Dan's lifelong passion for play fighting can be traced back to his earliest childhood recollections, where his imagination was first sparked by the iconic cinematic masterpieces and small-screen sensations of his youth, including the intergalactic adventures of Star Wars, the suave espionage of James Bond, the caped crusades of Batman, the demigod exploits of Hercules, the warrior princess escapades of Xena, and the high-flying, hard-hitting, and hard-nosed action of WWE.
As he navigated the formative stages of his youth, he dedicated himself to cultivating a diverse range of skills, including those related to swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, historical reenactment, and archery.
In the year 1998, a pivotal moment in Dan's life unfolded as he meticulously crafted his first fight sequence as part of his General Certificate of Secondary Education (GSCE) drama practical performance exam at his high school institution.
This initial foray into fight choreography served as a catalyst for Dan's continued development and refinement of his skills in the realm of media production and drama during his collegiate tenure.
As a matter of fact, Dan's dedication to his craft led him to assume the responsibility of choreographing combat sequences for every production he was involved in, showcasing his expertise and versatility as a fight director.
Furthermore, Dan's passion for his work extended beyond the confines of his academic pursuits, as he would often spend his weekends honing his skills by choreographing and shooting his own fight scenes with friends, thereby fostering a sense of camaraderie and creative collaboration.
Dan's journey in the world of fight choreography was thus marked by a consistent display of dedication, perseverance, and a willingness to continuously push the boundaries of his craft.
Dan embarked on a journey to carve out a career in the performing arts, skillfully amalgamating his proficiency in historical European martial arts, which encompasses a range of disciplines including HEMA, with his experience in boxing, kickboxing, fencing, and archery, thereby fostering a unique blend of physical abilities. To further hone his skills, he enrolled in stage combat training at the prestigious British Academy of Dramatic Combat, where he excelled, ultimately achieving the highest academic accolades. This remarkable achievement served as a springboard for Dan to pursue a two-year apprenticeship in teaching stage and screen combat, a valuable opportunity that allowed him to refine his expertise and eventually ascend to the esteemed position of Master teacher for the British Academy of Dramatic Combat.
Early in his career, he seized opportunities to showcase his physical prowess, taking on action-packed roles that allowed him to demonstrate his agility and combat skills by performing his own choreography. As his experience and expertise grew, he began to transition from in-front-of-the-camera work to behind-the-scenes roles, utilizing his knowledge to coordinate and direct complex fight scenes and action sequences.
Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of working on numerous high-profile film sets, serving as a fight or special action performer on blockbuster productions such as 'Snow White and the Huntsman', 'Thor: The Dark World', and 'Kingsman', among others.
Dan's professional trajectory underwent a significant shift as he made the deliberate decision to dedicate his expertise exclusively to the realm of fight and stunt coordination, which ultimately allowed him to diversify his portfolio by working on a wide range of film genres, with a notable emphasis on action-packed and gritty gangster films.
Notable among his esteemed body of work is the film 'Avengement', a cinematic masterpiece that boasts the talents of Scott Adkins and the visionary direction of Jesse V Johnson. This critically acclaimed production garnered a prestigious nomination for a Taurus World Stunt Award in 2020, specifically in the category of Best Fight. The pièce de résistance of this film is the climactic bar fight, a tour de force that lasts a staggering four minutes and has been universally praised for its uncanny realism, brutal intensity, and unforgiving fight choreography. Critics have lavished praise upon this cinematic showdown, describing it as "the most realistic looking vicious and brutal fighting" ever captured on film, "some of the most unforgiving fight choreography that you will ever see", and "some of the most devastating action set pieces ever committed to celluloid". Moreover, this breathtaking sequence has set a new standard for any future depictions of pub brawls on the big screen, cementing its place as a benchmark for excellence in the world of action cinema.
