SCENIC CITY SLAM
Octtober 11 and 12, 2025
Chattanooga, TN
Scenic City Slam is a regional stage combat workshop designed to introduce the art of stage combat to Chattanooga and its surrounding area. Recognizing the lack of stage combat training opportunities in Tennessee, our workshop aims to provide participants with the highest quality training available in the industry. In addition to stage combat, we will offer a wide range of classes covering stunt work, martial arts, and stage movement. We are dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming space where individuals from all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can come together. Through diverse representation, accessible training, and a commitment to mutual respect, we aim to celebrate the rich tapestry of talent within the stage combat community. Join us in uniting diverse voices, fostering inclusivity, and exploring the art of stage combat together. An important pillar of this workshop is that EVERYONE can perform stage combat.
Location:
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
(752 Vine St, Chattanooga, TN 37403)
Date:
Oct 11 and 12, 2025
Pricing:
Group Special (4 or more): $200 per student
SAFD Members: $250
General Tuition: $275
WHAT MAKES SCENIC CITY SLAM UNIQUE!?
WE HAVE TRACKS FOR SATURDAY! CHECK THEM OUT
Meet the staff of Scenic City Slam
Instructors
Leraldo Anzuldua
LERALDO ANZALDUA is a Houston based Actor, Director & Fight Director. He is a Certified Teacher of Stage Combat with the Society of American Fight Directors. He is currently the Resident Fight Director for Houston Grand Opera. Works include Otello, Carmen, Rigoletto, Aida and the American Debut of The Passenger.
Other Houston companies include: Alley Theatre, Stages, Ensemble, Catastrophic.
Voice Over: Video Game: Starship Troopers: Mobile Infantry. Anime: Ratzass in Starship Troopers: Invasion; Ken/ G-1 -Gatchaman; Noda in Angel Beats; Zed- Kiba; Takashi- High School of the Dead; Ralph in Halo Legends; Yuta Togashi in Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions; Hajime Saito in Hakuoki (& many more).. ADVision Studios/ Sentai Filmworks.
International: Motion Capture for Film: Sony Pictures: Appleseed: Alpha. Starship Troopers: Invasion.Tokyo, Japan;
Motion Capture Fight Director & Talent for video games: The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay; Just Cause; Knights of the Temple: The Infernal Crusade. Stockholm & Uppsala, Sweden.
He has received a Master’s Degree in Acting from the University of Houston.
Jenny Male
Jenny Male (SAFD Certified Teacher & Fight Director) is a fight choreographer in the DC/Baltimore area. Credits include choreography for Studio Theatre, Olney Theatre, Arena Stage, Ford's Theatre, Rep Stage, Constellation Theatre Company, Factory 449, Washington Stage Guild, Adventure Theatre, Imagination Stage, Everyman Theatre, Maryland Opera Studio, Maryland Lyric Opera, Red Branch Theatre Company, Scioto Society (Tecumseh!), Baltimore Shakespeare Festival, and Ozark Actors Theatre. Jenny is a certified Intimacy Director with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators and serves as the Resident Intimacy Consultant for Studio Theatre's 2023-2024 season. Jenny is Associate Professor of Theatre at Howard Community College in Columbia, MD where she enjoys directing large ensemble plays, fight shows, and musicals.
Coach Cherokee Ellison
Aaron “Cherokee” Ellison, known as Coach Cherokee, was born and raised in Chattanooga. He danced with the hip-hop group The Hot Boys, opening for Three Six Mafia and other events, and secured a speaking role in Remember the Titans. His Capoeira journey began in Atlanta with Communidade De Capoeira Atlanta. Currently, he studies Capoeira Angola Guerreiro de Palmares under Mestre Lazaro and learns from many accredited Capoeira educators. Aaron teaches movement and music through a Capoeira lens throughout the greater Chattanooga area in preschools, youth-focused organizations, and local community festivals.
Samantha Kaufman
Samantha (she/her) is an intimacy director, fight director, actor, and teaching artist. She is based in the Chicago and works internationally. Samantha is a certified intimacy director with Intimacy Directors and Coordinators. A certified teacher and fight director with the Society of American Fight Directors. A Jeff award-nominated fight choreographer. An award-winning actor. A certified Michael Chekhov teacher with the Great Lakes Michael Chekhov Consortium. She has had residencies at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and Prague Shakespeare Company (Czech Republic). Samantha has worked with theatres such as Steppenwolf Theatre, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Asolo Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Lookingglass Theatre Company, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, Cleveland Play House, among others. She has her MFA from Florida Atlantic University.
Bob Borwick
Bob has served as instructor and/or fight director for Taproot Theatre, Seattle Children's Theatre, The Empty Space, ACT (Seattle), San Francisco Opera, San Jose Opera, TheatreWorks, MasterWorks, Pacific Repertory Theatre, Carmel Ballet, Boise Contemporary Theater, Chattanooga Opera, and others. Bob received his BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and is a graduate of the Dell' Arte School of Physical Theatre in Blue Lake, CA. Bob became a Certified Teacher in 2004. He currently lives in east Tennessee with his wife and three daughters and is an adjunct teacher of movement and stage combat at Pellissippi State Community College in Knoxville.
Patrick Kelly
Patrick currently works as a professional martial artist, fight choreographer, fight coordinator, stunt coordinator, and performer.
Over the years, Patrick has studied concepts and techniques from several martial arts including, Jun-fan Kickboxing, Wing Chun Gung Fu, Muay Thai, Savate, Kali/Escrima, Silat, Hapkido, Shoot-fighting, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Fencing (epee/foil/saber), Longsword Fencing (Liechtenauer), and Archery in addition to 3-gun tactical firearms training.
He presented on Martial Arts in Physical Education to the Indiana Department of Education establishing a teaching pedagogy for attribute development and skill acquisition in martial performance in high school physical education programs and taught action performance preparation and training methodology at the Martial Arts and Wellness Symposium at UCLA.
He also served as consultant and research designer for The Wick Lab, a metabolic study of the energy requirements and injury analysis for the John Wick movie franchise.
He has worked on the Stunt/Fight Team for the History Channel's television series Vikings: Seasons 5 and 6 and Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla: Seasons 1, 2 and 3 filmed in Co. Wicklow, Ireland. He has designed and performed action/violence for docu-dramas, including I Am Patrick, starring John Rhys Davies. He has served as Stunt Coordinator for several feature films including the suspense-horror So Cold The River, starring Bethany Joy Lenz, the award-winning Runner, directed by Marian Mathias, We Strangers, starring Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and the upcoming The Duel, starring Dylan Sprouse.
As a theatrical fight choreographer he has designed violence for multiple stage productions including Romeo and Juliet, Julius Ceasar, Star Cross'd Lovers, Titus Andronicus, The Great Gatsby, Deathtrap, and To Quiet the Quiet, directed by David Anspaugh.
He has taught martial concepts and fight design courses at seminars and workshops in New York, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Washington and California.
He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Biology and a Master's Degree in Sport Marketing and Management from Indiana University and is recognized as a Certified Teacher in the Society of American Fight Directors and a member of the Board of Examiners for the United States Hapkido Federation.
In what spare time he has Patrick enjoys cycling, hiking with his pack, kayaking, reading, and sleeping... when the coffee wears off.
Associate Instructors
Bess Kaye
Bess is a Fight Director and Intimacy Choreographer for stage and screen in the Washington, DC area. She is an Advanced Actor Combatant and Associate Instructor with the Society of American Fight Directors having taught stage combat and intimacy best practices at regional workshops across the nation. She is a guest instructor for the Noble Blades Stage Combat Troupe and stage combat instructor for several schools in Arlington and Fairfax County. Her physical story-telling has been seen at Monumental Theatre, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Avant Bard, the Washington Stage Guild, and Flying V Theater among others. She is also the Resident Fight and Intimacy Director for the Devil's Isle Shakespeare Company based in Bermuda, despite not living on the island. Bess holds an MFA from the Academy of Classical Acting class of 2018 and a BA in Theatre Arts from the College of William & Mary.
Josh Coslar
Joshua is a certified personal trainer, lifelong martial artist, and traditionally trained craftsman. He relishes the opportunity to leverage his technical and mechanical knowledge towards practical theatrical applications. His goal is to find the perfect bio-mechanical tool to enable any artist to move the way they want to.
Kate Booth
Originally from Wisconsin, Kate Booth is now a Chicago-based actor, educator, and fight director who revels in theatre that comes from the soul.
Kate has been teaching stage combat through private lessons and one-off coaching sessions in Chicagoland and the greater Milwaukee area for several years. She is the head coordinator of Continuing Education at Open Gate Movement Arts. She is also a happy assistant to her OGMA colleagues Mikey, Nicky, and Dave when needed, and to Fight Master Chuck Coyl at The Actors Gymnasium. She has participated in the SAFD regional workshop circuit, attending The Central Illinois Stage Combat Teacher Trainer, The Winter Wonderland Workshop, The Tourist Trap, The Boil, and The Mentoring Advanced Combatants (MAC) intensive.
Recent Fight Direction credits include A Streetcar Named Desire (Paramount Theatre), She Kills Monsters: Young Adventurers Edition (Taft Freshman Academy), and Mean Girls (University Playhouse of Texas A&M University: Commerce). Fight direction credits prior to 2020 include... Accidental Death of a Black Motorist (The Conspirators), Head Over Heels (Kokandy Productions), Peter and the Starcatcher (Northwestern University), Kiss Me, Kate (Elgin Community College), assisting Maureen Yasko on the fights for Babes with Blades' production Women of 4G, and assisting Geoff Coates with the fight direction for Oak Park Festival Theatre's The Fair Maid of the West. She directed a cast through two summers on 'By the Sword,' the street and stage fighting ensemble at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. She continually collaborates on all choreography in They Fight, an original show by the company To the Point, of which she is a founding member.
Teaching Assistants
Monty Davis
Montgomery (Monty) Davis is an actor, fight/Intimacy choreographer, and stunt performer currently based in the SOutheast. (Primary Locations of Atlanta GA and Raliegh Triangle PArk NOrth Carolina). Monty is known for their dedication and compassion in the rehearsal room and their realistic award winning dark drama and comedic timing. They specialize in trauma informed work, queer, Disabled, and k-12 work; but love to exapnd through the depths of visceral horror and comedic tom foolery. They have international acclaim for thier realistic and thoughtful choreography, as well as their care for their actors in the rehearsal process and beyond. They are currently pursing their masters in Teaching alongside their artistic pursuits.
George Labusohr
Kara Turner
Kara Turner is a SAFD intermediate actor combatant and a 2025 DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Fellow for theatre. As a teaching artist, she works in public schools, colleges, and nonprofits, including The Life Stories Program at The Theatre Lab. Movement-based acting credits include: The Welders' the earth that is sufficient, Theatre Prometheus' (Anon)ymous, and Washington National Opera’s Il trovatore (as seen on CBS News story, Singer Latonia Moore: "There's opera for all kinds of people" (Dec. 31, 2022). She was a 2023 cohort member of the Sumer Sling Fight Choreographer’s Track and trains in aerial arts at Cap City Circus.
Benjamin Tarlton
Benjamin Tarlton has been training with the SAFD since 2017, under the tutelage of CT Jeff A.R. Jones. He is a stage actor and fight choreographer based out of North Carolina. Benjamin graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in theatre and a minor in music in the spring of 2023.
FAQ
who can take this workshop?
This workshop is intended for actors, theatre students, designers, stage managers, stunt people, aspiring artists, cosplayers, renfaire enthusiasts, and ANYONE AND EVERYONE in between. Stage Combat is for everyone.
I’m a beginner to stage combat. Can I come to the workshop?
YES!!!! 1000x yes! This workshop will include “Stage Combat Fundamental” classes covering a variety of weapons as well “Open” classes that will serve all skill levels
Are minors able to attend?
Unfortunately no, due to UTC policy, no one under 18 may attend the event
Do you have a refund policy?
Yes. All registrants can receive a 100% refund up until the day of the event. We cannot assist in refunding travel arrangements
What should I bring?
Comfortable clothing that you can move well in as well as movement-ready shoes. Highly recommend nothing too flowing or baggy as it may get caught in weapons.
A bottle of water to stay hyrdated
Leather gloves/gauntlets, work gloves, or baseball gloves. Good work gloves can be purchased at Home Depot.
Stage Combat will be very physical. Tylenol, Advil, or a painkiller of your choice wouldn’t be a terrible idea
What does tuition cover?
Tuition Covers two full days of classes. Food and housing are not covered.
What hotel should I stay at?
We will be reaching out to local hotels over the summer to get the best discounted rate.
Do I need to bring my own weapons?
Nope! All weapons will be provided by the workshop. If you choose to bring your own weapons, they must be approved by workshop staff.
Are you accepting additional staff?
Possibly depending on our needs. We have been receiving inquiries on staffing for 2025. If we are in need of additional staff, I will make an official announcement on the BattleKat Combat IG page. @battlekatcombat
Will you be offering certification classes or renewals?
Unfortunately no. Certification requires many hours of training but Scenic City Slam will be a great place to network with other stage combat professionals on where to receive further training.
What classes will be offered?
A workshop schedule will be added to this page in the coming weeks
This sounds great! How do I sign up?