Friday, students had the opportunity to learn more than just their lines and music for the upcoming 3rd through 8th Grade musical, The Three Musketeers…they got to learn about fencing!  Honestly, what would the Three Musketeers be without some swashbuckling?  BORING!!!
Dennis Christiensen from Anchorage Fencing Club worked with the students on fencing technique and even shared his knowledge of the history of fencing.
DID YOU KNOW:  Without fencing, there would be no ballet?!
Students quickly learned terms such as:
Attack
The initial offensive action made by extending the sword arm and continuously threatening the valid target of the opponent with the point (or blade at sabre).
​En garde
French for “on guard”; spoken at outset to warn the participants to take a defensive position.
Parry
A simple defensive action designed to deflect an attack, performed with the forte of the blade.

DID YOU KNOW?
Like dancing, fencing moves follow beats and when used in shows, the moves are choreographed just as a dance would be.

Monday, students will learn about staged hand to hand combat with Nick Lynch.   Nich just finished working with students in the Valley for another production of The Three Musketeers!  He is also a member of Anchorage’s IATSE at the Performing Arts Center.

Paris LOVES her costume SO MUCH she is wearing it to help work on things for the upcoming shows!!!  I don’t think they wore sneakers though.
Paris is playing Lady De Winter, a villainess in The Three Musketeers!