Stage Combat Glossary
| Advance | The
leading foot moves forward followed by the rear foot. Sometimes referred to as "the fencing step". |
| Balestra | A combination of a jump forward and a lunge. This is a two-tempo action, the jump then the lunge. |
| Beat (Attack) | A sharp tap against the middle or foible of the opponents' blade, with the object of opening a line or provoking an attack. |
| Beat (Parade) | A Parade, which clears the line by tapping/striking the opponents' blade, as opposed to blocking or redirecting the attacking blade. |
| Beat | Sharp tap on the opponent's blade to initiate an attack or provoke a reaction. |
| Bind | A taking of the opponents blade executed by engaging the blade and moving it diagonally to the opposite quadrant of the target, (i.e. from the high inside to the low outside line, or high outside to the low inside line, etc.). This is a Prise de Fer. |
| Coupe | A change of engagement made in one motion by lifting the point over the opponents point (in the high line) and extending the arm and weapon, threatening the opponents' target. |
| Croise | A taking of the opponents' blade made by engaging the blade and moving it vertically to the opposite line (i.e. high to low inside or vise versa) on the same side not diagonally. This is a Prise de Fer. |
| Deception of Parade | A deceiving of the opponents' attempt to parade. Know as a "Trompement". |
| Demi-Volte | A turning or rotation of the fencers body around a vertical axis. Executed by moving the rear leg backwards and sideways so the trunk is brought 90 in relation to the attack. |
| Disengage | 1.
Removing the blade from contact with the opponents' blade. (SAFD) 2. Passing the point under the opponents' blade in the high line and over it in the low line. The action ends in the opposite line. |
| Double | An attack in any line, which deceives a direct parde and a counter parde. |
| Envelopment | An attack on the blade that, by describing a circle, picks up the opponents' blade and brings back to the original line of engagement. This is a Prise de Fer. |
| Glissade | An offensive action against an opponents' blade that applies lateral pressure while sliding along the blade to the target. Sometimes referred to as a coule. |
| Lunge | The "extended" leg position, an attack used as a method of reaching an opponent who is out of arm's reach. To lunge, the leading leg is kicked forward in combination with an explosive push of the rear leg, which remains in place. |
| Parade | The defensive action of deflecting or blocking an attacking weapon. The following are the parades/parries most commonly used in Stage Combat. |
| Parade Prime | The hand is in half pronation with the point down. Although this parade is intended to protect the inside line of the body anywhere from the shoulders to the ankle, it is usually used against attacks from the waist down. When used to protect the low line it is sometimes referred to as the "watch Parade" because the position of the wrist is similar to someone looking at a wristwatch. |
| Parade Seconde | The hand in pronation with the point down protecting the low outside line. |
| Parade Tierce | The hand in pronation with the point up protecting the high outside line. |
| Parade Quarte | The hand in supination with the point up protecting the high inside line. |
| Parade Quinte | The hand in pronation protecting the head from a downward vertical or diagonal cut (this is "Sabre 5"). The hilt is to right and the point to the left, (right handed). |
| Parade Sixte | 1.
Protecting the same "area" or line as Tierce except
the hand is in supination. Used against a thrust. 2. Protecting against a vertical or diagonal cut to the head. The hilt is on the left side of the head and the point extends to the right. |
| Parade Septime | Protecting the low inside line with the hand supination. |
| Parade Octave | Protecting the low outside line with hand in pronation. |
| Pass Forward | The placing of the rear foot in front of the leading foot (a walking step). |
| Pass Backwards | The placing of the front foot in back of the rear foot. |
| Prise de Fer | A translation into English is taking of the blade (or iron). Refers to any controlling attack on the blade, which takes an opponents' blade from the attacking line to another line; the Bind, the Envelopment, the Croise. |
| Pronation | The position of the sword hand with the palm down. |
| Punto Reverso | A point attack delivered from the attacker's inside line to the opponents outside line, with the hand in supination. |
| Retreat | The rear foot steps backward, followed by the front foot. |
| Supination | The position of the sword hand with the palm up. |
| Thrust | An attack made with the point of the weapon, with the full extension of the arm. |
| Traverse | Any foot movement that takes the combatant "off-line". |
| Volte | A turning or rotation of the fencers body around a vertical axis. Executed by moving the rear leg backwards and sideways so the trunk is brought 180 in relation to the attack. ("Bum in the Face"). |
| Yield Parade | A defensive movement immediately following a parried attack, whereby the initial attacker gives way to a counterattack while the blades remain engaged. Also called a "Ceding Parade". |