Road Trip Close To Home: Lightsaber combat becomes real sport in Cherry Hill
LudoSport, which was created in Milan, Italy, in 2006 and arrived in the United States in 2016, teaches lightsaber combat through structured training, rules and competitions.
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A galaxy far, far away isn't required to learn lightsaber combat.
A growing sport in Cherry Hill is turning the iconic Star Wars weapon into a real-life athletic competition.
LudoSport, which was created in Milan, Italy, in 2006 and arrived in the United States in 2016, teaches lightsaber combat through structured training, rules and competitions.
Participants learn seven different combat forms and train with three different weapon styles.
"We want to look like we're fighting in a Star Wars movie. Like we want to look like Jedi. We want to have that aesthetic," said Dominic Ciarrocchi, dean and lead instructor at LudoSport Cherry Hill.
The sport incorporates techniques adapted from several martial arts disciplines, including historical European martial arts, longsword fencing and rapier fencing.
New students begin with the basics, learning ready stances known as "guardia" and movement techniques such as "passo" and "mesopasso."
From there, they learn strikes, footwork, timing and control.
"We are very serious about the technique and about the training and the precision and the safety that goes along with all of this," Ciarrocchi said.
Classes are open to participants ages 8 and older.
Those who continue training can compete in regional, national and world championships.
Instructors say the sport is about more than competition.
"We like to say show up for the lightsabers, stay for the people. We are an inclusive community, a supportive community. We make each other better," Ciarrocchi said.
