ID FIGHT NEWS: 01.05.2026 - READY! NEWSLETTER NO.1 - Spotlights, weapons and crosswords, oh my!

Xander Turian
May 1
4 min read

READY! ID FIGHT NEWSLETTER NO.1

Spotlights, weapons and crosswords, oh my!

STAFF SPOTLIGHT:

Zhenya Leverett ~

'How did you get into stage combat'

Image features: Zhenya Leverett teaching at The Summer Sling 2024 - photo by Theik Smith.

Zhenya Leverett is a Certified Teacher with the BASSC who has been part of the ID Fight family for over 10 years.

Since qualifying as a teacher in 2018, she has taught all around the world! As a fight director, her credits span opera, classic and modern theatre, with her credits as a performer including theatre, film and TV.

Q: HOW DID YOU GET INTO STAGE COMBAT?

I fell in love with stage combat during drama school. I felt that the constant focus on my partner, the combination of verbal and physical storytelling, as well as the level of concentration and connection it required made me a better actor. It felt like a breakthrough and I wanted to share that experience with other actors, so that’s when I realised it was my dream to become a stage combat teacher.

Q: WHAT WAS YOUR JOURNEY LIKE?

I was not particularly physically gifted and was a slow learner. It is also a niche discipline, and at the time it was seen largely as “a job for men.” It felt impossible!

Q: WAS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU HEARD A LOT?

I moved to Moscow in 2012 after graduating and learned of an MA course in Stage Combat. I arranged a meeting, where two senior (male) teachers tried to dissuade me from applying, explaining that ‘even for males’ it’s a difficult path as it requires authority and respect in the room. They were kind and polite, but suggested that, as a woman, it would be especially challenging, and I should focus on my career as an actress. But I couldn’t let go of the idea.

That same year, the BASSC came to the Silver Sword Festival in Moscow and held a one-day workshop. At the workshop I got invited to attend the BNSCW and went for the first time in 2013, then returned each year to train. I later discovered that the BASSC Teacher Training Programme is open to everyone, regardless of gender, background, or previous experience.

Q: YOU ACHIEVED YOUR DREAM AND QUALIFIED AS A TEACHER IN 2018! IS THERE ANY ADVICE YOU WOULD OFFER TO PEOPLE ON THEIR STAGE COMBAT JOURNEY?

Love what you do, and do it with love. We spend much of our lives working, so I pick work that brings me joy and lifts me up. If you like stage combat, commit to it and do the work. Try, fail, learn, keep going.

Be grateful, every day. Every time I walk to work in London, I look around and catch myself thinking how lucky I am - grateful for many things: the people around me, the effort, and the luck that shaped my path.

Zhenya Leverett teaching Rapier & Dagger at the BASSC, BNSCW

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"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop."

— Confucius

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ID FIGHT: WEAPON INSIGHT

Illustration from the Fechtbuch

What do Robin Hood, Gandalf and Donatello from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles all have in common?

QUARTERSTAFF

Although it comes in many forms, quarterstaff and the techniques associated with the weapon have been seen throughout stage and cinema since the 16th century.

Initially used in the telling of folklore, then on Gladiatorial stages, the popularity of quarterstaff on stage peaked in the 19th century with the Victorian fascination with the tales of Robin Hood.

BUT WHAT MAKES QUARTERSTAFF SO COOL WHEN IT COMES TO FIGHTING FOR STAGE AND SCREEN COMBAT?

As opposed to sword work, which tends to focus on either cleaving the opponent in half, or trying to 'stick 'em with the pointy end', quarterstaff offers more variety and the potential for continual flowing movements as you can attack with both ends of the weapon. It allows for powerful movement, acting like an extension of the body as it sweeps, blocks, binds and bashes. It's versatility is only extended (get it!), by the ability to change distance by switching between long-form and short-form attacks, which can also create interesting changes in dynamics and rhythm, captivating the audience even further.

The amazing thing about quarterstaff is that it transcends all boundaries. It was a cheap alternative to swords that still allowed for the development of fight skills and techniques. From the middle ages to present day, quarterstaff has been used by all genders, cultures and social classes. Both a training tool and a weapon in it's own right, it's the essential companion for every hero!

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:ɹǝʍsuɐ ǝlzznd s,ʞǝǝʍ sᴉɥʇ

If you're interested in learning more about quarterstaff and exploring the skill this weapon requires, our next course is running in July (earlybird still available!). Check out the training diary for more, as well as info about all of our other upcoming courses.