Faculty

Orion Barnes has been choreographing, teaching and performing stage combat and theatrical intimacy for over 25 years. In that time, he has also taught fencing to children and young adults at fencing studios in New York, Boston and Los Angeles.  Orion believes in a consent-based approach to intimacy and stage combat and that actors of every shape, size and skill level must have a solid foundation in both. Intimacy training includes Theatrical Intimacy Education and Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (Certified Consent-Forward Artist). As well as the many projects, shows and scenes he has coordinated for college productions and summer camps, he has also built fights for The Group Rep, New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, Oak Park Shakespeare Festival. He has done several high profile film, television and stage projects and has trained many A-List celebrities (Anne Hathaway, Chris Pine, Sir Ben Kingsley) for film and television projects. Orion would like to thank Columbia College, David Woolley and Sheldon Patinkin for setting on the path to his life's work of keeping actors safe, both physically and emotionally.