Weapons of Choice — Stage Combat Arms & Resources
By award-winning fight choreographer Richard Pallaziol.
Though retired from active choreography, I maintain a limited inventory of fencing swords, epee-bladed rapiers, and a few remaining one-of-a-kind pieces for sale or rental. My Textbook of Theatrical Combat and YouTube channel remain free resources for actors and teachers.
Short how‑to’s and demonstrations live on the Weapons of Choice YouTube channel.
Learning Resources
The art of stage combat is built on trust, technique, and story. These resources remain open to all.
- Textbook of Theatrical Combat — a free, continually updated online reference
- YouTube Channel — short demonstrations and how‑to’s
The Stillness Between Strikes
When I first stepped onto a stage, sword in hand, I thought the art lay in the clash—the noise, the flash, the illusion of danger. Decades later, I now know it lies in the stillness between strikes: the held breath before commitment, the rhythm that governs intent, the story that shapes every movement. A good fight, like a good scene, is never about domination; it is about communication, about the silent agreement between actors that allows conflict to reveal truth rather than chaos.
Every production has been a dialogue between fear and trust, between the chaos that the audience must believe and the precision that makes it safe. Those who have fought beside me, or under my direction, know that the essential weapon is not the sword but the partnership that wields it. Stage combat at its finest is not an act of violence but an act of faith—faith that craft can transform danger into meaning.
After nearly fifty years, I am still learning from those moments: the actors who risk, the directors who trust, the students who remind me why this strange discipline matters. To all of them I owe gratitude. Together we have built a shared language—part technique, part instinct, and part grace. It has been, and remains, the great privilege of my life.
Richard Pallaziol