Instructors

Paddy Crean 2018 Instructors

Teaching positions at The Paddy Crean Workshop are conducted through an invitation process.

The Road Ahead features many new instructors to the Paddy. Join us in Banff to blaze a trail into the future!

We wish everyone the best of luck and three movie deals by the end of the year. With that in mind, instructors may vary.

Jessica Bennett - Stunts

Jessica Bennett started in the SAFD in 2006 in Chicago, IL, and has continued her education as a working stunt professional. After graduating from DePaul University, Jessica moved to Los Angeles where she has been able to study, choreograph, stunt coordinate, and perform for live shows, episodics, short films, and feature film. Jessica has also continued to develop as a filmmaker as a writer, director, casting associate, and producer with her husband Little Blue House Productions. Her most recent credits are Boss Level (Stunt Performer), Never Hike Alone (Stunt Coordinator), Corbin Nash (Casting Associate), Home Away (Write, Producer), and NBC’s Good Girls (Stunt Performer). Jessica lives in Atlanta and Los Angeles with her her Composer and Sound Designer Husband, Jordan, and their two rescue dogs.

Rebecca Boyd - HEMA

Rebecca Boyd began fencing in 2008 with a club in St. Peters, Missouri. There, she progressed through the classical weapons and began practicing historical weapons. In 2011, she attended the Fechtschule America in Houston, Texas and fell in love with Historical European Martial Arts/Western Martial Arts. Since then she has worked to develop herself as a classical and historical fencer, instructor, and event organizer. She has taught at seminars including Fechtschule America (Houston, TX), PNW (Tacoma, WA), Schwertkampf Mexico (Mexico City), Sentiment du Fer (St. Peters, MO), and Iron Gate Exhibition (Boston, MA). She was the event organizer for the Fencing Extravaganza 2011, and Sentiment du Fer 2012 and 2013. Becca founded Second Intent Fencing (SIF) in 2013, where she now practices and teaches both classical fencing and HEMA. In 2014, she joined the Iron Gate Exhibition event organization team and was a key member of IGX Management for IGX 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Becca has also competed in HEMA events in the United States, Mexico, and Europe. She has been a member of the Western Martial Arts Coalition (WMAC), the Historical European Martial Arts Alliance (HEMAA), and Esfinges.

Rachel Flesher - Movement

Rachel Flesher is an Intimacy, Violence, and Movement Designer/Instructor currently residing in Chicago IL. She attended Oklahoma City University where she was first introduced to intimacy direction by Tonia Sina Ellis. She went on to graduate with a BFA in Acting and a minor in Directing and has been traveling the world teaching violence and intimacy for stage and screen for almost a decade. Her goal is to create safe space for actors to perform brave work by teaching the importance of consent culture. Her versatile style ranges from hyper realism to the fantastical, finding the perfect balance between the needs of the character, director vision, and actor comfortability. An Instructor with the Fight Directors Canada, Rachel is also a member of the Society of American Fight Directors, an Instructor with Tactics on Set, and an adjunct faculty member at Columbia College Chicago and DePaul University. She specializes in consent and sensitivity workshops, mental health first aid, consent and anti bullying for youth, Traumaturgy, Droznin Movement, and developing new works. Selected Intimacy direction credits include Steppenwolf Theatre for Young Adults, Theatre Wit, The Gift Theatre, Timeline Theatre, First Folio Theatre, Writers Theatre, and Shakespeare Dallas. Rachel has also had the pleasure speaking at a number of conferences in conjunction with The Stage Managers Association. Change the World!

Geoffrey Alm - Live Performance

Geoffrey Alm has been directing fights professionally since 1981. Studied with John Waller at The Drama Studio London in 1977, The Society of American Fight Directors in 1986, and attended his first Paddy in 2003. A member of the first SAFD Certified Teacher class in 1987, he teaches Stage Fighting at Cornish College for the Arts, The University of Washington Professional Actor Training Program, and Freehold Theatre/Lab. As a fight Director, he has worked locally, regionally, and nationally, and is a full member of Actor’s Equity, SAG-AFTRA, and Stage Directors and Choreographers. (SDC), and a Certified Teacher, Fight Director, and Fight Master with The Society of American Fight Directors.