Stage Combat in the United States

Stage combat in the United States arose from both a need and a desire. In 1972, a 29-year-old actor from Seattle named David Boushey decided to pursue graduate studies overseas. The Society of American Fight Directors (SAFD) was certainly at the forefront of early stage combat training. Nowadays, almost every major university theatre department offers a stage combat class, many with SAFD testing. The same opportunities are available through private classes or those offered through a theatre or training school. With the newly formed SAFD now training students across the country, stage combat as an art form started growing. There were more and more performers with the skill sets to not only perform, but also choreograph stage combat. Many of these individuals were also being employed to teach the art at colleges, universities, and private institutions.