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Faq

Have questions about stage combat training, certification, workshops, or our services? Find answers to common questions about Rapier Wit, our programs, instructors, and how to get started.

General Info

Absolutely! Although this training is designed for actors, everyone is welcome. Our community has been enriched by people from all walks of life!
A word, though, if you’re considering stage combat certification courses: candidates are assessed in part on how they act the fight, and the standard gets higher as they progress through the levels. If you have no acting training but are interested in continuing through Intermediate and Advanced, you may at some point want to take classes in acting fundamentals (such as scene study and voice/text) to help build your technique. Your Rapier Wit instructors will be able to give you specific recommendations for supplementary training.

Don’t worry – you don’t need to be in Olympian shape to join us! There are no specific physical requirements for our sessions beyond your being in sufficiently good health to participate and partner safely. However, as with other physical endeavours, your general fitness can make things easier or harder in stage combat class. Some endurance is required for the certification courses and testing, especially for the intensive formats which involve long days. If you have concerns about your fitness or other issues (such as past injuries), please feel free to talk to us about them before you commit to a course.

Age ranges significantly for our participants, but you must be at least 18 to join our classes. If you’re under 18 and looking for training now, see Do you have kids’ classes?


Comfortable athletic clothing that you can easily move in is required. We will ask you to remove your jewelry, so you may want to leave it at home. Athletic shoes with non-marking soles are also required. Many participants bring a snack for extra energy. We usually have some snacks and drinks available at the studio for a small fee.

These classes are intended for students of all levels, from beginners to professionals. They are self-contained evenings in which an instructor leads the class in a specific technique or weapon. The instructor may announce the class focus in advance, or may base the class on student requests. Beginners are welcome! If you want to get a taste of stage combat and a sense of our studio and community, a drop-in Monday night is the perfect place to start.

About Stage Combat

FDC certification is highly regarded by other national training systems. Recognition of comparable levels varies; you can find a list of associations that recognize FDC certification on the FDC website. Specific weapons for each level also vary from association to association, but our testing system is regarded as one of the most rigorous.

Daniel Levinson, owner of Rapier Wit, is also one of the original members of Fight Directors Canada, an FDC Fight Master, and current FDC President. There’s a short history of how it all came together on our About Us page.
A workshop is usually a single event – one night or weekend – and is focused on a specific skill or weapon, whereas full actor-combatant FDC certification is a multi-disciplinary, in-depth training program. Rapier Wit workshops and drop-ins are designed for both certified and non-certified participants and are a great way to pick up skills that are not part of the FDC certification curriculum.
Certification with FDC is a nationally-recognized professional skill accreditation. Cert training is designed to develop a well-rounded actor-combatant and emphasizes not only technique but seamless integration of fight and scene. Workshops do not give the same depth of opportunity to develop skills, although they are a great way to become acquainted with new techniques. At Rapier Wit our workshop content is designed to complement the FDC curriculum rather than repeat it, so certification is still the best way to learn the fundamentals.
The only workshops we offer with third-party accreditation are for first aid (through a number of certifying bodies) and the PAL (Possession and Acquisition License) portion of our stage and screen firearms workshop. The PAL is a course taught by a government-certified instructor to train and license participants in the safe and lawful acquisition, handling, storage and transfer of restricted and non-restricted firearms. We offer it along with a third day taught by Daniel Levinson, which elaborates on the PAL training for the purposes of stage and screen firearms use but is not part of the government program. (For more info on our Stage and Screen Firearms Workshop, please see Workshops/Other Training.) We do issue a personalized Rapier Wit certificate of completion for all our courses and workshops (except drop-ins) as documentation of the training received, and you should certainly list our training on your performance resume.

Fight Direction Services

If you have any violence, you should have an FD. He or she will ensure that these moments are safe and effective, that the actors feel confident, and that the violence works as it should for each scene and show. FDC-certified Fight Directors are instructors before they become FDs, so they know how to teach technique to untrained performers. If you don’t hire an FD and your performers have little or no stage combat experience, you run the risk of injury to your performers and your story.
Yes, if they are on the Equity register. Terms are outlined in the current Canadian Theatre Agreement. If you would like to hire an Equity FD for a non-Equity show, you may be able to retain them under a Guest Artist contract. Visit the Equity Agreements section of the CAEA website for links to these documents.
The earlier the stage, the more we can help. At minimum, an FD should be present for the three weeks before preview. We strongly suggest bringing your FD on board before rehearsals begin, especially if you have to source weapons. Lots of lead time is always a good thing.
The cost and supply of weapons is separate from hiring a Fight Director and should be discussed before the first rehearsal. We do have weapons/props available for rent from Rapier Wit; details can be found on our Resources page.
In the FDC system, candidates progress through the actor-combatant levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced), apprentice to become Fight Instructors, then are mentored by experienced FDs as they build their fight direction skills. When they have amassed the requisite body of experience they are referred for assessment to be granted Fight Director status. You can find information about the certification process on our Certification page and at fdc.ca.

Fight Direction Services

If you have any violence, you should have an FD. He or she will ensure that these moments are safe and effective, that the actors feel confident, and that the violence works as it should for each scene and show. FDC-certified Fight Directors are instructors before they become FDs, so they know how to teach technique to untrained performers. If you don’t hire an FD and your performers have little or no stage combat experience, you run the risk of injury to your performers and your story.
Yes, if they are on the Equity register. Terms are outlined in the current Canadian Theatre Agreement. If you would like to hire an Equity FD for a non-Equity show, you may be able to retain them under a Guest Artist contract. Visit the Equity Agreements section of the CAEA website for links to these documents.
The earlier the stage, the more we can help. At minimum, an FD should be present for the three weeks before preview. We strongly suggest bringing your FD on board before rehearsals begin, especially if you have to source weapons. Lots of lead time is always a good thing.
The cost and supply of weapons is separate from hiring a Fight Director and should be discussed before the first rehearsal. We do have weapons/props available for rent from Rapier Wit; details can be found on our Resources page.
In the FDC system, candidates progress through the actor-combatant levels (Basic, Intermediate, Advanced), apprentice to become Fight Instructors, then are mentored by experienced FDs as they build their fight direction skills. When they have amassed the requisite body of experience they are referred for assessment to be granted Fight Director status. You can find information about the certification process on our Certification page and at fdc.ca.

Other Rapier Wit Services

We do have a range of weapons and equipment for rent. Please visit our Resources page for more information.

Theatrical firearm rentals can be complicated. As it says on our Resources page, the use, transfer and storage of certain classes of weapons, even for theatre or film, is strictly governed by the Canadian Firearms Code. The regulations may require you or your company to possess specific government-issued licenses and/or go through a formal transfer process. These requirements are non-negotiable and may take time to fulfill, so we strongly suggest that you consult with us on such rentals as far as possible in advance of start of rehearsals. Please understand that as much as we want to help, we won’t be able to rent these items to you without the appropriate processing time or licensing in place. The earlier you talk to us, the more options you’ll have.
The same applies to film rentals, and we must also supply the armourer or weapons handler for the production. We also require assurance that the appropriate permits have been obtained and that proper set protocol will be followed. We do not supply this class of item to film productions without our support.

We do rent the studio space for theatre or film related activities; contact us for terms and availability. We do not rent it for private parties. Fundraising events will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. For all rentals, a rental agreement must be signed.

The studio is available for a firm rate of $65/hr (Plus HST). Rates for other rentals vary; contact us for a quote.

Yes, we’ve done many such events. Please contact us to tell us about your project. Rates vary according to length, location, number of performers, props/weapon/costume requirements and other variables, so we’ll need detailed information in order to provide a quote.

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