The Staff
The Sebastiani Fencing Academy was founded in 2000 by Gabrielle Roux and Maitre Michel Sebastiani, one of the most decorated and celebrated fencing coaches of all time. The Academy is exclusively directed by Gabrielle since 2015. Having been trained in the classical French Method, Roux immigrated from France to the United States in 1998 and since then, have been passionate about transmitting her love of the Sport to students age 5 and up.
Simultaneous to establishing the Academy, Maître Sebastiani was the Head Coach at Princeton University for 24 years, The US Olympic Coach in Los Angeles and more... He has sent his students off to compete at the Olympics. In 2015, he was inducted into the USA Fencing Hall of Fame for his contributions to the American fencing landscape.
Although originally founded on the principles of the traditional French Method, and as the sport of fencing has evolved over the decades SFA has been teaching, the Sebastiani Method has evolved too. The Sebastiani Method is an internationally recognized style of teaching that champions the importance of fundamentals--footwork and bladework--while also pushing its students to employ them practically and effectively in competitive settings.
Meet the Instructors
Maître d'Armes
Michel Sebastiani
Maître Sebastiani's resume is as long as any great coach in the history of any sport. He has instructed dozens of individual and collegiate national champions, coached Olympic medalists, and was inducted into the USA Fencing Hall of Fame in 2015.
Owner, Prevot d'Armes
Gabrielle Roux
An instructor for all three disciplines of fencing, Gabrielle has had a passion for fencing long before she founded SFA in 2000. Gabrielle is known for her personable and training of fencers of all ages, emphasizing technical precision and the harmony of movements.
