Mickey Facchinello

Mickey (Michaela, ミッキー) Facchinello (born 1991) is an American martial artist, action actress, stunt performer, stunt choreographer, entertainer. Mickey weighs 116 pounds (52,6 kg) and is 5,4 feet (1,65 m) tall.
She has practiced karate since she was nine (different source says since seven) But Mickey states: "I actually began when I was eight years old in Tae Kwon Do. My mother and my grandmother both wanted me to be in a sport that would keep me physically active and teach me good fundamentals and also let me have fun, so they chose Karate.” Her greatest role models are Suzanne Wancket-Yue, Mike Bernardo, many of the instructors at Nicklaus’ Martial Arts America, Matt Mullins, Sensei John Sharkey Jr. and her mother. She obtained Black Belt in 2006 from Nicklaus’ Martial Arts America in La Crosse, state Wisconsin, United States. In 2008 (at the age of 16) Mickey made the decision to move to Naperville, Illinois (state south of Wisconsin) transfer to Waubonsie Valley High School and train full-time under the instruction of Master John Sharkey Jr. - the American Karate Association president and 9th degree black belt holder in Shorei Ryu, and a 3rd degree black belt holder in Shotokan at his Sharkey's Karate Studio. Different source says it was two months before the start of her senior year, at age of 17. After a lot of hard work, dedication, and the instruction of Master John Sharkey Jr., Mickey is now one of the most well known traditional NASKA competitors and has won multiple National & World Championships. Some of the circuits Mickey has competed on are: Capitol Classic (2008 champion of Forms), Quebec Open (in Canada), Compete Nationals, Diamond Nationals, N.A.S.K.A. (North American Sport Karate Association), A.K.A. Grands (American Karate Association), I.S.K.A. She has won at least 3 National titles., A year later just weeks after graduating from Waubonsie Valley, Mickey won the junior forms division world championship at the American Karate Association Grand Nationals Tournament (June 2009) in Kentucky. The forms division is a solo performance rather than a fight, which, Sharkey tells students, is not the true essence of martial arts, however in the age of ultimate fighting (UFC) and mixed martial arts, Sharkey is like a character out of "Karate Kid"- a traditional martial artist who believes the popular mixed martial arts and Ultimate Fighting Championship fights are done by "a bunch of thugs." Mickey is currently competing as an important team member of Team AKA. Because of her never ending dedication, she is now one of the head instructors at Sharkey’s Karate. Mickey enjoys taking dance classes and learning aerial silks or fabrics. She currently resides in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California. Mickey and martial artist Brendon Huor are very good friends.

2009 and after

In 2009 Mickey was asked to be a part of world renowned performance team Sideswipe, created by Sharkey disciples Matt Mullins and Mike Chaturantabut. "I wanted more of a challenge," Facchinello said. "Sharkey's offered extreme, which I was interested in and had never done. There was also performance, and I wanted to do that. XMA (Xtreme Martial Arts) is a little faster paced, a different level of martial arts, a different style. There's a lot of tumbling, sometimes music - it's more of an Americanized martial arts. It is really cool to watch. Anyone who watches it is impressed." More of a gravity-defying performance, than a competitive sport, combining elements from martial arts, weapons choreography, acrobatics, dance and gymnastics, with an emphasis on showmanship Sideswipe performs throughout the world, and it played major role Facchinello's desire to relocate.
Mickey performed on a daily basis alongside an otherwise all-male cast in Tropicana Hotel Las Vegas’ from Dec 2010 to 2011 in the headlining martial arts live show Sideswipe LIVE!
Since 2010 Mickey is a member of the Chicago Stunt Team LBP and Thousand Pounds Action Company based in Los Angeles, California, that has more than 100 000 subscribers and millions of video views on YouTube.
In 2010 she had a second degree Black Belt. Having already earned the rank of second degree black belt in tae kwon do, after several years at Sharkey's Karate, Mickey is now experienced in several styles of the martial arts as well as other performance skills which include the shorei ryu and shotokan karate, Chinese martial arts style wushu, numerous weapons (bo staff, kama, sword), bull whip, aerial silks, power tumbling and free tumbling, parkour/freerunning and contemporary and hip-hop dance. Mickey had her black belt test Aug. 27 2011.

In 2012 Mickey was a cast member of a movie called Slug Street Scrappers: Rise of Ryuken, starring Micah Brock. The same year one of the best action directors of today Vlad Rimburg filmed small demo videos: in first Mickey fighting the daughter of 5 time world kickboxing champion Dave Johnston - Amy, who has won numerous first place awards in martial arts, in second: Aaron Toney, Xin Wuku and others, and in the third: world champion martial artist Caitlin Dechelle.

In 2013 Mickey is a cast member of martial arts web series Clandestine, stunt performer of action movie Unlucky Stars and The Purge starring Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey.

STUNTS

• 
  stunt1
• 
  stunt2
• 
  stunt3

External links

• Mickeys Official Facebook Page
• Mickeys Official Myspace Page
• at Twitter
• at Pinterest
• Mickey's YouTube channel
• Brendon Huor's YouTube channel
• at Internet Movie Database
• at LinkedIn