2023 Instructors
Robb Hunter - SAFD Fight Master
Robb Hunter is a Fight Master and Theatrical Firearms Instructor for the Society of American Fight Directors as well as a long-time member of AEA, SAG/AFTRA and the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Professionally, he is an award winning Movement & Fight Director and has choreographed violence/movement for many DC theatres including The Shakespeare Theatre, Arena Stage, Center Stage, Washington National Opera, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Ford’s Theatre, The Studio Theatre, Olney Theatre, The Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, Rep Stage, and Washington Shakespeare Company, among others. Robb holds an MFA in Theatre Pedagogy from the Virginia Commonwealth University and is currently the combat instructor for the Shakespeare Theatre's one year intensive MFA program, the Academy for Classical Acting. He is also an Artist in Residence at American University where he choreographs, directs and teaches movement, mime, stage combat, acting and various sections of theatre history. In addition he teaches stage combat for McDaniel College, the MFA program at Catholic University and he is a teaching artist for The Shakespeare Theatre and for the Acting Conservatory at The Studio Theatre. When he is not teaching or directing violence he is “enabling” it through his theatrical weapons rental company, Preferred Arms, Inc. which supplies swords, knives and assault rifles to theatres and universities nationwide (www.preferredarms.com).
Da'Mon Stith - HAMAA President
Da’Mon is the president of the HAMA Association and is a leader in the movement to study Historical African Martial Arts. He is also the Chief Instructor and Founder of Guild of the Silent Sword. His martial arts training began at the age of 6 when his father gave him his first sword. He was fascinated with martial arts and warrior culture. He began his formal training at the age of 9 in Asian martial arts and progressed into African and Middle Eastern martial arts by the age of 17.
When not training and instructing, Da'Mon constructs training weaponry utilizing high-density plastic, hardwood, aluminum and steel. Additionally, Da'Mon is an instructor during the summer for Book People's Camp Half-Blood literary camp.
When not training and instructing, Da'Mon constructs training weaponry utilizing high-density plastic, hardwood, aluminum and steel. Additionally, Da'Mon is an instructor during the summer for Book People's Camp Half-Blood literary camp.
Tonya Lynn - SAFD Certified Teacher
Tonya Lynn is a Pittsburgh, PA-based fight director and teaching artist whose credits include nearly 150 productions, with highlights including Il Trovatore at Pittsburgh Opera, the world premiere of Storming Heaven at West Virginia Public Theatre, the original production Sword Play at Colonial Williamsburg, VA, the Pittsburgh premiere of She Kills Monsters at the University of Pittsburgh (including a sold-out encore performance at the August Wilson Cultural Center), and 17 productions with Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks. She is also active in many local theatre training programs, providing choreography on multiple occasions for Carnegie Mellon University, Point Park University, the University of Pittsburgh, Allegheny College, and many others. Tonya is a co-founder of Brawling Bard Theater (a five-time award winner at the Pittsburgh Fringe Festival), and a company member with the New Renaissance Theatre Company. She is an adjunct instructor at Point Park University and the Community College of Allegheny County South Campus, and has worked as a guest artist in stage combat at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as serving as a teaching artist with Pittsburgh Public Theatre, City Theatre, Gateway to the Arts, and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.
Hannah Roccisano- SAFD Certified Teacher
Hannah "Rock" Roccisano is a New York City based fight and intimacy director, director, educator and Shakespeare nerd. Her work has been seen off-Broadway including Wolf Play, A Bright New Boise, and Montag this season. Rock has additionally choreographed regionally and at multiple universities such as Columbia University, Syracuse University and the Hartt School. She is a Certified Teacher with the SAFD and holds two masters degrees, an MFA and Master of Letters in Shakespeare & Performance from Mary Baldwin University. Hannah is the Chair of Development for the SAFD and the founder of Expand, Educate, Empower, an initiative bringing free stage combat training to students in underserved communities across the U.S. [email protected].
Alec Barbour - SAFD Certified Teacher, IDC Intimacy Director
Alec Barbour is a Rochester, NY based actor, intimacy director, fight choreographer, and playwright. He relishes the opportunity to create visceral, authentic moments of violence and intimacy that are thrilling for audiences while being safe and fun for actors. He is a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. He received his MFA in Acting at the Hilberry Repertory Theatre at Wayne State University in Detroit. He is a proud member of Actors’ Equity and SAG/AFTRA, and he teaches acting at Syracuse University.
Jonathan Rubin - SAFD Certified Teacher
Jonathan Ezra Rubin is a Certified Teacher with the SAFD and freelances as a Fight & Intimacy
Director throughout the Washington, DC-Metro Area. He is also a licensed professional wrestler
in the state of Maryland. Additionally, he is the SAFD’s current Treasurer and Development
Department Co-Chair. Having choreographed at companies and universities large and small,
Jonathan is a three-time Helen Hayes Award Nominee for Outstanding Choreography, and a
WATCH Award Nominee for Outstanding Fight Choreography, as well as a proud Associate
Member of The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national professional theatrical
union. In addition to studying stage combat with the SAFD and other instructors since 2011, he
has been studying intimacy direction since 2015 under the tutelage of some of the industry’s
founders and most influential names, continuing that training and legacy of work to this
day. Jonathan has over a decade of executive-level nonprofit arts administration experience and
works full-time as the Managing Director for a nonprofit performing arts venue. He was one of the Co-Coordinators for both iterations of the Social Distance Showdown in 2020 along with members of Six Elements Theatre, and has served on staff at over 30 regional stage combat workshops and masterclasses. Jonathan currently hosts classes and choreographs under his company, Fire & Ice Movement Arts.
Director throughout the Washington, DC-Metro Area. He is also a licensed professional wrestler
in the state of Maryland. Additionally, he is the SAFD’s current Treasurer and Development
Department Co-Chair. Having choreographed at companies and universities large and small,
Jonathan is a three-time Helen Hayes Award Nominee for Outstanding Choreography, and a
WATCH Award Nominee for Outstanding Fight Choreography, as well as a proud Associate
Member of The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, a national professional theatrical
union. In addition to studying stage combat with the SAFD and other instructors since 2011, he
has been studying intimacy direction since 2015 under the tutelage of some of the industry’s
founders and most influential names, continuing that training and legacy of work to this
day. Jonathan has over a decade of executive-level nonprofit arts administration experience and
works full-time as the Managing Director for a nonprofit performing arts venue. He was one of the Co-Coordinators for both iterations of the Social Distance Showdown in 2020 along with members of Six Elements Theatre, and has served on staff at over 30 regional stage combat workshops and masterclasses. Jonathan currently hosts classes and choreographs under his company, Fire & Ice Movement Arts.
Adam Fieldson - Whipmaker
Adam Fieldson is the owner of WhipWorks LLC here in the Twin Cities, MN. When he was a kid, his family lived in Melbourne, Australia for a couple of years. He will never forget when his mom picked up a 4 foot stockwhip from a leather goods shop. He spent hours in the back yard learning how to break the sound barrier. Many years later, Adam attempted to make his first Bullwhip and the rest was history. With the growth of the WhipWorks YouTube channel and Etsy shop, Adam has been able to make bullwhips that have been sent all over the world. Adam feels very lucky to be able to support himself pursuing his passion for whip making. He is also a photographer as the owner of Fieldson Photography and a freelance vocalist around the Twin Cities.
www.whipworks.com
www.fieldsonphotography.com
www.whipworks.com
www.fieldsonphotography.com
Ernesto Maldonado - HEMA
Ernesto Maldonado has studied historic fencing for 35 years, especially 16th and 17th century Italian and Spanish Martial arts, including attending and studying at 25 workshops in the US, Canada, and Italy, as well as studying Classical Italian fencing with the Fencing Masters Program at Sonoma.