About Living Blade Academy
Transform Your Performance with Cinematic Weapon Mastery
At Living Blade Academy, we empower actors, stunt performers, martial artists, and enthusiasts to master the art of cinematic weapon combat. Our mission is to fuse storytelling, real technique, and safety into every movement, enabling you to deliver compelling performances on screen and stage.
Meet Your Instructor: Kendall Wells
I’m Kendall Wells—a professional SAG-AFTRA and Television Academy stunt performer, fight choreographer, and actor with over 20 years of experience in martial arts and weapons performance for film and live theatre.
My journey has taken me from the dojo to major film sets, including:
The Gray Man (The Russo Brothers, Netflix)
Rebel Moon (Zack Snyder, Netflix)
Our Flag Means Death (Taika Waititi, HBO)
Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (Amazon)
68 Whiskey (Ron Howard, Paramount)
Grimm (NBC)
As a certified instructor of Shinkendo Japanese Swordsmanship and an instructor of De Longis Performance & Combat Arts, I’ve dedicated my career to teaching the nuances of weapon-based performance.
Why Train with Living Blade Academy?
Comprehensive Curriculum: Learn various weapon styles, including one-handed swords (sabre, rapier), two-handed swords (longsword, katana), double weapons, and sci-fi sabers.
Accessible Learning: Our courses cater to all levels, from beginners to advanced performers, with structured lessons and drills.
Expert Guidance: Benefit from my extensive experience and personalized feedback to refine your technique and performance.
Community Support: Join a network of like-minded individuals passionate about cinematic combat.
The System: De Longis Performance & Combat Arts
Kendall teaches De Longis Performance & Combat Arts, created by world-renown sword, whip, and fight master Anthony De Longis. It’s an approach to theatrical combat that focuses on the “ribbons of truth” that run through all martial arts, and always works to a higher standard. The system and philosophy we uphold is flexible, honest, and essential.
Anthony has a variety of exceptional instructional courses available on DVD listed here.
Legacy
Anthony De Longis & Jet Li in Jet Li’s Fearless (2006)
When looking for teachers and mentors, we look for those with the deepest legacy of knowledge, and the most skill at conveying it to students. We strive to build on the wisdom of those who came before us and dedicated their to lives the art of swordsmanship, sharing what their masters taught before them: a tree of knowledge with roots tapping back into the depths of history.
These are the instructors whose influence shaped De Longis Performance and Combat Arts, and by studying it, you help carry on the legacy of sword knowledge.
Anthony has been a performer, teacher / trainer and student of bladed arts from around the world for over 45 years and counting and has created memorable acting and action roles in 13 countries on 5 continents. He has a deep knowledge of European weaponry (broadsword, saber, rapier & dagger, small sword, etc), Japanese katana (Shinkendo), and Filipino double weapon and knife arts (10 years training with Guro Dan Inosanto), staff, spear, lance and archery, from the ground and from horseback.
Career highlights include a one-on-one duel with Jet Li in Fearless, and he guest starred twice on Highlander - The Series. The episode Duende was written for Anthony and allowed him to introduce the unique Mysterious Circle system of Spanish rapier fighting to the screen with co-choreographere Braun McAsh and series star Adrian Paul.
Anthony has been Kendall’s fight performance mentor since 2004.
Champion Sabre fencer, Olympic Sabre team member, and Sword Master for Errol Flynn, Basil Rathbone, and more. He forged a legacy in the golden age of Hollywood as one of the top sword masters for cinema. Master Faulkner worked on such films as The Three Musketeers, Clash of the Titans, The Court Jester, The Sea Hawk, Captain Blood, The Prisoner of Zenda, and more.
Master Faulkner was Anthony De Longis’ first sword teacher, and his influence is felt deeply in Anthony’s system
Legendary martial artist, training partner to Bruce Lee, and founder of the world-renown Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts, his impact on the world of martial arts and film is global.
Anthony De Longis studied under Guro Dan for many years. His influence greatly impacted Anthony’s development of the “rolling loop” method of bullwhip, as well as his approach to bladed arts and double weapons.
Obata Toshishiro is the founder and headmaster of Shinkendo Japanese swordsmanship, originally descended from the Heike clan's stream, and of samurai family lineage.
At a young age Obata was welcomed by the Tate dojo to be a Bujutsu Shihan, and as such became a member of the Tokyo Wakakoma - an elite group of martial artists, who serve as fight scene choreographers and stuntmen for Japanese television and movies - for which he was a trainer for several years.
Kaiso Obata is one of the most well-rounded and authentic martial artists of today. He is the Founder and Kaicho of the Aikibujutsu Tanren Kenkyukai, Founder and Chief Instructor of the Kokusai Toyama Ryu Renmei, and the Founder and Chief Instructor of the International Shinkendo Federation.
Matthew Lynch, a Senior Instructor at the Shinkendo World Headquarters in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. He has been studying Shinkendo Japanese Swordsmanship under Headmaster Obata Toshishiro since 1999.
Kaiso Obata often refers to Matthew’s technique as being honest and pure. It is this pure and uncompromised training that he presents to his students at Mashuu Dojo.
Both Anthony De Longis and Kendall Wells have trained under Shihan Matthew Lynch since 2007.
Ready to Elevate Your Performance?
Join Living Blade Academy and embark on a journey to master the art of cinematic combat. Whether you’re preparing for a role, enhancing your stunt skills, or exploring a new passion, our courses are designed to support your growth.