Simon Manns - Instructor & FounderActor, Fight Director, Drama Teacher, Producer etc.Simon was born and raised in Sweden and has worked in the theatre and film business for over 30 years. His many talents have taken him all over the world, and his work has won him several international awards. Simon is a certified Stage Combat teacher and Fight Director from the Nordic Stage Fight Society (NSFS), and was also their chairperson for several terms. He holds an honorary fight director title with Fight Directors Canada, was on the Board of Directors for The International Order of the Sword and Pen, and also works closely on the development of the Historical Movement Archive with Brad Alan Waller. He has been mentored and trained by the absolute best in the world in stage combat. His mentors taught him to share and be generous, and Aotearoa Fight Directors is Simon’s way of doing exactly that. It is his wish to put New Zealand on the stage and screen combat map with a high international standard that all Kiwis can be proud of.
Carrie Thiel - InstructorActor, Fight Director, Movement CoachCarrie is a Wellington based performance director whose work has spanned theatre, ballet, opera, film, television, and video games for companies across Canada, the USA, England, Norway, Finland, Australia, and New Zealand.
She has developed curricula for theatre and film schools and taught movement/performance workshops worldwide. She is a certified Fight Director, holds a BFA in Acting and is currently completing her MFA in Directing at Victoria University of Wellington. She is currently apprenticing under Intimacy Directors International and Ita O’Brien to further develop the discipline of intimacy direction/choreography and share protocols and practices within our local, national and international communities.
She is passionate about helping film and theatre artists tell stories that involve violence and intimacyin rich and compelling ways while keeping performers physically, mentally and emotionally safe.
Allan Henry - InstructorActor, Stuntman, Creature performerAllan has been performing and teaching stage combat for the past 20 years both internationally and locally. In the past 10 years Allan has also become one of New Zealand's most experienced Motion Capture performers in many International films. Allan has a passion for sharing knowledge and enjoys training future generations to experience and enjoy physical performance, staged violence and bombastic self-expression.
Nicholas Schultz - Instructor in trainingActor, DancerNicholas Schultz is currently a Rehearsal Director for the Royal New Zealand Ballet. After a 16 year professional dancing career with Grand Rapids Ballet in as well as numerous guesting around the United States and Europe. Nicholas was the Artistic director of Young People’s Ballet Theatre, a youth ballet performing group, for 4 years as well as a Ballet teacher for the last 20 years all around the world. For the last 3 years Nicholas has been training under the tutelage of Simon Manns and Aotearoa Fight Directors in stage combat. Nicholas has been the fight assistant on the RNZB productions of Cinderella and Romeo & Juliet, Fight Choreographer for Paekakariki community theatre production of Romeo and Juliet, We Will Rock You, and a local Wellington production of Rent.
Braden Lister - Instructor in trainingActor, DirectorBraden is an enthusiastic mentee stage fight choreographer with a rich background in community theatre. With a history of performing and working behind the scenes in Dunedin and Wellington, Braden brings a wealth of experience and passion to their craft. Having directed plays with the NewPlayers Theatre Company in Newlands, Braden began to learn stage fight choreography in 2021, after collaborating with Aotearoa Fight Directors to bring a number of fight sequences to his production of Murder on the Menu. Since 2024, they have embraced their role as a mentee stage fight director, continuously honing their skills and contributing to the world of stage combat. In addition to their theatrical pursuits, Braden boasts a professional career in Health, Safety, and Wellbeing. This expertise informs their commitment to creating physically and psychosocially safe environments where performers can confidently share their stories. With a focus on safety and a dedication to the art of stage fight choreography.