Dave Gonzalez
Dave Gonzalez is a fight director and physical theatre specialist in the city of Chicago. A long-time member of the Society of American Fight Directors, Dave's choreography has been seen across the country. His Chicago-area credits include A Red Orchid Theatre Co, Lookingglass Theatre, American Theatre Co, Piccolo Theatre, The Plagiarists, Elmhurst College, and Innervation Dance Cooperative. As a Certified Teacher of stage combat with the Society of American Fight Directors, he teaches Skills Proficiency Test classes alongside Certified Teacher Nicky Jasper and Advanced Actor Combatant Michael Saubert as Open Gate Movement Arts; as well as adjunct faculty at Carthage College and guest faculty at Illinois State University and a host of regional stage combat workshops across the country. He had the honor of being on the teaching staff of the National Stage Combat Workshop in 2023.
He was principally trained in stage combat by award-winning fight directors Paul Dennhardt and John Tovar. Since graduating in 2010 with a BA in Acting from Illinois State University; Dave has had the pleasure to work with fight directors and stunt coordinators such as Chuck Coyl, Nick Sandys, and Stage Combat Deutschland Co-Founder Matthias Fittkau. Dave is the only person in America to have a Certification of Assistance in Rapier & Cloak with Stage Combat Deutschland. As a stage combatant, he has performed with Chicago's Lyric Opera on multiple occasions, including a featured fight in the 2014 and 2018 productions of Il Trovatore.
In addition to his work as a fight director, Dave is a certified teacher with the American Society for the Alexander Technique, a method of enhancing the connection between the body and mind to decrease strain and tension. He began his journey in the Alexander Technique while at Illinois State, before certifying as a teacher under the tutelage of Master Teacher Daria Okugawa. While in training, Dave was able to hone his skills as a teacher by assisting classes at the School for Theatre Creators, headed by the late Paola Coletto.
Combining these two disciplines, Dave guides actors to a new level of physical story-telling. By focusing on the actor's awareness of the body, particularly the relationship of the head, neck, and spine, Dave teaches actors to fully embody each action and reaction their character lives out; while keeping everything the actor does a deliberate choice to express the story.
He was principally trained in stage combat by award-winning fight directors Paul Dennhardt and John Tovar. Since graduating in 2010 with a BA in Acting from Illinois State University; Dave has had the pleasure to work with fight directors and stunt coordinators such as Chuck Coyl, Nick Sandys, and Stage Combat Deutschland Co-Founder Matthias Fittkau. Dave is the only person in America to have a Certification of Assistance in Rapier & Cloak with Stage Combat Deutschland. As a stage combatant, he has performed with Chicago's Lyric Opera on multiple occasions, including a featured fight in the 2014 and 2018 productions of Il Trovatore.
In addition to his work as a fight director, Dave is a certified teacher with the American Society for the Alexander Technique, a method of enhancing the connection between the body and mind to decrease strain and tension. He began his journey in the Alexander Technique while at Illinois State, before certifying as a teacher under the tutelage of Master Teacher Daria Okugawa. While in training, Dave was able to hone his skills as a teacher by assisting classes at the School for Theatre Creators, headed by the late Paola Coletto.
Combining these two disciplines, Dave guides actors to a new level of physical story-telling. By focusing on the actor's awareness of the body, particularly the relationship of the head, neck, and spine, Dave teaches actors to fully embody each action and reaction their character lives out; while keeping everything the actor does a deliberate choice to express the story.
