Tim Tai, Senior Photographer
College students wielding knives? This class might make you do a double-take.
“Introduction to Theatrical Violence,” registered as Theater 200 and jointly taught by professors Kelsey Rainwater and Michael Rossmy, is one of many unique classes offered through the theater, dance and performance studies department this semester.
The class, however, might be the only one listed on CourseTable to include knives, fake blood and fights between Yale students — even if choreographed.
“The class is a physical exploration of theatrical techniques, so the concepts for the lesson plans are built out of what we as fight directors have experienced and worked on in the field,” Rainwater said.
According to the syllabus, concepts taught in the class aim to enhance students’ understanding of their physical movement, with a focus on the performance of unarmed combat and knife fighting. These techniques prepare actors to create and execute illusions of violence — both safely and effectively.
Rossmy added that the class is organized so that students can explore a specific aspect of fighting in each class, such as points of contact, footwork and proper stances.
“[We aim] to give students a baseline understanding of what it means to actively engage with those techniques to tell specific stories,” Rossmy said.
From choreographing knife work to envisioning how their characters would fight, students’ homework includes unusual assignments to foster the theoretical and practical exploration of theatrical violence.
According to Rainwater and Rossmy, some of their favorite parts of the coursework include teaching students how to make their own stage blood — which is actually used in the choreographed fights between students.
All fun aside, however, the heart of this class emphasizes the importance of safety in on-scene fighting.
“In many plays, the climactic moment of a show involves some form of stage combat,” Rossmy said. “[Performers must] be attuned to their own bodies and their scene partner’s as well; ensuring that they can work together to keep one another safe, while also engaging in the storytelling of each moment.”
Like any other Yale course, the class also includes typical assessments and a midterm for students to reflect on their learning.
Most recently, the midterm exam involved a series of intense movements, from punches to blocks to chokeholds to being thrown against the wall, according to Ken Huynh ’25, a student in the class.
Huynh said that when he first received the midterm, it seemed “impossible” to perform. However, with the help of Professors Rossmy and Rainwater, he was able to slowly break down the performance.
“Even though it’s fake fighting, at times it feels real in terms of how energy moves in your body, which is something we focus on always,” said Huynh. “Because we have to generate and restrict energy in quick sequences, it’s actually very tiring! My partner and I would sweat like crazy after our fight scenes.”
While students are expected to perform intense actions and movements, “Introduction to Theatrical Violence” also teaches students the fundamentals of consent.
“[Professor Rainwater and I] are both intimacy directors as well as fight directors,” Rossmy said. “Because consent can change day to day, moment to moment, we allow students to work as they are comfortable… if changes are asked to be made based on a student’s needs, we make them.”
“Introduction to Theatrical Violence” is unsurprisingly popular among students, as the active, studio-based classes can shake up the monotony of lectures and seminars. According to Professors Rainwater and Rossmy, the class which only enrolls 14 students — receives more applications than it can accommodate.
Huynh is one student who will take the skills learned from this course with him to the stage.
Huynh noted that learning different types of fighting moves and then performing them at such great speeds in an orchestrated sequence has contributed significantly to his repertoire as a skilled actor.
“I chose to take this class because it sounded super cool and because I am interested in acting professionally in the future. It’s a valuable skill set to have in my pocket in case I need it for any performances,” said Huynh.
While professors prioritized theater majors and those with a theatrical background, they said they always end up “with a physics major or two, cognitive science and English majors,” who “bring such excitement and unique perspectives to the class.”
Students interested in furthering their experience can take a second course called “Advanced Topic in Theatrical Violence,” in which they learn how to use swords and staves theatrically.
Professors Rossmy and Rainwater hope for students to leave the class with a greater sense of play and confidence, as well as armed with the vital skills necessary to tell stories as safely and as truthfully as possible on the stage.
The course culminates in a final video project, where students apply the skills they’ve learned to plan, script and shoot a portrayal of theatrical violence on the screen.
This course is taught on the fifth floor at Payne Whitney Gymnasium.