energy to their fight scenes. Self-evaluation and peer feedback play an important role, helping students learn how to reflect on their work, give constructive feedback, and grow in confidence.
Day 4: Exam Day and Group Combat
The final day is both celebratory and exciting. In the morning, students who have opted in will present their fight scenes in pairs and receive their exam grades. Students not taking the exam will also have the chance to perform. The course finishes with the creation of an epic group fight sequence, giving everyone the chance to end the week on a high.
Optional Industry-Recognised Qualification
Students can choose to take an optional exam at the end of the course and receive a certificate recognising their achievement. Exam levels are age-specific:
Level 2 (ages 7–9) – £35
Level 3 (ages 10–12) – £35
Silver Level (ages 13–15) – £45
Gold Level (ages 16–18) – £45
Grades are awarded as Pass (40), Merit (60), or Distinction (80).
Meet the Course Leaders
The bootcamp is led by Maisie Carter of @MC_Combat, alongside lead junior instructor Emily Evans. Together, they create an inclusive, supportive environment where young performers are encouraged to be bold, expressive, and confident.
MC Combat is committed to giving students power and voice through high-quality training that celebrates individuality, diversity, and teamwork. Their instructors combine professional expertise with warmth, respect, and a huge dose of fun.
Recent fight-directing credits include: Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare’s Globe, Gone Too Far at the National Youth Theatre, The Commitments UK Tour, The Clinic at the Almeida Theatre, Malindadzimu at Hampstead Theatre, and Fair Play at the Bush Theatre.