A lightsaber is a fictional beam of energy that can cut through anything. In a way, that description speaks to the mission of Drexel’s Dragon Jedi club: If you believe in something strongly enough, anything is possible.
The Dragon Jedi club is a group of Drexel students and “Star Wars” enthusiasts connected by their love of the film franchise. Together, they learn and teach combat choreography skills for live performances at parades, birthday parties, conventions and anywhere the group can give back in its unique way.
“We give back to the community through costumed performances and appearances while also teaching leadership skills, teamwork and unity,” says Steven Fox, the club’s co-founder, past president and 2015 graduate of the College of Computing & Informatics.
Underestimate the Dragon Jedi, you should not. The group isn’t just playing around in costumes. There is real, actual training underway. After every fight practice, the members give each other feedback on their performance. More seasoned members usually work with beginner members — the club’s padawans use “boffers” constructed from PVC pipe, pipe insulation and tape (for color). Eventually, more advanced members move to the “real” sabers: stylized aluminum pipe with LED and a trigger button, along with a polycarbonate tube acting as the blade.
This holiday season, “Star Wars” fans will go back to the future for the newest film, “The Force Awakens.” Though the group has no plans for a viewing party, since the movie premiere occurs over Drexel’s winter break, it’s a safe bet what members will be doing at midnight on Christmas Eve. The majority opinion of the Dragon Jedi, says junior biology major and current club president Erika Kroesen, is that the upcoming film could echo the very nature of the light saber’s power: it’s going to be either really good or really bad.
*See the Dragon Jedi perform via the group’s Facebook page (search Dragon Jedi) or its YouTube channel (youtube.com/DrexelDragonJedi).