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Dueling Society => Featured Performances => Topic started by: Darth Cephalus on May 21, 2014, 06:41:33 PM

Title: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on May 21, 2014, 06:41:33 PM
So this is my first post on this forum. I am a regular contributor to others but had never posted here. My basic shtick is that I have a fencing background and a little training in martial arts but I don't use that with my lightsaber work. Rather I approach lightsaber as a performance/juggling prop and focus on spins, flips, rolls etc. Most of what I can do, I learned through interactions with other lightsaber users through forums like this, and by integrating and adapting material from related disciplines like poi spinning and contact staff. My hope is that by posting here, I can draw on a different set of experts and peers who can help me develop what I do and advance my skill set. If in the interim, others can learn from the progress I have made, all the better. That then is my introduction and what follows are links to the video material I have created. While not an expert, I dare be proud of what I have accomplished. If any of you have comments, suggestions on technique, questions, or just want to post your own performance/non-martial work and join the conversation, please do.


Edit: Apparently external links to videos are not allowed in the editing process. Is there a way to link them that I am missing? If not, they may be found at the webpage link on my profile. I have four playlists: One is my video on basics that I am planning to use as a jumping off point for a series on 40+ variations on the plum flower spin. There is a standalone teaser video for where I see that series going called blooming the plum flower. There is a tutorial series I made (my first) on an inverted version of the classic Obi/Ani spin called doing things backwards. There is another series on flips and rolls called Using the Force, and a final playlist that contains a work log of practice footage and spins in development

Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: JANGO FETT on May 21, 2014, 06:55:00 PM
Use the insert hyperlink icon.
[ url ] link [/url ]
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on May 21, 2014, 06:58:19 PM
Thanks for that. I was inputting the whole address trusting the forum to imbed it. Alright then. So here are quick links to the playlists I mentioned. Apparently, the links under the embedded videos go to the actual playlists.

This is my video on basics that I am planning to use as a jumping off point for a series on 40+ variations on the plum flower spin.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKXqekMvo2Y&list=PLf2BA9eUktws29zZjesedQ996qS8oYEpt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKXqekMvo2Y#ws)

Here is a teaser video for where I see that series going.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSyoIs9mpzY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSyoIs9mpzY)

Here is a tutorial series I made (my first) on an inverted version of the classic Obi/Ani spin
www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqkRkJKLq90&list=PLf2BA9eUktwvR5xqtG_ciQipBVtMU2zcY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqkRkJKLq90#)

Here is a series on flips and rolls.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLcmqg32zIk&list=PLf2BA9eUktwvUfR1a_FW6TFe_rYnEDkKL (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLcmqg32zIk#)

And here is a work log of practice footage and spins in development
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGadlSECXF4&list=PLf2BA9eUktwtKNRdHvsjMzduHyt3BZx0x (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGadlSECXF4#)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on May 24, 2014, 06:39:32 PM
Apparently I am not youtube savvy enough to and the video links I posted just play the first video in each series. Lets try this link and see if it gets to the general list of playlists. By the way, I have added a few more videos to the practice list (including some saberstaff work) and two more videos to the basics list since I last posted here.

robert dobbs - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-lqjxfFJG8uZsJis4grvew/playlists)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on May 29, 2014, 09:22:18 PM
As an update, I started work on an intermediate series after finishing my basics videos. This video is the first. It deals with the reverse grip, including how to enter and exit it, its application on all of the basic moves, and a variant of the Obi/Ani and plum flower using a transition between the two grips. While the reverse grip is often considered rather basic, I wanted to call this an intermediate as some applications of it contain the possibility of injury if one is not very comfortable with the beginning blade mechanics shown in the basics series. One of the moves in here is something I saw Novastar do once.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU_McUxm2XY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU_McUxm2XY#)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on June 14, 2014, 08:51:12 PM
New update: I got inspired and finished off the intermediate series. It now comprises 6 parts building on the 5 parts of the basic series. Next up is the advanced stuff featuring adding and subtracting beats to create new spins and dual wield and saberstaff work. All the intermediate stuff has been added to the playlist here
Blooming the Plum Flower: a Comprehensive Guide to Lightsaber Spinning - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf2BA9eUktws29zZjesedQ996qS8oYEpt)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on June 21, 2014, 12:29:57 PM
Started in on the advanced stuff. The first three videos are on line; the first is here
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRZVqkP5nqM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRZVqkP5nqM)
I wanted to start with move creation and freestyle with single saber then move on to footwork/movement, and from there to dual wield and staff. I also embedded links to move from one video/series to the next. As always, feedback and comments are greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on June 22, 2014, 05:28:06 PM
Taking a break a bit from being serious. If only there were a way for a budget ninja to master dual wield flower spins and transitions at work and in his back yard. Help me DEVO, you're my only hope!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbEkb42B5ro (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbEkb42B5ro)

This one highlights some of my investigation into dual wield flowers, circular flowers, split flowers, flower hand switches and related areas. Mostly it is just playing around to DEVO. Enjoy.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Michael_Acurantes on July 07, 2014, 02:55:47 AM
thanks for the tutorial at least i managed to apply the plum flower spin to my shii cho practices.. its elegant to look at.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on July 08, 2014, 03:05:40 PM
No problem. Glad it helped.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on August 07, 2014, 08:22:28 PM
Jar'Kai dual wield spinning videos are finally here.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk0QTtl5SKo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk0QTtl5SKo#ws)
After I made the teaser above, I have been mulling over the best way to go about this series. I started it off today with the first two parts.
The first is an introduction to Jar'Kai (Dual wield) Saber spinning. In it I cover blade length, weight and balance; practice habits, including feedback; basic theory; and other tips for learning.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8jbxoTiTI4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8jbxoTiTI4#ws)
The second deals with the directional building blocks of Jar'Kai (dual wield) moves, discussing the direction and timing of one saber relative to the other using simple single spins.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMnjo4tWV6c (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMnjo4tWV6c#ws)
As an added bit of content because it is relevant, here are a couple videos of some Jar'Kai freestyling I was doing at an event. Everything in them will be covered in the series.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDzvDXS6xSM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDzvDXS6xSM#ws)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R1E0Bde3Ic (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R1E0Bde3Ic#ws)
Watch the playlist for the other parts as I am able to put them together and feel free to comment or ask questions.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Caine on August 07, 2014, 10:13:45 PM
I think I am the only person to have ever posted vids on how to actually fight with dual sabers. Yes, spinning is cool and all that, but let's not ignore the combat aspect and advantages with dual wielding. I have always preferred a shoto and then a full size saber for Jar Kai...the shoto is your speed and setup weapon and the full size one is your power blade.

Are you going to post anything on that?

Nice spins, BTW.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on August 08, 2014, 05:09:37 PM
I think I am the only person to have ever posted vids on how to actually fight with dual sabers. Yes, spinning is cool and all that, but let's not ignore the combat aspect and advantages with dual wielding. I have always preferred a shoto and then a full size saber for Jar Kai...the shoto is your speed and setup weapon and the full size one is your power blade.

Are you going to post anything on that?

Nice spins, BTW.

I would be out of my depth were I to try. I give all due credit to those like yourself who have dedicated themselves to martial arts, but that is not where I am coming from with these tutorials. My combat training is fencing with only a tiny bit of karate a long time ago. While I have tried out Florentine, which operates much as you describe, I do not incorporate any of that into my spinning style as there are really no spins in it. My approach to spinning is as a non-martial performance art akin to juggling, dance, or poi. It is my belief that spins can, with time and effort, transcend the realm of "just messing around" and be developed into their own discipline. I plan to leave combat tutorials to those better equipped to make them, so I will be unlikely to deal with attack or defense in any way. I am interested in seeing yours though. Are they on your youtube channel?
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Caine on August 09, 2014, 02:32:25 PM
I think I am the only person to have ever posted vids on how to actually fight with dual sabers. Yes, spinning is cool and all that, but let's not ignore the combat aspect and advantages with dual wielding. I have always preferred a shoto and then a full size saber for Jar Kai...the shoto is your speed and setup weapon and the full size one is your power blade.

Are you going to post anything on that?

Nice spins, BTW.



I would be out of my depth were I to try. I give all due credit to those like yourself who have dedicated themselves to martial arts, but that is not where I am coming from with these tutorials. My combat training is fencing with only a tiny bit of karate a long time ago. While I have tried out Florentine, which operates much as you describe, I do not incorporate any of that into my spinning style as there are really no spins in it. My approach to spinning is as a non-martial performance art akin to juggling, dance, or poi. It is my belief that spins can, with time and effort, transcend the realm of "just messing around" and be developed into their own discipline. I plan to leave combat tutorials to those better equipped to make them, so I will be unlikely to deal with attack or defense in any way. I am interested in seeing yours though. Are they on your youtube channel?

No sir, I am 100% retired from all things saber combat. I deleted my channel, too. I am just burnt out to the point of no return of trying to convince people that hard work and determination is going to make them good at sabers when the general masses don't want to put the time in by learning real martial arts techniques. Maybe 3/10 would actually do what it took while the other 7 would just goof around and hit their blades together with some basic figure eights.

When I first started in 2008, there were barely a handful of tutorials on YouTube. Nowadays, it's very saturated. Although I pioneered many an aspect, by today's standards I would just be "another one" in the mix.

Good luck with what you are doing, though.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on August 09, 2014, 03:32:43 PM
Fair enough. Too bad about the videos though, I should have liked to see them. Though Martial arts is not what I do with sabers, it is an area of interest. I wouldn't get too discouraged though if I were you. Lightsaber fans are a diverse group, so just realize that you were dealing with a subculture of a subculture. People use sabers for a lot of different things. To some they are a costume accessory, to some craftsman works of art, to some a toy or roleplay prop, to some a piece of performance equipment, and to some a weapon or practice weapon. When they first get here, many don't know exactly what it is to them yet until they have a chance to feel out the options. For the most part, I think people who have the discipline and dedication to become serious martial artists, come to it through other avenues and just translate that passion to lightsabers; if you were finding 3 in 10 wanderers who were turned on to martial arts through LED sabers, I dare say that is a record that should bring you pride in your retirement.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on November 29, 2014, 09:51:52 PM
Hello again sabering community. It has been a while since my last post, but I have been kicking around an idea that it might be time to present to the sabering community at large.

Simply put, most of us here tend to do our own things. We do choreographed fights, martial arts demos, spinning routines, costume work, etc. What if there was a way to get several of those things into one project that would showcase a wider picture of what we, as a community, do with lightsabers? 

What I am proposing is that anyone willing to volunteer, post a video (roughly 4 minutes long) in which they show us their saber work. You can choreograph a fight, you can give us spinning, you can film some freeform work, you can do it with lit or unlit blades, in costume or in plain clothes, outside, inside, or on green screen. I will edit this footage together (unless someone with more editing experience wants to take it over) into a single video.

The criteria:

1. For editing and theme purposes, the video should be designed to accompany this music (a download link for the mp3 is provided below the video so that you can load it onto a player). Please have the music playing so that I can hear it in the background for timing. If you record it without the music or while the music was playing through headphones, please attach the music track to it before you post.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf1U-YeGnRM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf1U-YeGnRM#ws)
http://themusicninja.net/newsongs/Duel%20Of%20The%20Fates%20(The%20Noisy%20Freaks%20ft.%20Dead%20CAT%20Bounce%20remix).mp3

2. Your video must include a lightsaber and be something recognizable as "a performance".

3. Your content should not violate youtube or forum rules.

The details:

If you are interested, please post and say so. When you have a video, please post it here. I can rip things from youtube without a problem for editing. Please include the name or moniker you would like to appear in the credits. If you have a signature move, pose, or other brief trademark, please post it as a separate video or still image as you would like it to appear in the credits. If none is submitted, I will use a short clip from your routine. If you have a youtube channel or web link, post it and I will include it in the description. Please try to submit material as soon as you are able. I would like to start editing in mid December with a video release on Youtube around the first of the year.

Additional notes and disclaimers:

First off, this will happen. I have posted this call for videos on other forums and there are currently at least three of us on board. If it is just the three of us, so be it. It will not be like one of those fan fic pieces that gets planned and then abandoned. Second, don't expect a high budget production; expect a no budget production. My skills are minimal but should be enough to get the job done and I am working with basic editing software. If you have seen my other videos like the Jar'Kai Teaser, that is about the level of editing I am willing to commit. This is not a professional video and my channel is not monetized so there is no profit being made. This is by and for those who are willing to donate time and energy to make it happen. Third, If I am doing the editing, I will have to decide what makes it in and what does not. We are only working with 4 minutes. I will try to include everyone, and if too many people are interested to do that, I will try to make a second cut. If you have a favorite segment, feel free to let me know the time range and I will do what I can, but no promises. Other than that, feel free to discuss and ask questions if you wish. If there is anything I can do to help you put together a submission, let me know. Otherwise, happy sabering
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 11, 2014, 06:08:36 PM
A quick update.
The first entry was from Venturous on another forum. He works with saberstaff and submitted this.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFO1--xt-bo&feature=youtu.be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFO1--xt-bo#ws)

The second was from Darth CH3M15T on another forum. He does dual wield spins. His submission is here.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktlGGXtBHOg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktlGGXtBHOg#ws)

I was waiting to see if the weather would cooperate for an outside video. Unfortunately things never shaped up. With a new storm starting today, I gave up and did it indoors. Since the other two entries covered dual wield and staff, I decided to focus on single saber. This is a little like what my typical practice sessions with that style look like. Contains flips, spins, and footwork. It starts out slow, but picks up speed about one minute in. I usually don't film these, focusing on stationary spins, tutorials or specific moves, but this seemed to fit the bill a bit better. Part of the training is learning not to knock things off the shelves.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCTSOjNVQ9c (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCTSOjNVQ9c#)

There is still a bit of time if anyone here has or is working on a video, but only about a week as I have to have time to edit these together by new years.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Xene on December 11, 2014, 08:28:38 PM
I'd be interested, is there a time frame for submissions?

 time to start practicing again xD
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 11, 2014, 08:30:52 PM
A bit more than a week I would say. If you can get it in by the 20th, I should have enough time to get it into the edit.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Xene on December 11, 2014, 09:19:34 PM
I should be able to get something together~have to be non costume though ^^;
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 18, 2014, 06:27:35 PM
Only a couple more days so.. Last call.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 21, 2014, 09:23:16 PM
So this is a rough work print of the holiday montage. The final version to be released around the new year. Since there were just three participants, I tried to divide the time as evenly as I could while still getting in as many of the great moves/scenery as I was able. This is all videos synced. Watch the upper right for transition marks The order of switches (with Ch standing for me, Cm for CH3M15T, and V for Venturous) is as follows: V, Cm, V, Cm, Ch, Cm, V, Ch, Cm. CH3M15T's video got cut up a bit more because of the internal cuts in the original video. Both videos will be visible partially during the transitions. The credits will come first, then the montage, then a thank you to the viewers. I will be tinkering with it in following days so feel free to chime in with comments or suggestions

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvMpv9hR5kw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvMpv9hR5kw#ws)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 29, 2014, 05:46:53 PM
Just putting the finishing touches on this video but it will definitely be ready for new year's eve. I got the transitions and credits in and added an opening crawl (SW style) to the intro. Since the only participants were spinners, I gave the intro a spinning theme. Cuts have transitions but will remain a bit rough as time has recently become more scarce with the birth of my son on the 23rd. Expect the video posted on the 31st.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 31, 2014, 06:30:05 PM
And here is the final product. Thank you again to those who participated. For those who did not, it is my hope that you will have another chance next year. Without further ado, 2014  year in review. This video is the result of an open submission call for videos on various saber forums. The following montage blends footage from the three participants (Darth Venturous, Darth CH3M15T, and Darth Cephalus) featuring saber spinning in different weapon combinations to music by the Noisy Freaks. Videos taken during 2014.

For the youtube channels of the participants see below:
Cephalus
robert dobbs - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-lqjxfFJG8uZsJis4grvew)
CH3M15T
THE CH3M15T - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwiHzcMCb8ZLLlSWd_iMdGg)
Venturous
venturous1v - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR1bX1OucgsmuuBmdcNU5kw)


www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_fabiOtA6Y (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_fabiOtA6Y#ws)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on January 30, 2015, 08:24:53 PM
Trying out a new toy. Buugeng (dual s-staffs) spinning to Forest by System of a Down. Next step is to set these up with some EL tape. There is definitely a learning curve to these (see what I did there?) as they are very differently balanced. The uni-directionality of them also takes some getting used to. I can't help but think that, if I can get good at them, there might be some interesting lightsaber moves that can be adapted.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi_VHHrSuj0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi_VHHrSuj0#ws)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on February 26, 2015, 06:47:49 PM
My sister in law just showed me this move with a staff so I thought I would try it with a saber. It is a contact roll around the neck and down the back of the arm. Not bad fora first attempt if I do say so myself. This is the sort of thing I am interested in learning to do more of. It is not combat applicable at all but does it feel represent a level of familiarity and comfort with the saber above and beyond working with it as a weapon.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=96MXPNCcojY (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96MXPNCcojY)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: arcana on February 26, 2015, 08:59:40 PM
My sister in law just showed me this move with a staff so I thought I would try it with a saber. It is a contact roll around the neck and down the back of the arm. Not bad fora first attempt if I do say so myself. This is the sort of thing I am interested in learning to do more of. It is not combat applicable at all but does it feel represent a level of familiarity and comfort with the saber above and beyond working with it as a weapon.
Practice arm roll - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96MXPNCcojY)

Wow that's really cool!  Thanks for sharing.  I'd definitely like I try this but your juggling skills are way above mine.  You can take this hobby any direction you like and it's really cool to see what you've done with it.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on March 18, 2015, 09:28:30 PM
Practice saberstaff freestyle routine set to Kismet by Bond. Edited down a bit for length. Features green blades in honor of the season. I tried to work in a few of the contact rolls I have been working on like the one in the last video though they are still works in progress. Enjoy. 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDPXbzv3rc4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDPXbzv3rc4#)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on March 24, 2015, 06:37:43 PM
Obviously this is not a lightsaber, but I thought I would post it as it demonstrates some of what I am working on with my saberstaff. My sister-in-law left her contact fire staff when she last visited. Rather than let it sit in the corner, I did this. I am as yet not very good with these things but I think I managed it passably, though I have to say I would not try half of these things if the ends were ignited.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrqmH3hwHRg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrqmH3hwHRg#ws)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: EXAR KUN on March 25, 2015, 12:00:26 PM
Cool posts!

Good luck with the practicing it looks like you are learning a bunch of new moves  :)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on April 09, 2015, 09:32:46 PM
Cool posts!

Good luck with the practicing it looks like you are learning a bunch of new moves  :)
Thanks. Here is the next salvo.
So building on this
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0OUAGUwtOE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0OUAGUwtOE#)

Day one attempts at a staff roll over the shoulder then around the neck. Still finding the balance point at the back of my neck, but getting there.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WB5aXtEWxM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WB5aXtEWxM#)

And now with a saber. First day attempts at a halo 180 roll and various other things. Also testing out my new saberstaff. I left in some of the misses. Music is Gravity's Rainbow by The Klaxons.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9DiTFZjSM (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N9DiTFZjSM#)

I still have a way to go.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on April 11, 2015, 10:40:21 PM
This is a walkthrough of the moves I am working on with contact lightsaber. The end goal is to do these without the hand contact with the saber rolling along my shoulders. This video shows three different moves in hand contact form. Featured here is my extra long saberstaff as well.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHOT-ked1Ko (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHOT-ked1Ko#)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on April 16, 2015, 11:07:44 PM
This video was taken after about 4 days of practicing this move. The goal here was to roll it over my shoulders, around my neck, and back over my shoulders, while turning 360 degree, without gripping the sword. In this video, I am using a balanced flame saber, though this move is a bit easier with a staff. I will see if I can get one with my saber-staff over the weekend.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvtewEwj7X8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvtewEwj7X8#ws)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on April 21, 2015, 09:40:47 PM
Practice saber-staff routine with spinning and some contact moves to Peter Gabriel's Steam. In this video: various spins, tosses, and rolls. Also two halo 360 rolls, some halo transitions, neck rolls, under-leg spins, and a couple things I don't know the names of. A couple near misses, but I am starting to get the hang of these things, and my modified saber-staff is working out well.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAjp9N60104 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAjp9N60104#)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on July 25, 2015, 10:03:22 PM
Hello all. It has been a while since my last video. It is harder to get time when you have a 7 month old. So after customizing my saberstaff, I was looking for moves that would make use of the longer hilt and specific balance of a staff like this. These are a few of what I have come up with. The first is a continuous spin for one hand attained by adding a full roll over the back of the hand to a half palm spin to reset. The second is a double continuous spin that is a roll over the back of both hands with a grip on either side and a half spin to reset. The third is a one handed shoulder wrap around the neck and back into the same hand. The final is a double shoulder wrap, shown with and without intermediate grips, where the body turns 360 degrees. Demos set to "Fun Zone" from UHF. Enjoy.
! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HisRAsSnGRg#)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on September 21, 2015, 06:41:39 PM
Been a while since I posted here. This is one of my new ones. I decided to show some of the spins I am working on. In here you will see some horizontal spin/hand switches and some leg work. Towards the end, there is also a neck roll to a toss. I have also been working on incorporating larger orbits into some of my work. Feedback welcome. Music is London After Midnight: Pain looks good on me. I don't know why, but blue blades seem to put me in mind of more Gothic music.

! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JWFg55kAJ8#)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on November 07, 2015, 09:44:03 PM
Call for Videos: Spin Wars 2015

Hello Sabering community. As 2015 comes to a close, the air has gone cold, the decorations are in the windows, and it is time once again for people who love showing off with LED sabers to come together and show the community what you learned over the last year.

That's right, it is time for Spin Wars: Episode 2!!!

Simply put, most of us here tend to do our own things. We do choreographed fights, martial arts demos, spinning routines, costume work, etc. What if there was a way to get several of those things into one project that would showcase a wider picture of what we, as a community, do with lightsabers? That is what Spin Wars did last year. For anyone unfamiliar, Last year's video may be found here.

Saber Collaborative Montage 2014 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_fabiOtA6Y)

So what about this year? Anyone willing to volunteer, post a video in which you show us your saber work. You can choreograph a fight, you can give us spinning, you can film some freeform work, you can do it with lit or unlit blades, in costume or in plain clothes, outside, inside, or on green screen. This footage will be edited together into a single video. This year, if there are enough people interested. We may even look at two videos (a light side and a dark side) if there are enough participants.

The criteria:

1. For editing and theme purposes, the video should be designed to accompany a piece of music I will post on this thread soon. Please have the music playing in the video so that I can hear it in the background for timing. If you record it without the music or while the music was playing through headphones, please attach the music track to it before you post.

2. Your video must include a lightsaber and be something recognizable as "a performance".

3. Your content should not violate youtube or forum rules.

The details:

If you are interested, please post and say so. The initial interest will help determine if we are doing one video or two. When you have a video, please post it here. I can rip things from youtube without a problem for editing. Please include the name or moniker you would like to appear in the credits. If you have a signature move, pose, or other brief trademark, please post it as a separate video or still image as you would like it to appear in the credits. If none is submitted, I will use a short clip from your routine. If you have a youtube channel or web link, post it and I will include it in the description. Please try to submit material as soon as you are able. I would like to start editing in mid December with a video release on Youtube around the first of the year.

Additional notes and disclaimers:

This is not a professional video and my channel is not monetized so there is no profit being made. This is by and for those who are willing to donate time and energy to make it happen. I will have to decide what makes it in and what does not. We are only working with 6 minutes between the two videos. I will try to include everyone, and if too many people are interested to do that, I will try to make a second cut. If you have a favorite segment, feel free to let me know the time range and I will do what I can, but no promises. Other than that, feel free to discuss and ask questions if you wish. If there is anything I can do to help you put together a submission, let me know. Otherwise, happy sabering

Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on November 13, 2015, 06:40:26 PM
And now the music is official. For the light siders, we have Darth & Vader's return of the jedi order 66 mix by I.Y.F.F.E
[DUBSTEP] Darth & Vader - Return of the Jedi (I.Y.F.F.E 's Order 66 Remix) - (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXVZPzYH5Qw)
mp3 can be found for download on ??????? mp3 ?????? ????????? ? ??????? ???????? = ???MP3.net (http://daimp3.net)
search for "darth & vader - return of the jedi order 66"


For the Dark siders, Dyman's Dark side
Dyman - Dark Side | Audiosurf - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgsVBtvZQcg)
Download mp3 here
www.jamendo.com/track/1121484/dark-side?language=en (http://www.jamendo.com/track/1121484/dark-side?language=en)

The Light side track is a bit longer than the dark side, which works since most of the people who responded identified with the light side. Remember to have the music audible in the video so I can sync them up for edits.

Now you have everything you need. So, Get spinning!
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 10, 2015, 09:06:52 PM
So here is mine in raw form. Hopefully this will get others thinking and bring some more videos to the table. This is me with my contact staff. The darkness obscures it but there are several roles and other interesting things in here. Now if only I would learn to stop ducking out of frame.
raw edit of spinwars 2015 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4a-yWImUg-8)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 27, 2015, 07:31:23 PM
The rough cut is done, now I just need to clean it up a bit and work on transitions. We had in total, three participants (same number as last year but not the same faces). I ended up needing to change the music and edit into one film as this was fewer than anticipated. Thanks to those who participated. Expect an on time release of the finished product on New Year's eve.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 31, 2015, 05:11:38 PM
So it is finished. There were fewer participants than expected, but that might be owing to the many other Star Wars related activities that are taking people's time right now. We made do. Thank you to those who participated and to those who expressed interest, even if you were unable to submit anything. Without further ado, let me present Spin Wars Episode II: The Battle is Joined. Following the theme of last year's Spin Wars I went with more of a duel format, since we had dark and light represented. Enjoy.

Spin Wars: Episode II - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOXLGXuPRQA)

Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on January 22, 2016, 09:07:12 PM
So I have been working on getting my dual wield transitions to be a bit more fluid. I had been finding that I often ended up repeating a move and trying to figure out how to get out of it and into another. This led me to practice more with music to get more used to working in footwork and integrating more variety. These two videos are my most recent progress. The first is a relatively fast paced freestyle routine to Shadows by Lindsay sterling. The second is a slower routine to Caravan by Bond. As always, feedback or suggestions are welcome. Enjoy.

Shadows - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPZv5OujLAE)
Caravan - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxVwcS3dYzY)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on February 23, 2016, 01:58:33 PM
One more.  Dual wield lightsaber to Only If For Tonight by Florence and the Machine. Switched to long blades for this one. I was trying a couple new things that may need some development. You can also see my new boots in this one as I put them through the paces.
Only If For Tonight - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wPBlMnF7n0)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on February 23, 2016, 09:41:06 PM
It was brought to my attention that the audio on this was not there. I corrected the issue. Sorry about that. I solemnly vow to never use windows movie maker again. Try this one.

Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on March 30, 2016, 09:19:40 PM
This is a first run at blade on blade contact spins with lightsabers. I learned this from Lucian Kane. He calls it sticky blades. It is adapted from contact double staff. Also included is some fun with aftereffects echo feature.
Stickie blades dual wield lightsaber contact - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ysV-At_93M)
Tiger Echo - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IXhChLt32Y)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on May 06, 2016, 07:11:05 PM
Double lightsaber staff spinning to Dream On by Aerosmith. Still not perfect but I think much improved over my last attempt at double staff. Ambient light was high and my red filters on my shorter staff were a bit aggressive, but the red comes through on occasion.
Revenge of the 5th: Double Saberstaff to Music - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw_vAINYvCs)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: timtil18 on May 28, 2016, 02:05:19 PM
Like other comments above I can see how tutorials and the mixture of true martial arts form and technique would be difficult for many to choose to learn and improve on when all they want to do is spin a lightsaber. But, it is AWESOME that you are out there posting vids on what you know and incorporating that into your passion for Star Wars. People need to see the correlation between the arts and philosphy of martial arts and the way of the saber. Cheers!
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on August 13, 2016, 09:21:44 PM
Figured, I would post this here. I was playing with my contact sword today, and I learned to do a contact move called a fishtail. A few days of trying, and it just clicked. So my immediate thought was, "if I can do this with a contact staff, can I do it with a lightsaber?" The answer...yes, but not very gracefully yet. The lightsaber lacks the grip, the weight, and the extended sweet-spot of a contact tool. Makes it hard to control. I will have to try it with a staff and work on it more. In this video you see me start out with a half fish and move into a full single. With a contact tool, I can keep this going. With a saber as yet, I have to bail after one full rotation.
Fishtail with an Ultrasaber - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TOr4bN_Zlc&feature=youtu.be)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on August 31, 2016, 08:44:19 PM
Just a quick video of my progress with a fishtail spin with a lightsaber and with a contact sword. Still difficult to get more than one rotation with a lightsaber because of the small center mass.
Fishtailing with a lightsaber and a contact sword - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ-W-dpMeX8)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on August 31, 2016, 09:55:08 PM
I just wanted to see what I could get away with with a fire poi in one hand and a lightsaber in the other. Turns out most things. Not reverse direction though and changing direction of spin is rough.
Poi and lightsaber hybrid - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD_h78uWriY)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Sethski on September 01, 2016, 02:55:56 AM
Lovin' the sedate music and library setting for the poi and lightsaber vid :laugh: and the fishtail spinning is impressive!
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on September 01, 2016, 05:36:25 PM
Thanks. That is actually my video store, but it definitely has a library vibe. The music is canned youtube filler, but I thought it worked well. The name of the selection was "Dog and Pony Show" amusingly enough.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on September 05, 2016, 04:40:45 PM
These are tests for a new project I am working on. I am planning to reboot my tutorial series with better videos with some bells and whistles. The number of bells and whistles will depend on how well the kickstarter goes. Thought I would share some progress here though. The sample moves are some of the old staples and a few new ones I have been working on. There is a bit of each (contact, staff, single, and aerials) except there is no dual wield in this one. I was trying to do them slowly and clearly in most cases.
Unstable blade effect test - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BiAxJX57E0)
trail effect test - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMRcv2f7aeo)
Costume test footage and Sample Moves - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIG54pEqfQE)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on September 16, 2016, 03:54:48 PM
I was not sure if posts like this were appropriate, so I tried to check with about a dozen of the admins and got no word back. That was a week or so ago. Accordingly, I will just share this, and if they want to take it down, they may.

My newest project, Lightsaber Tutorials for Everyone, is now live on Kickstarter. It is an attempt to reboot my tutorial series, bring  high quality lightsaber spinning an fire flow art tutorials to Youtube, and let backers pick up some awesome rewards!

Find the project on Kickstarter and on Facebook

www.kickstarter.com/projects/717541782/light-saber-tutorials-for-everyone (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/717541782/light-saber-tutorials-for-everyone)
www.facebook.com/Lightsaber-Tutorials-for-Everyone-338624919808855 (http://www.facebook.com/Lightsaber-Tutorials-for-Everyone-338624919808855)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on September 23, 2016, 05:39:25 PM
Thought I would stick these in here as well. I had the opportunity the evening before last to try out a different camera and a couple new fire tools. It gives you some of the moves you will be getting in the upcoming tutorial reboot series (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/717541782/light-saber-tutorials-for-everyone). Please keep in mind that this is behind the scenes non-choreographed practice footage. It contains some moves I do not know well yet but will have mastered before I share them with you in tutorial form. I have left the drops and bloopers in as well as the side talk. The camera I will be using on the series will be better still than this one, but this is a step up I am sure you will agree from the project video. The first video features fire saber, the second double fire saber, and the last is fire staff.

Fire sword practice - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szQQz4gfOyQ)
Dual wield fire sword practice - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6F0axxnC8A)
Fire contact staff practice - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSMAClz5bn8)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on October 03, 2016, 09:24:53 PM
Figured I would post this here. The topic of levitating sword came up in another forum. This is a first real attempt at the flying/levitating saber technique. Not polished yet and the equipment needs adjusted, but I will get there. All props to flowarrior, from whose video I picked this up.  Flying Saber Practice test 1 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=966AzV8_lyk)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on October 12, 2016, 10:15:14 PM
This is a more or less finished version of my flying or levitating lightsaber technique. It includes five different levitation techniques. The learning curve was steep on this one, but I think I got there in the end. Hope you enjoy.
Flying/Levitating Lightsaber - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-8pd1Gn4YU)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on October 21, 2016, 02:51:03 AM
Just a bit more of my levitating lightsaber technique, taken from a much longer video, with a first attempt at a black core special effect added. For the record, the blade color and black core are added in post, the rest of the effect is practical and looks just like that in person. Eventually I may be offering a kit and instructions on how to do this through a future kickstarter. Levitating lightsaber and black blade effect test - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKCvZL2kWnY)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on October 21, 2016, 09:41:58 PM
Master of Puppets: Lightsaber Levitation (Original Audio) - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiG3NkUoVvk)
Trying out my new levitating saber rig. I made some adjustments for increased spin and even found a new move or two around the 6 minute mark. This is the longer version of the video from the last post and without the black core effect. Storm in the background made me think of metal, so I set it to appropriate music from  Metalica. This version is listed as a private video so that Youtube did not flip out about the music track as much. I posted another with the audio stripped here Master of Puppets: Force Levitating a Lightsaber (changed audio) - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8pvYCES44E) The first is the preferred version though. If you try to share it, share the second.  Enjoy.
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on November 03, 2016, 02:57:42 PM
First attempt at trying to dual wield levitating sabers. Not perfect and some mishaps, but I think the technique has potential. Consider this a work in progress.
Double Lightsaber Levitation - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGt-vSPxQHU)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on November 05, 2016, 07:16:11 PM
Spin Wars 2016: Call for videos


Hello Sabering community. As 2016 comes to a close, the air has gone cold, the decorations are in the windows, and it is time once again for people who love showing off with LED sabers to come together and show the community what you learned over the last year.

That's right, it is time for Spin Wars: Episode 3!!!

Simply put, most of us here tend to do our own things. We do choreographed fights, martial arts demos, spinning routines, costume work, etc. What if there was a way to get several of those things into one project that would showcase a wider picture of what we, as a community, do with lightsabers? That is what Spin Wars did last 2 years. For anyone unfamiliar, the archived videos are here.

Saber Collaborative Montage 2014 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_fabiOtA6Y)
Spin Wars: Episode II - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOXLGXuPRQA)

So what about this year? Anyone willing to volunteer, post a video in which you show us your saber work. You can choreograph a fight, you can give us spinning, you can film some freeform work, you can do it with lit or unlit blades, in costume or in plain clothes, outside, inside, or on green screen. This footage will be edited together into a montage. This year like last, if there are enough people interested,we may even look at two videos (a light side and a dark side). Preliminary interest tells me we may be able to make this happen this time around.

The criteria:

1. For editing and theme purposes, the video should be designed to accompany a piece of music posted below. Please have the music playing in the video so that I can hear it in the background for timing. If you record it without the music or while the music was playing through headphones, please attach the music track to it before you post.

2. Your video must include a lightsaber and be something recognizable as "a performance".

3. Your content should not violate youtube or forum rules.

The details:

If you are interested, please post and say so. Also please indicate if you will considering yourself dark side or light side for this performance. The initial interest will help determine if we are doing one video or two but I will operate as if we are doing 2 until the situation proves otherwise. When you have a video, please post it here. I can rip things from youtube without a problem for editing. Please include the name or moniker you would like to appear in the credits. If you have a signature move, pose, or other brief trademark, please post it as a separate video or still image as you would like it to appear in the credits. If none is submitted, I will use a short clip from your routine. If you have a youtube channel or web link, post it and I will include it in the description. Please try to submit material as soon as you are able. I would like to start editing in mid December with a video release on Youtube around the first of the year.

The Music:

We will be going with the music selections from last year since we did not end up using them and they are good tracks.

The Dark Side track is "Dark Side from Dyman
Dyman - Dark Side | Audiosurf - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgsVBtvZQcg)
Download mp3 here
Dyman - Dark Side | Jamendo Music | Free music downloads (http://www.jamendo.com/track/1121484/dark-side?language=en)

The light side is Return of the Jedi (order 66 cut) by Darth & Vader
[DUBSTEP] Darth & Vader - Return of the Jedi (I.Y.F.F.E 's Order 66 Remix) - (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXVZPzYH5Qw)
mp3 can be found on http://daimp3.net (http://daimp3.net)
search for "darth & vader - return of the jedi order 66"

Additional notes and disclaimers:

This is not a professional video and my channel is not monetized so there is no profit being made. This is by and for those who are willing to donate time and energy to make it happen. I will have to decide what makes it in and what does not. I will attempt to give everyone equal time (provided they submit a long enough clip to accomplish this). We are only working with 6 minutes between the two videos. I will try to include everyone, and if too many people are interested to do that, I will try to make a second cut. This may have to come out after the first though. If you have a favorite segment, feel free to let me know the time range and I will do what I can, but no promises. Other than that, feel free to discuss and ask questions if you wish. If there is anything I can do to help you put together a submission, let me know. Otherwise, happy sabering and let's make this one a good one to cap off the first trilogy.

Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on November 15, 2016, 04:15:16 PM
Most recent look at free form flying single saber. This one contains a single hand reel I have  been working on in addition to more polished versions of the moves from the earlier videos. It also includes a couple of those jump strikes I was working on.  I liked the way it went to the music.
Flying saber dancing 11/16 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORXnuVuQO_A)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on November 22, 2016, 09:08:37 PM
So I shot mine yesterday. First though, this is the long cut of the footage. I had the song on repeat so I ended up shooting about 15 minutes. This is the best 7 minutes. There were a lot of neat tricks in here but only so much room in the final cut. Even less in the final edit.
Spin Wars 2016: Long Cut - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zzd5219qk9I)
This is the short version to the music. This demonstrated my flying saber with an echo effect added. I am pretty happy with it.
Spin Wars 2016: Dark Side Submission - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3jjo2Gagv8)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: jbkuma on November 23, 2016, 09:11:56 AM
Most impressive!
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 06, 2016, 08:23:44 PM
Messing around with lightsabers again and I made this. The ground was wet, so I could pull off some foot pivots on the wet brick that I can't usually do. I also liked the way the water reflected the saber light.
Spin Wars 2016: alternate light side submission - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZzfHIL3UMw)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 16, 2016, 05:47:42 PM
So with just a few more days left to submit videos, I figured I would post a quick reminder and an update. As a reminder, the unofficial deadline for submissions is the 20th. If you have something coming and let me know, I can fudge it a bit, but I will start making the montage on the 20th so try not to do that to me if you can help it. For the update, here is what we have so far. For those who submitted more than one video for a single side, please tell me which you want to use or if I should just cut the two together. If I don't hear an answer before I start working, I will default to the second option. Thanks to all the people who submitted. This is shaping up to be the busiest spin war to date, and it was made possible...by viewers like you. Sorry, that was a bit PBS, but I could not help myself.
Light side
Cephalus
Spin Wars 2016: alternate light side submission - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZzfHIL3UMw)
Samhain
Light Side spin wars submission - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm-cwiMTPd0&feature=youtu.be)
Thunder blade
Midnight Lightsaber Training - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK1a1D_-f9k)
Hazard
Spin Wars 2 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLMjjk5gNB4)
Son of Hazard
Spin Wars 1 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83j7V9QzEmU)
Ryan
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvxC6lvA9Es (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvxC6lvA9Es)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRkVByEQj1w (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRkVByEQj1w)
Timotius
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7zCiPYvgjw&feature=youtu.be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7zCiPYvgjw&feature=youtu.be)




Dark side
Ryan
www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeFlQsKW4-k (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeFlQsKW4-k)
Cephalus
www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3jjo2Gagv8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3jjo2Gagv8)
Venturous
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZwKbCjKi1Y (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZwKbCjKi1Y)
Enso
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBja6wwN16I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBja6wwN16I)
Samhain
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL-qaOiA2Z8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL-qaOiA2Z8)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LtOQGvXD4o&feature=youtu.be (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LtOQGvXD4o&feature=youtu.be)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on December 31, 2016, 02:05:54 PM
The videos are shot, the editing is done, and now they can be enjoyed; just in time for the new year. Spin Wars 2016  year in review. These videos are the result of an open submission call for videos on various saber forums. The following montage blends footage from 14 different submissions featuring saber spinning in different weapon combinations to music. Videos taken during 2016. This year, because of the turnout, we had enough for a light side and dark side video. In honor of Rogue One, the dark side video is structured as "A Spin Wars Story" while the light side is offered as "Episode III". For those who may have missed them, I have tagged on the first two years as well. Some of the participants are the same, so track progress, reminisce, or make a mini marathon of it. Thank you to all the participants. Your channel links are included in the video description on youtube and your names are in the credits at the end. Happy New Year... and Happy Sabering.


SPIN WARS: Episode III - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtBuaBYkTjE)

Darkness Rising: A Spin Wars Story - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUMKS1tbufw)

Spin Wars: Episode II - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOXLGXuPRQA)

Saber Collaborative Montage 2014 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_fabiOtA6Y)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on January 24, 2017, 08:14:01 PM
Man it has been a while since I got back on the tutorial train. This one is a sort of palate cleanser to ease me back in. As I was test driving my new crossguard, I got to wondering what could be done with it. After a bit of poking and prodding, I shot a brief video on adapting to it and what moves were easy to do, which were hard, and which were very hard. I even threw in a couple quick ones that really only look good with a crossguard. I did not cover finger rolls. This was an oversight. I can tell you though that they go in the very hard section. YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wdzvl5Pkm8)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on February 23, 2017, 03:29:16 PM
This is a new thing I am trying to pick up. It involves tossing the saber from the outstretched right hand and catching it behind or slightly over the head with the left. I picked this up from a M. C. Smith video. I am trying to carry it through into other moves. This footage comes from my second practice session with this move.

YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukqxG5zXP-k)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on April 05, 2017, 10:18:58 PM
So I was struck by a couple questions. Can you dual wield crossguard lightsabers? Yes! Are they heavy AF? Yes! Do you end up hitting yourself with the quillions? Not if you hold them right. This is a collection of clips from a 15 minute practice session. Hope you enjoy.
YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFsaUdYDnQ0)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on October 21, 2017, 08:45:52 PM
A bit of spinning in costume for my niece and nephew’s autumn school fair. For those who watch to the end, I can confirm that no one was injured.
YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oj-YDB6b5s)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on October 31, 2017, 08:06:19 PM
Some spinning in my Darth Nihilus costume. Wanted to get some video of how it moved and I was out and about in it on Main Street, so why not?
YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pol9k0eaq1Q)
Title: Re: The non-martial arts
Post by: Darth Cephalus on March 10, 2018, 07:55:25 PM
Necropost!
Some updates of some of my recent stuff since it has been a while:

First off...Rain
In Oregon, if you don’t practice in the rain, you don’t practice. This was the first time out for my custom etched Darksai from Kaizen Saber. Balance is a bit guard heavy, but a quick little guy nonetheless. Seen here with a Ripper Blades unstable black blade. Beautiful combo.
Rain: Cthulhu Darksaber spin test #1 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBahohAj7Og)

Next...Sun
If you don’t like the weather in Oregon, just wait a bit. This was my second spin test with my Darksai Cthulhu etched Darksaber from Kaizen Saber. Once again sporting a black unstable blade from Ripper Blades. You can see it gets a bit more air in this one as I get used to the weight.

Sun: Cthulhu Darksaber spin test #2 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0l7FS96IqE)

Next..some contact work
This is a look at some of my recent contact single saber. I start out with the combo I am working on. Then I move on to some fishtail to toss variations. Next is some angel rolls, and finished off with some weird thing (if it has a name, I don’t know it). Yes, yes, I know...the blade makes contact with my arm a few times. If it helps, you can assume my jacket is made of Zillo beast hide.

Contact work with single saber - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOYDvya2WEM)

and finally, some in costume freestyle
This was at a costume event I did recently. One of the stormtroopers said "hey, you should do a thing" Before I knew it, they announced me on the stage. I sent someone for my second saber and improvised. True story, this video was filmed by an ewok and was originally performed to a Miley Cyrus song that was playing at the time.
Metallic Sabers - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wup6ZSpr0U)