Rockland Community College: RCC Visual And Performing Arts Students Receive Lightsaber SAFD Credentials

Press release from Rockland Community College:

2021-09-09

ROCKLAND COUNTY, N.Y. (September 9, 2021) – Each semester, the RCC Visual and Performing Arts department holds Skills Proficiency Tests (SPT) for students enrolled in the Theatrical Stage Combat courses. Last month, the school held its first SPT in Lightsaber. Christopher Plummer, Director of RCC’s Cultural Arts Theatre is a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) and held the certification tests along with Patricia Maloney-Titland, Professor in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts.

“The SPT certification test is a rigorous demonstration and examination of their new skill sets and each student challenged themselves in new and wonderful ways.” Plummer says. “While the students studied martial techniques associated with longsword, the focus of the course was Lightsaber and it was a huge success!”

Lightsaber is a unique course that incorporates other aspects of performing theatrical stage combat. Each student had to create their own character and costume that could inhabit the Star Wars universe—from their names and appearance, to their home world and complete backstory.

“Eight people were eligible to take the test and former SAFD President, Fight Master and Broadway Fight Director J. David Brimmer came to adjudicate the students. I am thrilled to report that they all earned their certification in Lightsaber (Broadsword) with the Society of American Fight Directors—and they accomplished all of this while wearing masks, not an easy feat!” The students were:

About Rockland Community College, State University of New York

This press release was produced by Rockland Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.