You’ve been to a few practices, you’ve held a saber, and you’re wondering what comes next. Here’s the whole path — no mysteries, no surprises.
The short version
- Visit. Your first three practices are free. Just RSVP and come out.
- Apply. Once you’ve made three practices within 60 days, you’re eligible to apply.
- Initiate. You’ll spend 3 to 6 months learning the basics alongside our members.
- Knighting. Finish the requirements and we knight you at practice. You’re one of us.
Becoming an Initiate
Three practices within a 60-day window makes you eligible. When you’re ready, fill out the membership application and your initiation begins.
Initiation runs 3 to 6 months. Life happens — if you need more time to finish the requirements, we’ll grant a second 6-month period. It’s not a failure and nobody keeps score.
Showing up
Initiates are held to the same 50% attendance standard as full members, measured across your initiation period.
Good news: attendance at official club events counts toward that, one-for-one with practices. So a weekend working a convention booth with us counts the same as a Saturday night at practice.
Our Secretary/Treasurer tracks attendance, so you don’t have to keep a tally.
What you’ll learn
Before you progress from initiate to full member, you’ll have learned four things:
- Letter combinations A through D — our foundational drills, the alphabet of how we fight
- Shi-cho — the first form, a set sequence every member knows
- One approvable fight with an active member
- The CPJSA Club Fight — our signature group routine. You only need one side, Jedi or Sith
If none of those words mean anything to you yet, that’s completely normal. Nobody arrives knowing them. You’ll learn at practice, from people who learned them the same way.
Our Fight Director confirms when you’ve got each one down.
What it costs
| Where you are | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Your first 3 visits | Free |
| Guest, after 3 visits | $5 per practice you attend |
| Initiate | $50 for your full six-month initiation |
| Full member | $50 per quarter |
Prefer to pay as you go? Initiates and members can pay $5 per practice instead if that works better for them.
After three free visits, you choose: start your initiation, or keep coming as a guest at $5 per practice. There’s no pressure either way, and plenty of people take their time deciding. If you decide to start your initiate period, the initiate fee is due by end of your 4th practice (your first practice as an initiate).
A note on timing: your six-month initiation is tracked from your own start date, not the calendar — so you get a full six months no matter when you join. Once you’re a member, quarters shift to the standard calendar quarters. Our Secretary/Treasurer handles that transition individually and will make sure the changeover doesn’t cost you anything extra. If you’re ever unsure what you owe, just ask them.
Joining with your kids
We’re a family club, and teenagers can train right alongside you.
Anyone 13 to 17 can join as an Apprentice Member, as long as a parent or legal guardian joins and participates too — not drops off and waits. Apprentices pay a quarter of the regular dues rate, and if your teen starts their initiation while you’re participating alongside them, their initiation fee is waived entirely.
Apprentice Members train, perform at events, and earn their knighting the same way everyone else does. The only differences are on the governance side: they can vote in club polls but not elections, and they don’t hold elected office or run events.
Participants must be at least 13 years old.
If you live outside the Harrisburg area
Can’t make it most Saturdays because of the drive? We have a membership class for that.
Outer Rim Members live too far out to meet normal attendance requirements. They pay half the regular dues rate and are asked to attend at least one practice and one event per year. You still complete the same training requirements — but education can be submitted by video to the Fight Director’s specifications, and your approved fight can be with another Outer Rim Member.
Council makes the final call on who qualifies, so if the drive is your obstacle, just ask.
The knighting
When your skills are signed off and your attendance holds, we don’t just update a spreadsheet. We hold a knighting ceremony at practice — sabers out, the whole club watching, your name called.
It takes about five minutes and gives us a chance to celebrate your accomplishment together.
How to pay
Cash or check at practice, handed to our Secretary/Treasurer.
Zeffy — pay by credit card or Apple Pay on our Zeffy page.
All dues are collected and tracked by the Secretary/Treasurer. If you’re ever unsure where you stand, just ask — they’ll tell you.
Where your money goes
Dues cover the cost of renting the space we practice in and other operating expenses. That’s the whole story — we’re a volunteer not for profit, we don’t accept payment for appearances, and nobody here draws a salary.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need my own lightsaber?
No. Many members keep spares and will lend you one. What you shouldn’t bring is a toy or display saber — it will break, sometimes spectacularly. If you’re not sure which kind you have, bring it and an experienced member will take a look.
Do I need any experience?
None at all. Most of our members walked in knowing nothing about stage combat. If you happen to have choreography or martial arts background, great — but if not it won’t keep you from learning.
Do I have to pick Jedi or Sith?
For the Club Fight requirement, you learn one side. Beyond that, plenty of members build costumes for both. Nobody’s making you commit to the dark side permanently unless you want to.
Do I need a costume to join?
Not to become a member. Costuming is a big part of what we do at events, and members will happily talk your ear off about building one, but it’s not a requirement for membership and it’s not something you need to buy on day one.
What if I can’t make 50% of practices?
Talk to us. Work schedules, family, health — we’ve all been there. If your initiation period is going sideways, the second six-month period exists for exactly that reason. Some initiates in this scenario chose to flip to the Pay Per Practice model so they are only paying for the weeks they’re able to attend.
What if I don’t finish in the second initiate period?
Then you’re still welcome at practice. You can keep attending as a guest at $5 per practice. If you want another run at membership later, submit a written request to Council explaining why you think you’d be able to finish — they’ll consider it.
Is the $50 refundable?
No, when you pay the initiate fee or the quarterly member fee that grants you access to all practices during the given timeframe. If you’d rather pay just for the practices you attend, we have the Pay Per Practice model instead.
I’m under 18. Can I join?
Yes, but only if you can convince your parent or guardian to join and participate too. For safety and insurance reasons, individuals from 13–17 can become Apprentice Members only alongside a parent or guardian who meets the requirements of a Full Member. Individuals under the age of 13 are not eligible to participate. See “Joining with your kids” above for rates.
What happens when initiation ends?
Once the Fight Director signs off on your four skills and your attendance holds up, we hold a knighting ceremony at practice. It’s short, it’s fun, it’s a little bit silly, and it’s the moment you stop being an Initiate and become a member of the Alliance. People remember theirs.
Can I switch between the Quarterly and Pay Per Practice payment models?
Yes. Life changes and so do schedules. Talk to the Secretary/Treasurer if you want to make a switch.
Can I go to events while I’m still an Initiate?
Yes — in a support role, until you’ve finished your education requirements. Plenty of initiates work our convention booths, help with setup, and talk to the public. Once your skills are signed off, you’re in the performances too.
Is there a Discord?
Yes, and it’s where most of the day-to-day club conversation lives. We share the invite once you are an initiate.
Ready to take the next step?
If you’ve got your three practices in, submit your membership application and we’ll get your initiation started.
Not there yet? No rush — RSVP for a practice and come try it out.