LUMINA Notation System

The LUMINA Notation System (originally called the Temporal Notation System) is an open-source weapon combat notation system that is used for SaberCraft choreographies. The system was designed solely from an "Attacker's perspective". As movements are choreographed, the assumption is that the attacker is initiating the contact. Defenders would respond to counter the attack. Below is a quick overview of how our notation works and the intended target points. Once you understand that, register for free and begin learning our Choreographed Movements and learn SaberCraft. Teach others and consider opening your own chapter.

The Target Points

Attacking

Picture a clock and place your partner in the middle of that clock. When attacking, you will be swinging the saber so that the tip is at the appropriate target point. When you attack a “1” you are swinging the saber and making sure that the tip of your blade get’s to the “1-o-clock” mark which would be around the left side of your partner’s head. In LUMINA, there is no actual contact, so the saber comes to within 6 inches of the target and stops there. The key to attacking is to control your saber firmly arriving at the target point with accuracy. While attacking you are stepping forward with your attacks.
1 Attack
11 Attack
3 Attack
9 Attack
5 Attack
7 Attack

Defending

Picture a clock. Now, mirror it and place yourself in the center of that clock. When defending - imagine that ‘you are the clock’. You are positioning your hands at a number on the clock. As in many martial arts, defending is more difficult than attacking. Hold your saber firmly and remind your partner to attack a particular target point with accuracy focusing on meeting your blade, not your body. While defending you are stepping backwards with your defended attack.
1P Parry 1
11P Parry 11
3P Parry 3
9P Parry 9
5 Attack
7P Parry 7

Introduction to the LUMINA Notation System

Notation

Notation is then written in the following form:

The choreography above then states the following:

  • Participant (Lumen) A will attack their partner's 1-o-clock Target; Lumen B will parry (block) the attack
  • Participant (Lumen) A will attack their partner's 11-o-clock Target; Lumen B will parry (block) the attack
  • Participant (Lumen) A will attack their partner's 3-o-clock Target; Lumen B will parry (block) the attack
  • Participant (Lumen) A will attack their partner's 9-o-clock Target; Lumen B will parry (block) the attack
  • Participant (Lumen) A will attack their partner's 5-o-clock Target; Lumen B will parry (block) the attack
  • Participant (Lumen) A will attack their partner's 7-o-clock Target; Lumen B will parry (block) the attack

Complete Notation Legend

Next Steps

Moving to the next stage is actually becoming a part of the community. This is about building groups so you can practice, learn and grow with others. As a SaberCraft student, called Lumeneers, you learn our system, memorize our choreographed movements, then build your own choreographies and build a community to share this with. Once you register for the website, you'll have access to more completed choreographies inspired by film and TV taking the guesswork out of figuring out what was done.

 

Copyright and Usage

Creative Commons License
SaberCraft Temporal Notation by Sabercraft is copyrighted - ©2016 SaberCraft.org. SaberCraft LUMINA Notation by Sabercraft is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://sabercraft.org/index.php/2017/07/03/temporal-notation-system/.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://sabercraft.org/index.php/about-us/. Feel free to use the notation and publish your contribution to the community freely. ©2016 SaberCraft.org.