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.
What People Are Saying…
“John (Krasinski) is very hands on in general, and we were really lucky to have Kendall and the whole stunt team, especially for something of this scale.”
— Allyson Seeger, Executive Producer - Jack Ryan
“Kendall Wells - he worked as a stuntman on most of our episodes, and he rocked it on this episode (of The Librarians).”
— Rebecca Romijn, Actress
“Thank you Kendall for making us look good with the great skills you have learnt through study, and now share with us.”
— Manu Bennett, Actor
“He's not only good at demonstrating technique, but at articulating the "why" behind the technique.”
— Jeff Budner, Stunt Performer
“Kendall would encourage and correct when appropriate, keeping true to the form he was teaching because he actually loves what he teaches and you can see that in the way he conducts himself.”
— Audra Smith, Stunt Performer
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.