Jonathan Waller

Jonathan Waller is a Combat Tutor at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama since 1994, with over 30 years of stage combat teaching experience. He has taught globally, including at LAMDA, Rutgers University, and institutions in Mexico and Italy, and co-founded Mexico's first stage combat organization, the Escuela Mexicana de Combate Escénico. His expertise spans historical martial arts research, conflict communication studies, and movement psychology, informed by collaborations with organizations like The Mary Rose Trust and Royal Armouries Museums. He has directed over 100 fight scenes for theatre, opera, film, and TV, including work on Shakespeare’s Globe productions, Netflix’s The Dark Crystal, and BBC documentaries.

His research explores the cultural and physiological dimensions of conflict, integrating historical combat techniques with modern performance training. He has developed stage combat programs in multiple countries and lectures internationally on historical European martial arts. His creative practice bridges academic research and practical application, emphasizing the intersection of movement, psychology, and cultural context in performance.