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TESTIMIONALS

Below is a selection of testimonials.

FIGHT COORDINATION & PERFORMING

 

A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM - Fight Director

Ronin was safety conscious and his clever blocking made sure that wherever I sat (the performance was in the round) the movements looked believably real.


He looked at the motivations behind the actions with the actors and (as Movement Director) he suggested some visually interesting bits of business. He was flexible to always fit in with my vision, and with the actors' struggles, taking the time to have one-on-one sessions with each performer to look at how to display emotions etc. through physicality.

Hugh Allison, The Yellowchair Performance Experience

 

ALADDIN - Fight Director

Ronin Traynor has acted as fight director on two productions I have directed or co-directed, Cinderella and Aladdin at West Wing, Slough. Ronin is thorough and reliable and ensures that safety is paramount at all times. He is inventive and playful in his fight choreography and is able to offer additional support to those individuals who find fight sequences challenging.

Lucy Bradley / Co-Director, West Wing Arts Centre

 

BEOWULF - Fight Director

Thanks for all your hard work, Ronin, we had tons of good feedback about the fights!

Buffy Sharp / Director, Eclectic Opera

 

BLACK COMEDY - Fight Director & Brindsley (Lead)

With Ronin Traynor cast as Brindsley (the lead character) and also the Fight Director I was presented with the perfect combination to achieve the desired goals. With his wealth of experience as a Fight Director, acting talent and high quality physical ability, we were able to have a stunning array of trips and falls creating a fantastic overflow of comedy flare throughout the show. An absolute gem for any production!”

Danielle Scott / Director, Forte Theatre

 

BODEN STUDIOS - Fight Director and Stage Combat Teacher

Ronin has worked at Bodens Studios as a fight coordinator on several productions, including ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ and ‘Little Women’. His input, training and fight choreography has been invaluable to these. He has also worked as a guest tutor teaching stage combat to students aged seven to nineteen years. Ronin has always built up a great rapport with the students in a short space of time. They have enjoyed the lessons and learnt an incredible amount within the class timeframe. We would always approach Ronin first for any of our future productions.

Adam Boden, Boden Studios

 

CHRONICLES OF SYNTAX - Fight Coordinator

Ronin Traynor you are a serious legend and so is your team and Im going to make sure everyone I ever meet knows it!!

Susan E Clarke / Writer & Executive Producer, I Dare Productions

 

DAMIAN - Assistant Fight Director / Fight Performer

Ronin's quite a knowledgeable, meticulous and enthusiastic fight choreographer. His performance during the fight scenes were quite thrilling to watch. I believe his involvement as a fighter in my project served as one of the many sources of motivation for the casts during the fight scenes. I am very pleased to have worked with him.

Ogodinife Okpue - Director, Adverto Films

 

FOUR 1 - Fight Director

Ronin has been a fantastic fight director and I believe brought unique skills to the work of Muddy Icon. Ronin worked well under the pressure of very tight deadlines, he was provided with no prior information on the film script, physical space within the location, how many dancers he would work with or other choreography, this was all provided on the day of the shoot. He is a talented creative individual with an excellent ability to adapt, overcome, create and has excellent people skills.

George Kirkham, Director, Muddy Icon

 

GLOUCESTER QUAYS OFFICIAL OPENING - Fight Choreographer / Fight Performer

Just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for all your help and support as well as creative genius that has brought us the most successful opening ... I have been told by several influential people including leasing agents that this was, without a doubt, the best opening of a centre they have seen! Thanks again for all your help and long may the success continue!

Gloucester Quays Outlet Centre

 

HAMLET - Fight Director

Ronin's choreography was a joy to perform and learn, as not only did it test my technical abilities, but it complimented and heightened the character and story. Its pure epicness beautifully brings the production to a climax and leaves the audience buzzing. Having this experience gives me a lot of confidence going into another show requiring choreography, and I hope it'll be with Ronin again.

Richard Maxted / performing as Hamlet, Tivoli Theatre

 

MACBETH - Fight Director

The fights look incredible and there's a huge buzz at the venue in Edinburgh about how much we go for it and how incredible the fights are, especially the final one. Thanks again for a stellar job.

Max Lewendel / Director, Icarus Theatre Collective

 

MERI CHRISTMAS - Fight Director

Ronin was a pleasure to have involved in the project, working well within the team, providing useful feedback and supporting the project through the tour. I would happy consider him for future projects.

Kate Allen, General Manager, RIFCO

 

NUNJAS - Fight Coordinator

Despite a lot of constraints, Ronin adapted himself very quickly to the set and has elaborated in a short period of time a choreography that suited the story, the location and more importantly the actresses.
His experience facilitates a good communication with the director and other head of departments, and provides the actresses with a self-assured feeling that enables them to do the fight.

Stephan Tin / Director

 

SEX DRUGS & LAST MINUTE GOALS - Fight Director

Ronin successfully created a stylish but simple sequence that was effective in creating an atmosphere exploding with violence that was safe and in control. Working with hard to reach young people can be difficult but Ronin engaged easily with the actors and was encouraging and challenging at all times. The actors trusted his training and consequently took direction from him well.

I would not hesitate in hiring Ronin for further youth or professional work due to his commitment, talent, approach and dedication.

Sarah Jones, Director, Mess Up the Mess

 

THE CAVE - Fight Director

Thank you Ronin for your dedication and hard work on our production. I know all the actors appreciated your experience and humour to get through the wide range of weapons and fight challenges this play needs. We all feel a lot more relaxed with this work under our belt and couldn't have done it without your sensitive approach to the text and characters and now the actors feel confident to get on with the rest of their work. I couldn't be happier.

Aaron Paterson / Director

 

THE LEGEND OF BEOWULF - Fight Choreography & Performer

Ronin made an invaluable contribution to the show with his exciting one-on-one fight. Feedback from audience members said that they were literally on the edge of their seats. The actors were quick to tell me of their appreciation of his skill and contributions to the show, as well as his personal qualities.

Lindsay Lohan, Associate Director, Travesty Theatre Company

 

THE LINK - Fight Consultant

Your advice came in very useful indeed. We imparted everything you taught us to the presenter and tried to apply it to the planning of the shots and it definitely helped it to look good and for everyone to feel safe.

Lucy Haken / Assistant Producer, Lion Television

 

THE NEWS - Fight Director

Sometimes life goes on with such pace that you forget to do important things, like thanking you for the great work you did for The News. The cat fight really attributed to the show in the way I wanted. You did a great and quick job! Thanks for your craftsmen ship and inspiration!

Xander Straat / Director, Nederlandse Reisopera

 

THE STRANGER - Fight Performer

Ronin not only conducted himself in a very professional manner, his input was also very helpful when it came to the realism of the scene.

He worked very well with all of the team on set adjusting amazingly to anything that needed to be changed at the last minute, all the while not compromising his performance or the effect of the scene.

All in all he was prompt, on time and a consummate professional both on set and during the choreography and was a pleasure to work with.

Jamie Montgomery

 

WEST SIDE STORY - Fight Choreographer

Thank you for taking the time to show us your moves! It was one of the best rehearsals I've ever had, both exciting and challenging. Here's to an extremely patient teacher and mentor... a million thanks! I hope we make you proud... we couldn't have done it without you.

Jeffrey Chinappen (performing as Bernardo), Epsom Players

 

Ronin Rocks! The fight sequences are such a crucial part of this show and his advice, support and safety tips, which helped make us look so proficient at stage-fighting, are much appreciated.

Dalton Leong (performing as Luis), Epsom Players

TEACHING & WORKSHOPS

 

RADA - Stage Combat Teacher

The feedback with the Young Actors was – they wanted more.

Sally Power / Head of Admissions and Short Courses, RADA

 

GUN WORKSHOP - Firearms Instructor

I just wanted to say a big thank you to you and the team for the workshop on Saturday, I had such fun and learnt so much. I will definitely be recommending this to my acting friends.

Charlie Blackwood - attendee

 

WEST WING ARTS CENTRE - Resident Stage Combat Teacher

Since opening in September 2005, the West Wing has booked Ronin Traynor to run stage combat workshops.

All the workshops have been extremely well received by the participants ranging in ages 14 – 70 yrs. The workshops have been well structured and pitched correctly for the participants’ ability and experience. The general consensus amongst participants was that the workshops were; great fun, built confidence and developed existing skills.

Ronin Traynor is a pleasure to work with, and the West Wing will continue to book his fantastic workshops in the future. I would not hesitate to recommend him for any venue.

Yasmin Gurreeboo / Manager, West Wing Arts Centre

 

ID WARRIORS UNLEASHED - MUSKETEERS - Stage Combat Teacher

I had done two years of screen combat at drama school but I still felt like I had learnt a lot in that one day.

Student Feedback

 

INTRO TO STAGE COMBAT WORKSHOP - Stage Combat Teacher

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for yesterday. The workshops were fantastic and all students really enjoyed themselves and were really engaged. They've asked to do it again soon!

Once again, thanks for your outstanding workshops, we are really pleased.

Leanne Phillips / Community Arts Co-ordinator, Magnus School

 

SUMMER ARTS PROGRAMME - Stage Combat Teacher

Thank you for your hard work on the Summer Arts Programme, I know it was a tough group but I think they engaged well.

Marie Vickers / Project Leader, Young People's Work, London Bubble

 

WEST SIDE STORY WORKSHOP - Stage Combat Teacher

Thank you so much for coming to do the workshop, I speak for everyone in saying it was completely spectacular!

Not only is your advice invaluable, but I believe what is particularly appreciated is the non-patronising approach you take in teaching us, which makes the lessons fun as well as informative.

Isabel Ogilvie-Smith / Producer, RicNic

 

RAPIER & DAGGER AND UNARMED - Stage Combat Teacher

Ronin has a great attitude and is extremely patient and helpful with students of all abilities and is capable of training different people according to their needs and their abilities to learn. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

Tom Slatter

 

Excellent tutors which I can recommend very highly. Always helpful and challenging with constructive criticisms which aided my learning and praising when things went right. I really enjoyed your teaching style. Really good, do not change. Thank you for teaching an old dog new tricks

Fabio Vollono

 

I expected to gain a very basic level in rapier and dagger and unarmed stage combat. The workshop exceeded my expectations in that I feel I gained more knowledge in relation to fighting within the context of a scene, which directly fed into the acting itself. Ronin was a very knowledgeable, approachable and patient teacher.

Sandro Sotirchos

 

Ronin is a brilliant teacher and understands actors as well as being just a fight teacher/coordinator. A delight to work with and will most likely look forward to doing another course with him in the future.

Looking into the characters intentions within a fight was very fulfilling and a great extra to just knowing the technique of how to fight. Felt like I was always challenged and challenged in the right way. Had a great time! Thank you Ronin, ID & BASSC!!

Scott Michael Wagstaff

 

Ronin’s thorough, detailed approach to the sessions was both enabling and empowering...What impressed me more than anything about Ronin’s work during the fortnight was his indefatigable patience and his ability to tailor exercises and elements of course to suit the varying skill levels across the participants.

Fiona Williams

 

It was a great pleasure working with Ronin, what a great attribute to the industry extremely knowledgeable, not a bad thing to say. Nothing but good energy. Just wished it could of gone on for longer. Thank you.

Paul Scott / Participant

 

I got what I expected, as is written in the course breakdown, but I feel I came away with more insight and understanding than I had anticipated, much to my delight! Some teachers can do the talk, some the walk. Ronin can do both.

Richard Leggett

 

Ronin is a fantastic teacher, very professional and patient.

Ines Boughanm

 

Excellent. Informative, constructive, patient, adaptable, encouraging, good humoured, and approachable. It allowed me to unlearn all the bad habits I had picked up having lightsaber fights in my garden. Tremendous, challenging, worthwhile fun.

Calum Carpenter

 

KNIFE - Stage Combat Teacher

Ronin is very thorough, precise and helpful. I would recommend anyone to participate in his courses/workshops who is serious about learning/training.

Richard Leggett

 

Ronin is a really helpful teacher. If things aren't right/need improvement, he will give you advice on how to improve it and what to do rather than just putting you down. He's very approachable for asking questions and very knowledgeable about how and why things work for safety and how and why things work martially as well.

I felt like I was really pushed to improve myself.

Sylvie England

 

SWORD & SHIELD - Stage Combat Teacher

Great! Knowledgeable, flexible and able to adapt... Ronin was approachable and friendly and very clear in his teaching and explaining the purpose of the choreography, fight and the weapons.

I liked the fact we were able to discuss and present our own ideas in relation to the choreography, it gave a great deal of freedom and allowed me to think from a choreographers perspective as well as an actors.

Stuart McQueen

 

QUARTERSTAFF & SMALLSWORD - Stage Combat Teacher

Very much enjoyed how personable the teacher, interns, and other participants were. Workshops like this are 100 times more effective when the people in them are fun to be with. Also enjoyed how the participants were involved in the choreographing process, it brought insight into developing choreography and made us feel more integral to the whole experience.

Taylor Hohman

 

I expected a high level of professionalism, experience and knowledge from the teacher, and for this to be passed on in a clear, safe and most of all, enjoyable way. Not only did it meet my expectations, but exceed them.

It didn't feel like a class, it felt more like having a laugh with some friends, but still we managed to learn, be safe and push ourselves.

I don't think there is much to improve on. I had a great time, learned loads and came away with two distinctions! Bring on the next course!

JD Francis

 

Ronin is an awesome teacher. Very professional and approachable but also such a good laugh at the same time.

Amber Pearson

Fight Coordinator, Stunts, Action.
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