Jones Participates in National Stage Combat Workshop

Dr. Macy Jones, assistant professor of theatre and communication at University of the Ozarks, spent part of her summer learning stage combat skills and safety training.

Jones participated in the two-week National Stage Combat Workshop (NSCW) in Ruston, La., July 21 through Aug 4. The NSCW is run by the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD), an organization of dedicated artists whose purpose is to promote safety and foster excellence in the art of performing, teaching, and directing staged combat/theatrical violence.

The SAFD is the main certifying body for stage combat and grants certifications for actor combatants, combat teacher, fight directors, and fight masters. Each level of certification requires hours of rehearsal, exams, and demonstration of skill.

"The Society of American Fight Directors is the voice in safety advocacy in theatre and other performance realms," Jones said. "Staged combat has the power to tell essential stories only if all the participants are free from real harm. By attending this workshop I hope to bring more awareness to our theatre students about safety. I also want to show them the path to combat certification as a possible career option."

Jones took part in the Introduction to Stage Combat Workshop, which allowed her to develop fundamental skills in eight weapon systems adjudicated by the SAFD - unarmed, knife, two-handed sword, rapier and dagger, small sword, short sword, sword and shield and staff.

"My favorite weapons are rapier and dagger and sword and shield," she said. "These were the styles I felt most intimidated by prior to the workshop. My teachers helped me push past my uncertainty and really connect with the theory and history behind them."

Throughout the two weeks, Jones received 80 hours of hands-on instruction in the combat styles. She was instructed by a cohort of people in their final steps to become certified teachers. The instructors were graded on how well they taught the basic skills, weapon safety, and choreography demonstration.

"Attending the National Stage Combat Works was out of my comfort zone," Jones said. "I learned a great deal from my time there. Not only about staged combat, but also teaching acting and how to connect the mind and the body to tell a story."

Jones received funding from the University's Dr. Helen McElree Faculty Enrichment Endowment grant to attend the workshop. The McElree endowment was established in 2015 by the Ozarks alumna and long-time professor of biology at Emporia (Kan.) State. Dr. McElree created the fund to support faculty scholarly and creative activities at Ozarks.

Jones, who earned a Ph.D. in theatre history from Louisiana State University in 2017, has taught at Ozarks since 2021.

Topics: Faculty Spotlights, Theatre