Preface: It is noteworthy that these principles given here are not based in fiction. They are based heavily on the Chinese Kenpo in the Ed Parker lineage. I want to give credit to my Sensei Dennis Laycock; who taught me to have the psychology of a prize fighter.

-Thanx; Corwin Black

Lightsaber Form 8: Series One: The Dance of Death.

PRINCIPLE ONE: The Mind.

The mind of the Jedi practitioner of Fulcrum is like the careful consideration one must give to where, when, and how a lighthouse is constructed. You are building a simple structure and dangerous ground that is assaulted by even more dangerous attacks. The idea is not to be fast, or strong, but reliable. You must have a plan, and it must be simple. You can not build a lighthouse unless you know where you are starting, where you need to finish; and then how to get there will fall in place.

The first step in learning Fulcrum is reading the book. Yes there is a manual. It's not very long, or very complicated. Truthfully its most common criticism is usually that any trained monkey could read it. However, that is part of the lesson of Fulcrum. It's not how complicated the thing is that is important; it's how well you must know it. The academic study of Fulcrum in the first phase; called, 'The Dance of Death' is studied extensively and to the point where the practitioner can repeat its principles and its destination with boring repetition. In fact, the stated goal on day one for a potential initiate is to learn this manual until you are absolutely board with it; but can recite it verbatim.

The reading level of this manual is first grade at best however. Anyone who can't master it completely probably shouldn't own a lightsaber. Once the potential student can pass a quiz with a 100% in less than 17 seconds, and do so 7 out of 7 times then they can become 'initiates'.

A common joke among the teachers and initiates of Fulcrum is that you must pass the written test sitting at a desk, standing up, lying down, or hanging upside down from a flag pole in the rain.

Forever after this a Fulcrum practitioner is called a 'Lighthouse' spelled with a capitol. The Lighthouse's opponent is called the 'Corsair' also with a capitol.

PHILOSOPHICAL CURRICULUM: Death is no game.

An important philosophical idea is taught during the reading of the manual; that death is no game. It is serious stuff. A lightsaber is designed to kill. It can be used for many other things, but it's not designed for those things. It's designed to kill, not wound, not maim. It is designed to kill. Once your lightsaber is activated in anger your sole purpose is to kill the Corsair that forced its activation. It is the duty of the Corsair to retreat, not the Lighthouse. You should not show them the power unless you have to. But if, or when, you have to; show them the power all of it.

It is this brutal dedication to absolute destruction and certain death of the Corsair (or opponent) that kept Form 8 from being taught to many Jedi. A Jedi must have obtained a certain maturity about violence before they should be taught these things; was the overall thinking. Fulcrum practitioners disagreed. Alexander Wolf the founder of the Fulcrum style of lightsaber combat would constantly say that a child should learn it immediately after learning to speak. The first thing a Lighthouse should learn to say is 'mommy' and 'daddy' the second is 'death is no game.'

Ironically Fulcrum is not a popular style among Sith or dark Jedi because they want you to read the book first. Are you kidding? That's like asking a Klingon to brush his teeth; apaukch that!

Gray Jedi take to this form very well however, or Jedi who are more mature.

PRINCIPLE TWO: Welcome to 'The Dance of Death'.

The first set of physical moves for Fulcrum is called 'The Dance of Death'. The Dance of Death principle incorporates three maneuvers which are ALWAYS done in this order. First Parry, second Move, third Strike. All techniques taught to the student have these three elements and they always go in that order. What's important about 'The Dance of Death' is that the mind can send commands to your hands and feet faster than the body can execute them. Thus; to the mind's eye of the Lighthouse (the Fulcrum practitioner) these elements seem and appear to be linear and not simultaneous; but to the Corsair these three maneuvers appear to be all at the same time in one fluid motion. The Corsair is unable to know where one ends and the other begins, the Lighthouse knows exactly where and how they occur. This is just like a real pirate ship and a real lighthouse. The pirate ship doesn't know where all the rocks under the water are; but the lighthouse does.

SECOND PRINCIPLE: Observation Wins Championships:

This philosophical principle of Fulcrum teaches that any Lighthouse who sees a ship passing by should know several things about them instantly; the direction of their gaze, the expression in their eyes and in their lips (they are not often the same), and their foot and hand dominance (Foot dominance IS more important than hand dominance)

THIRD PRINCIPLE: HANDS FIRST.

Another principle taught here is that the Lighthouse's hands ALWAYS move before the feet do. Moving your feet first will always telegraph your maneuver; offensive or defensive, and lead to utter failure at best; and destruction at worst. Any Lighthouse who fails to learn the hands first rule has a very short career and usually die very quickly. Remember the mind commands faster than the body reacts; so in the physical world these things will take place simultaneously but in the mental world they are linear; and moving the hands proceeds moving the feet, then onto the strike. There is no need for the Lighthouse to regard these maneuvers as simultaneous; that just confuses the body because the mind is already way ahead.

Mastering 'Hands First' also introduces one of the most important factors of Fulcrum. Since the attention of the Corsair is drawn to the hands before the feet; the Corsair is never truly aware of where the impending attack will come from.

FOURTH PRINCIPLE: The Blender.

The food blender is not a very complicated piece of equipment. However, I don't know anyone; from Jedi Master to complete idiot; who would want to get their hands caught in it. It is this principle that the blocks, moves, and strikes of Fulcrum are based around.

The Basic blocks, moves, and strikes of Shii-Cho are learned at this point by the Lighthouse. Like the manual, none of them are complicated.

Their are eight grips in Fulcrum. These are like the musical notes in a scale. A Lighthouse can not boogie to the Dance of Death without music and you can not compose music unless you know all the notes. These grips are characterized as follows

First Group

1) Strong hand; Forward grip; single hand

2) Support hand; forward grip; single hand

3) Strong hand; Reverse grip; single hand

4) Support hand; Reverse Grip; Single hand

Second Group

1) Strong hand; Forward grip; both hands

2) Support hand; forward grip; both hands

3) Strong hand; Reverse grip; both hands

4) Support hand; Reverse Grip; Both hands

Lighthouse initiates must learn all the basic parries, moves, and strikes with all eight of these combinations. It can be boringly repetitive; but its absolute mastery to do everything eight different ways is the very foundation of Fulcrum. Many games and training songs have been developed to not only help Lighthouse initiates learn the maneuvers but to help maintain their sanity, and the sanity of the teacher.

Closing arguments of 'The Dance of Death'

The 'Dance of Death' is as much an academic exercise as it is a physical one. The complexities and the depth of life vs death considerations help moderate the rigid repetition of the physical work. Physically the work is absolutely boring, and its absolute mastery is essential to staying alive longer than a couple of seconds in a lightsaber fight.

Because Lighthouse initiates are well versed in the grim reality and finality of death they are slow to anger, and many potential Corsairs who come into conflict with a Lighthouse sense this and often back down without resorting to an angry clash.

It is not wise to attack a lighthouse, even if you're a battleship. Eventually, no matter how badly the battleship can hammer the lighthouse; the battleship will sink.