Master of Fight

Piedmont Opera is very fortunate because one of the nation's leading experts in stage combat and theatrical movement, whose work has shaped both stage and screen across North America, is here in the Triad: Dale Girard. 

Dale is an award-winning Fight Director, Choreographer, and Author of the widely used stage combat manual Actors On Guard. As one of only twenty-six recognized Fight Masters in the United States (Society of American Fight Directors), his influence in the world of staged violence is profound and far-reaching.

He's also a third-degree black belt in both Taekwondo/Hapkido and Haidong Gumdo, and a founding member of the North Carolina Stuntmen's Association—a testament to his dedication to the craft both on and off the stage.

Dale's choreography has been featured at top-tier theaters and opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, San Diego Opera, Vancouver Opera, The Folger Theatre, and The Arden Theatre. His film credits include Junebug, Shifting Gears, The Trial, and The Key Man.

As a master educator, he has taught at prestigious institutions including Yale, the National Theatre Conservatory, the Hartt School, UNC School of the Arts, and UNC Chapel Hill.