Dan’s showreel can also be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2V7SD4QNdg
Current Performances
Dan is currently working on a Universal Pictures feature ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’; an epic action-adventure retelling of the fairy tale starring Kristen Stewart (Twilight), Chris Hemsworth (Thor) and Charlize Theron (Hancock). Dan is part of the ‘Special Action’ team – or fight team – performing medieval style swordfights in mass battles between good and evil. Dan plays a variety of soldiers on both sides, but you’d be hard pressed to spot him in the melee.
Upcoming Performances
Most recently Dan has been doing some motion capture for the next edition of a popular computer game for the Playstation. It will probably be quite a long time before the game hits the stores, so I can’t tell you any more than that. But I'll let you know what it is when that time comes.
You may see Dan in an upcoming stills advertising campaign for Visa Olympics. Dan is a security guard checking in a queue jumping athlete.
In December Dan will be reprising his performance yet again as Abanazar in Aladdin at the Grand Opera House, York from 9th December to 1st January. Dan is pleased to be in the beautiful city of York again, particularly over Christmas.
In January Dan completed shooting for a feature film ‘Charlene’ as supporting role Andrew. ‘Charlene’ follows the titular character on a journey of discovery from her dark life in London to the wild seaside and open spaces of Brittany in France. Charlene meets Andrew as she works as a stripper, later, during a sexual liaison in a hotel room, he beats her. The following day she leaves her old life behind to locate her birth mother in France.
The film will be entered in national and international film festivals, and is intended for theatrical, television and DVD release.
Two short films starring Dan in a leading role are in post production and intended for the 2011 festival circuit. ‘School Run’ a short action film with a twist, and ‘Detention’ a school teacher finds a way to pass time in detention. Dan also wrote and produced both of these productions.
Dan appeared as a soldier in a feature called ‘Different Perspectives’, set against a civil war in a not too distant future. Dan got to run around the woods, ride tanks, do manoeuvres and get shot (a lot). What more could a guy want? The film is currently in post production.
Dan has some more short film productions in the pipeline. More information as details are confirmed.
Recent Performances
One of Dan’s most recent performances and possibly one of the most exciting in his career was as a musketeer on Blue Peter. Dan, along with other members of the ID fight unit, assisted in training Blue Peter presenter, Helen Skelton, in the art of swordsmanship so that she could become an honorary Musketeer for the première of ‘The Three Musketeers’ film that evening. Her training culminated in a test of bravery, honour and skill in which she had to face and defeat not just one, but three of the cardinal’s guards (Dan & Co.). She literally kicked their arses. This episode aired on Tuesday 11th October on BBC1 at 4:30pm. You may still be able to catch this on BBC iplayer.
Dan recently played Rog/Vera, a military officer and his female alter ego, in ‘The Primrose Hill Ladies Club' at the Courtyard Theatre, Old Street.
The play explored the reasons why a trio of men choose to dress as women from time to time. It was very well received by audiences and critics and Dan even had his picture in the Evening Standard - dressed as a woman - which he'll never fail to hear the last of.
Reviews have said:
- "I recommend it is one to watch. It keeps you on your toes - it moves along with great energy and you'll be laughing/crying the whole time in equal measures. There are no weak links in the cast, great performances all round. A job well done."
Jessica Stevens, Remotegoat. - "The actors all shine as their impressive-looking transvestite alter-egos,"
Lauren Paxman, The Stage. - "In one poignant scene, Rog (Dan Styles) digs into the origins of his unusual behaviour - abuse by his father - and reflects on the awkward relationship he has with his children."
Henry Hitchings, The Evening Standard. - "The sincerity of all the performances in The Primrose Hill Ladies Club are highly commendable. Rog (Dan Styles) and Vera are both reserved and considered." "Convincingly portrayed by each of the actors."
Vanessa Bunn, Extra! Extra!
Dan also played Salisbury in a performance of excerpts of Shakespeare’s ‘Henry V’ for the Lambeth Country Show in July. The production played on the cultivate stage to a wet but appreciative audience. It featured two of the famous speeches, the first opening speech by Chorus and the second, the St. Crispin’s Day speech by Harry himself. This performance precedes a proposed full version for the 2012 Olympic events by Tea House Theatre.
It's been a busy year for fight arranging. In just the first 6 months of the year Dan has choreographed and co-ordinated fights for The Medieval Banquet, stage productions of 'A Clockwork Orange', which played at the Roundhouse, Camden and the Southwark playhouse, '1001 Nights', a youth production for Brady Arts Centre,‘'Romeo & Juliet' and 'Twelfth Night', which both toured throughout the summer at open air venues across the UK and Ireland and 'The Primrose Hill Ladies Club' (above) in which he also appeared. In film Dan worked on an urban feature film about Sri-Lankan gang culture in ‘Tooting Broadway', another feature, 'Charlene', where a stripper gets into a bit of trouble with a violent client and a third feature, shooting in the south of France, called ‘Fossil', also a sci-fi action short ‘Magnesium' and a surreal comedy short called ‘Merry Christmas'.
That was all before the end of June. Since then Dan has also choreographed fights for stage productions ‘Henry V’ and ‘Romeo & Juliet’ (again), ‘A View from the Bridge’ and ‘The Three Musketeers’ and contributed to choreography on short film ‘Nunjas’ and ‘Blue Peter’ (see above).
Dan arranged fights for a stage production of ‘A Clockwork Orange’ which played at the Southwark playhouse in April.
At the end of 2010 Dan reprised his role of Abanazar in Aladdin at the Princess Theatre, Torquay.
In 2010 Dan performed in three stage productions - a restoration comedy ‘The Way of the World’, the lead in a piece of new writing about adoption called ‘Fragile’ and Abanazar in ‘Aladdin’ - four short films - ‘School Run’, ‘Primary Faction – Tycan Tournament’, ‘The Lower Depths’ and ‘Choice’ – an improvised mockumentary ‘Knut Smith’ (as Knut) in the style of ‘This is Spinal Tap’ (See the film here:); commercials for McDonalds and Ask Jeeves; corporate films for British Airways and the Metropolitan Police; various open air events for the Vikings and The Phoenix Festival and a minor stunt role in feature film ‘Captain America’
Also in 2010 Dan arranged the fights for ‘Journeys End’ (UK tour), ‘Ask Jeeves’ (commercial), ‘School Run’ (short film), ‘Tycan Tournament’ (webisode), ‘Medieval Banquets’ (Themed restaurant), ‘As You Like It’ (international tour), ‘Merry Wives of Windsor’ (international tour), ‘Troilus and Cressida’ (stage), ‘Madness of King George’ (UK tour), ‘Of Mice and Men’ (stage), ‘Playboy of the Western World’ (stage), ‘Hold the Lift’ (short film) and three versions of Aladdin (stage).