Tonia Sina
Tonia is a three time kidney transplant recipient. In 2022, she received a kidney/liver transplant that cured her of a genetic terminal ultra-rare blood disease, atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (aHUS). As a disabled artist, her perspective on life and art is influenced by a thirst for soaking up experiences while she has the chance.
Tonia’s approach to movement and intimacy direction embraces taking risks and harnessing real emotions to capture authentic connections between performers in scenes with heightened intimate content. By providing a controlled environment for exploration, she encourages actors to explore reckless abandon, with the goal that they can safely return to a safe state of being when the work is closed.
Physical storytelling depends on specificity, and as Tonia says, “Each tiny finger placement is important in the telling of intimate stories.” Without inflicting strict choreography onto the actors, she enjoys giving actors freedom to find their own movements within the container of the story, and a story can be told a million ways.
While her specialty is intimacy, Tonia loves choreographing all kinds of movement for the stage. With lessons adapted from Viewpoints, Grotowski, Lecoq, Steven Wangh, mask work, dance, and stage combat, Tonia has enjoyed devising theatre throughout her career and has choreographed several original plays in both academic and professional theatres. With roots in pedagogy, teaching is her main passion.
After some extreme health battles, Tonia is returning to offer workshops as an independent artist. She is currently living in Sarasota, Florida, but offers workshops around the country with her canine companion, Daphne Rose.
Daphne is a nearly ten year old Staffordshire/American Pit Bull mix with a dash of Boxer. She was rescued as a puppy with her mother from a field in Oklahoma in the middle of tornado season, so thunder still makes her nervous. She received formal training at Off Leash K9 training in Oklahoma City and continues her lifelong studies with Tonia as her trainer. She loves meeting people, especially actors.
Daphne works in rehearsals and workshops as a form of closure for actors and anyone in the room. After a particularly emotional session, she will go to the actors for a “check-in” to see if they need her support. She is a huge part of Tonia’s teaching while also serving as a service dog when Tonia needs her as a mobility and stability aid. Daphne provides closure for workshop attendees after the work is finished, and offers an empathetic and intuitive energy to the room.
Daphne Rose