FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY
​
One of my favourite roles on a stage or set is fight choreographer. Like with directing & writing, every aspect of it is about story & character and it's such a blast to invent ways to showcase that while being awesome, violent and safe!
​
Prior to college, I spent years studying karate & aikido - as well as researching film fight choreography. At Emerson, I studied (and eventually co-taught some events) with Ted Hewlett (Hook, Army of Darkness). Back in Jersey, I teamed up with Devin Dean (who is 10x the martial artist I am) and we spent years teaching seminars to film schools on how to plan, block & film fight scenes.
​
For the past 2 years, I've been the Fight Choreographer In Residence with Somerset County's ReThink Theatrical.
​
Credits include: Hamlet (twice), Robin Hood, Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, Oklahoma,
many short films, & my cousins kids on the beach.
​
Most of what you'll see here is rehearsal footage to give an idea of how these fights are created, taught & communicated.
Romeo + Juliet fight call
​
Romeo & Juliet has a whole slew of fights. As choreographer, I ran every pre-show fight call to make sure everyone was set for that night's performance.
​
We run each fight twice. Once slowly to retain the movement and then at speed to ensure we can do it safely when the acting adrenaline is flowing
Tybalt v Benvolio
Romeo v Paris
​
Tybalt v Mercutio
Romeo v Tybalt
fight tutorial from Pieces of Osiris
​
rough fight scene from Pieces of Osiris
​
Co-choreographed by Devin Dean.
This is one of the fight videos we created for the film so the actors could practice and retain their choreography.
Co-choreographed by Devin Dean.
Here's a rough cut of what the fight looks like in the final film.
Macbeth fight tutorial/rehearsal
​
A rehearsal run of the final fight in MacBeth.
​
William Douglas Turner as Macbeth (sword)
Andy Martinez as Macduff (big honkin axe)
Oklahoma fight tutorial/rehearsal
​
Rehearsal run of the Curly & Jud fight
in the final scene of Oklahoma.
​
Usually this fight is small, but our director wanted to expand it :)