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Epee

The Fencing School at The Royal Academy of Dance

Syllabus for Grades 1-9


Grade 1

Demonstrate:(with coach or partner)

  1. The Grip
  2. The Salute 
  3. The On guard 
  4. Steps Forward and Backward 
  5. The Lunge and Recovery 
  6. Direct Attack with lunge to hand, arm and body 
  7. Opposition hitting in Sixte and Quarte as Attacks and in defence
Describe:
  1. How to use your Epee safely
  2. How to fence safely 
  3. The Target Area 
  4. The Principles of fencing with the Epee 
  5. Fencing Etiquette
Grade 2

Demonstrate:(with coach or partner)-While following your partner's steps forward and backward:
  1. Maintain fencing line
  2. Maintain correct distances and each time your partner pauses:

    • Hit to arm with a short lunge
    • Hit to body with a full lunge

  3. Maintain correct distance and each time your partner pauses, hit to arm with a short lunge and continue immediately with an opposition Attack to body with a full lunge
From a stationary position:
  1. Engagements in Sixte, Quarte and Octave and Changes of Engagements
  2. Disengage Attack with lunge to hand, arm and body on partner's:

    • Engagement in Sixte
    • Engagement in Quarte

  3. Circular Parries in Sixte and Quarte with opposition Riposte
  4. A Remise following:

    • An Attack to arm, then body
    • A Riposte to arm, then body
Describe:
  1. Courteous and respectful behaviour and fencers "Pledge of Honour" (cf. t.114, t.116, t.120)
  2. Parts of the Epee
  3. Dimensions of the Piste
Grade 3

Demonstrate:(with coach or partner)-While following your partner's steps forward and backward: 
  1. Maintain correct distance and each time your partner pauses, make a false Attack to arm with a half lunge and Attack to body with opposition and a full lunge
  2. Maintain correct distance and each time your partner attacks to body with a step lunge, Counter-attack to arm and follow with Circular Parry and opposition Riposte 
  3. Direct Attack to body with full lunge on one of your partner's steps forward 
  4. Disengage Attack at arm or body as your partner attempts to engage in Sixte or Quarte
From a stationary position:
  1. Semi-circular Parry to Octave with:

    • Opposition Riposte
    • Detached Riposte 

  2. Opposition Attacks and Counter-Attacks in Octave
  3. Beats and Change Beats in Sixte, Quarte, Septime & Octave
  4. A Redoublement following:

    • An Attack to arm, then body
    • A Riposte to arm, then body
Describe:
  1. Simple actions in opposition and detachment
  2. Remise and Redoublement 
  3. Rules regarding the boundaries of the Piste 
  4. Double hits, scoring and timekeeping 
  5. Duties of President and floor judges
Grade 4

Demonstrate:(with coach or partner)-While following your partner's steps forward and backward:
  1. When your partner Attacks to body with a lunge, Counter-Attack with:

    • Opposition in Sixte
    • Opposition in Octave

  2. Maintain step-lunge distance and each time your partner Attacks to body with a step-lunge, Counter-attack to arm and follow this with a Parry to Octave and Riposte in opposition 
  3. Maintain correct distance and when your partner pauses, Attack to a arm with a Beat Direct Attack with lunge and continue with a Redoublement to arm with the Recovery each time your partner parries with a step forward 
  4. Maintain correct distance and when your partner pauses:

    • Attack to arm with a Beat Disengage
    • Attack to body with a Beat Disengage
From a stationary position:
  1. One-two and double Compound Attacks to arm and body
  2. Parry of Quarte with opposition Riposte 
  3. Parry with the guard with detached Riposte
Describe:
  1. Scoring on a pool sheet: first and second indicators
  2. Simple and Compound Attacks 
  3. Electrical recording apparatus 
  4. Fencers electric equipment 
  5. Test weight and gauges 
  6. Testing the electric equipment before the start of a bout 
  7. Rules regarding faults in a fencer's equipment before and during a bout
Grade 5
Demonstrate:(with coach or partner)-While following your partner's steps forward and backward:
  1. Attack to your partner's arm with:

    • One-two with lunge
    • Double with lunge 

  2. Maintain correct distance and step forward with a feint to arm and:

    • Deceive your partner's Parry of Quarte and lunge to body finishing in opposition
    • Deceive your partner's Parry of Sixte and lunge to body finishing in opposition

  3. Maintain correct distance and when your partner pauses, step forward to engage blades in Sixte, Quarte and Octave and:

    • Attack to arm with Direct and Indirect Attacks
    • Attack to body with Direct and Indirect Attacks 
From a Stationary Position:
  1. Successive Parries
  2. Hits with angulation 
  3. Direct Attack to body with Fleche 
  4. Attacks and Ripostes using a Bind and a Croise
Describe:
  1. How the electric Epee works and how to correct errors in the travel and compression springs
  2. Rules concerning Corps-a-Corps 
  3. Second-intention actions
Grade 6

Demonstrate:(with coach or partner)-While following your partner's steps forward and backward:
  1. Angulated hits around your partner's wrist
  2. Maintain correct distance and choose the moment for a Direct Attack to your partner's body with Fleche 
  3. Defend against your partner's Compound Attacks using successive Parries with opposition Ripostes 
  4. Maintain step-lunge distance and step forward to draw your partner's hit to arm and attack to body using a Bind
From a stationary position:
  1. Attacks and Ripostes using an Envelopment
  2. Direct and Indirect Renewals with Reprise and Reprise with Fleche 
  3. Actions with Reassemblement
Describe:
  1. Counter-time actions
  2. Tactical use of Corps-a-Corps 
  3. Use of Preparations
Grade 7
Demonstrate:(with coach or partner)-While following your partner's steps forward and backward:
 
  1. Maintain step-lunge distance and step forward to draw your partners hit to the arm and attack to body using an envelopment
  2. Defend against your partner's compound attack using successive Parries with a step back and Riposte with an envelopment and Fleche to body as your partner recovers 
  3. Attack to body with step lunge and when your partner Parries with a step back, Reprise Disengage with Fleche 
  4. Defend against your partner's attack using a Parry of Quarte and Riposte with Croise
From a stationary position:
  1. Parries ending in Prime, Seconde, Tierce and Quinte with Ripostes
  2. Ceding and opposition parries 
  3. Simple and Compound Derobements
Describe:
  1. Your understanding of False Attack-attack
  2. Detached opposition Ripostes 
  3. Counter Attacks in opposition and Parries with opposition Ripostes 
  4. Use of Reassemblement
Grade 8
 
Demonstrate: (with coach or partner)-While following your partner's steps forward and backward:
 
  1. Maintain distance and:

    • Parry Seconde with a detached riposte if your partner Attacks to arm
    • Parry Prime Riposte if your partner Attacks to body with a Fleche 

  2. Beat Attack to Arm as your partner steps forward and recover with a Redoublement if your partner Parries with a step forward
  3. Choose the moment to Attack to your partner's arm using direct and indirect Attacks with Beats and change Beats 
  4. As your partner Attacks with a step-lunge, either Counter Attack to body with opposition or Counter Attack to arm with Reassemblement
From a stationary position:
  1. Angulated hits in opposition at close distance
  2. Counter Ripostes following Ceding and opposition Parries 
  3. Hits to leg and foot
Describe:
  1. Compound and Double actions
  2. Your understanding of distance, timing and speed 
  3. The importance of taking the initiative
Grade 9
 
Demonstrate: (with coach or partner)-While following your partner's steps forward and backward:
  1. Maintain step-lunge distance and step forward and feint to your partners arm and.

    • Take the blade and attack to body in opposition with a lunge if your partner counter attacks to your arm
    • Attack to body with a Fleche if your partner moves away from the feint 

  2. Choose the moment to Beat Attack to your partner's arm with a lunge and make an immediate renewal to leg or foot 
  3. When your partner attacks to body, Parry with a step forward and Riposte with an Angulated hit in opposition at close distance
From a stationary position:
  1. Repetition hitting to all parts of your partner's wrist and arm and finish with a Parry and opposition Riposte when your partner attacks
  2. Successive opposition hits to your partner's body in Sixte, Octave & Quarte
Demonstrate your ability to:

  1. Fence your partner for 5 hits and explain how all the hits were scored; if your partner is successful in scoring hits, explain how you should have avoided them
  2. Preside a fight for 5 hits 
  3. Give your partner a short "Warm up" lesson with mobility, involving False Attack-Attacks, Counter Attacks to arm and body with and without opposition, single Parries with opposition Ripostes 

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