HAPPY STAR WARS DAY
That’s right, May 4th is celebrated all over the world by avid fans of the media franchise. What started as a pun on the catchphrase “May the force be with you” as “May the fourth be with you” has now become a fully-fledged Star Wars holiday.
The reference was first used on May 4th, 1979, the day that Margaret Thatcher became Britain’s first woman Prime Minister. To celebrate her victory, her party advertised a congratulatory message in the London Evening News, reading ‘May the Fourth be with you, Maggie. Congratulations.’ I guess this proves the extent to which Star Wars has influenced us all.
While the idea of May the 4th did not start with Lucas film, they have fully embraced the day, along with Star Wars social media channels, partners, and fandom. On this day you can expect Star Wars sales, giveaways, movie marathons, and parties to honour the day.
I have only recently begun watching Star Wars, although people have been trying to get me to watch it for years. I knew I would like it, because I love anything to do with space (not only did I study Astrobiology for my Masters degree, but I also love Doctor Who, and films such as Interstellar, Passengers, and The Martian). After watching Episodes 4, 5, and 6, I could finally see what all the fuss was about, and after my epic Jedi Training Class, I am excited to continue watching the rest!
BECOME A JEDI WITH FIZZBOX
In celebration of Star Wars Day, I was invited to try out ‘Jedi Training’ by Fizzbox. Fizzbox is an online party shop. They make it easier for people to book great venues and activities for special occasions such as team building days, stag & hen do’s, and birthday parties. They do this by putting you directly in contact with the activity provider via their simple booking system. Check out their website to see the huge range of activities they have to offer.
JEDI TRAINING CLASS
The venue was a little difficult to find (situated behind an Umbrella shop in Tottenham Court Road), but we eventually discovered it! We were met by Lynsey, the PR and Communications Manager from Fizzbox, who was very welcoming and introduced us to Rico, our professional instructor for the evening, and the rest of our class mates.
Rico was our very own Yoda, helping us to become “one with the force”. He was energetic, enthusiastic, and funny, which put everyone at ease, and kept people engaged throughout the session.
At first, we were provided with wooden ‘fake’ sabers, to perfect our Jedi moves, before progressing on to the real thing. We were taught basic saber techniques, including how to correctly hold a saber (it’s a lot trickier than it looks, as your hands are twisted over each other, but the grip helps you to quickly rotate your saber between moves). We were also taught the basic 5 defence and attack parries, and the correct footwork for each move. I do a lot of dancing, so I learnt the moves like I would normally learn the choreography to a dance routine. Although this helped me pick the sequence up quite quickly, it did mean my moves were a lot sassier than your typical Jedi!
THE FIGHT
We were put into pairs to practice our moves. I brought along my old school friend, Josie, so I paired up with her. Now, I probably need to tell you that Josie and I have always been very competitive, especially at school. Even the teacher picked up on the fact there was “unfinished business”, and called us up to demonstrate our attack and defence routine to the class. Josie was attacking , and I was told I had to defend. It was going pretty well until the final move. I’m not quite sure what came over me, maybe it was years of pent-up rivalry, but when she came towards me in the final move, instead of defending, my brain somehow turned to ‘attack mode’ and I ended up hitting her over the head with my lightsaber. Oops. It ended up being absolutely hilarious though, and she was perfectly fine!
We were then taught a choreographed routine for our final fight scene. Rico decided to choreograph the fight so Josie would win, which I’m still fuming about. I guess it’s karma for me hitting her over the head….. but still! Anyways, we learnt our routine which had some really cool moves in it, including a spin and a force push. Once we had perfected the sequence, it was the moment everyone had been waiting for. We were presented with our real sabers! The lights dimmed, a Star Wars fight scene was projected on to the screens hanging on the walls, and we each took to the floor to perform our routine. It really did feel like you were in the movie and is something all Star Wars fans need to experience.
OVERALL
This would be a great activity for hen and stag do’s, work days out, or just avid Star Wars fans. It is a unique experience, and definitely the most random but awesome activity I have done in London.
All equipment is provided for you so all you need to do is turn up. There is also the option to turn up in fancy dress, to truly immerse yourself in the magic of one of the greatest movie franchises of all time.
Thank you again to Fizzbox for inviting me and hosting an amazing workshop.
Happy Star Wars Day and May the force be with you.
Disclaimer*
I received an invite to this event in exchange for a review. Views are my own.