So You’re Interested in Intimacy?

Machinal with Katie Tawzer and John Roig

Machinal with Katie Tawzer and John Roig

Note: Most of this information can also be found on my Reference Page. This is just a more narrative way to consume the content. 

How it Began: A (Very Rough) History of Intimacy Direction

Warning: This is a summary is a work-in-progress. 

            Intimacy Direction has been a thing for decades. Often it was a Stage Combat or Movement Professional asked to “come in and do the sex scene.” In 2006, at Virginia Commonwealth U, a graduate student named Tonia Sina wrote her thesis and unofficially coined the term “Intimacy Director.” In 2016-17, the #MeToo Movement and Times Up Initiative brought scandals in the theatre and film industries to light. People started to learn about this work and form organizations. Sina partnered with Alecia Rodis and Siobhan Richardson to create Intimacy Directors International (IDI). They called their work on film and TV sets “Intimacy Coordination” and their work on stage “Intimacy Direction,” based off of Sina’s thesis. Many other companies emerged around this time. (You’ll learn about them in the next section.) There is no premiere certification or training process. The necessity of intimacy direction caused it to spring up at different times, in different places, and in different ways. It is also new and ever-changing. However, there are companies that have created certification pathways and many are big proponents of them. 

This brings us to now. Intimacy is a hot topic. The profession is growing in popularity. Everyone is going about it in the way that feels right for then and that’s pretty darn cool if a little confusing at times. 

The Companies that Exist Now

    • IDI is now Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (IDC). They revamped their image, structure, curriculum, and operation. The company is run by Alecia Rodis with Jessica Steinrock, Sasha Smith, and Marie C. Percy. They have always offered some sort of certification. Last week they opened up an online pathway to certification and it sold out in 2 minutes!!!

    • Theatrical Intimacy Education (TIE) was co-founded by Chelsea Pace and Laura Rikard. Pace was the first to publish a book on Intimacy Direction called Staging Sex. They have designed a boundary practice that puts the responsibility back on the actors. In my opinion, they have done a great job of codifying this work. This is especially important in continuing the conversation, sharing ideas, and providing shared jargon. As a company, they are focused on transparency and sharing their techniques with others. 

    • Intimacy Directors and Coordinators of Color (IDOC or ICOC) was founded by Ann James in 2020. She noticed a lack of diversity in the industry of Intimacy Professionals and has created a company to fill that gap. ICOC focuses on being an accessible place to train and employ BIPOC artists. I have recently been brought on to assist in curriculum development for this company. I am super stoked.

    • Intimacy Professionals Association (IPA) was founded by Amanda Blumenthal. IPA considers itself the first official agency for intimacy coordinators. What makes it unique is not their status as an agency but that they also represent trans and expert topic consultants, (on topics such as non-monogamy, BDSM, sexual empowerment, intersexual diversity, and more). They are in the process of training a new cohort of Intimacy Coordinators right now. 

    • Ita O'Brien is a successful UK based intimacy coordinator! She has been doing this work for 6 years and offers her own workshops with her company Intimacy on Set. She’s got some cool online videos you can purchase. Something interesting about O’brien is that she brings in animal mating styles into her choreography. 

    • Intimacy for Stage and Screen was founded by Lizzy Talbot and Yarit Dor, was originally called “Theatrical Intimacy” and then became the UK chapter of Intimacy Directors International. It has now been revamped and renamed again. I have not spent enough time researching this company to say any more about it. 

    • Intimacy Coordinators Canada was founded by Lindsay Somers in 2018. I do not know much about this company and have yet to dive into their Best Practices. 

Other Opportunities to learn more

    • Workshops

Workshops directly with Intimacy companies are awesome and super insightful. IDC and TIE are offering a lot of online workshops right now. I recommend getting on their mailing list because they sell out FAST. 

        • You can also catch these two talking in their Directors Lab West Discussion from back in May. This is the discussion that inspired the Podcast. 

    • Read Staging Sex - This is the first book on Intimacy Direction. It can be overwhelming because it consists of Chelsea Pace’s entire approach to staging sex (so it’s very thorough). I recommend taking notes on a section a day. I've found it helpful for self-study.

Already on the Path? Here are ways I’ve added to my toolbox:

    • Racial Equity Training – So far I’ve attended workshops from the company Race Forward. Soon, I hope to take a workshop from Nicole Brewer. She focuses specifically on white supremacist structures within the theatre itself. 

    • Transgender Allyship – I just finished a 3-day training with The Transgender Training Institute. They are based in Philly but in this time of COVID, they are coming straight to our living rooms. This experience was wonderful and I recommend this training to any and everyone. 

    • Mental Health First Aid – Worthwhile regardless of your career or aspirations. Mental Health Matters. 

    • Reading – I have found that reading is a wonderful way to dive into different topics surrounding this work. Here are some of the books I’ve read this summer or am in the middle of reading:

    • Move - learn new movement styles and take classes when you can. Here are some examples of movement styles I have or wish to explore:

      • Laban

      • Feldenkrais 

      • Viewpoints

      • Contact Improv

      • Any Dance Style

      • Martial Arts

      • Capoeira 

The goal of this post is to emphasize ways this work can be pursued from your own home. However, it is important to get up on your feet and in a rehearsal space. Most of how I came to this work was through practice. This is the only way to overcome your inevitable clumsiness. (I had plenty.) Now, a disclaimer: This work is sensitive and I don’t advise “messing around” with other people’s boundaries. I suggest low-stakes environments where trust is pre-established. There is more room for your peers to advocate for themselves without consequences. Once you’ve become more experienced, then you can work your way into more sensitive environments. 

This is just my advice. You do not need to follow it.  *Shrug emoji*

Alison WoodIntimacy, DirectorsComment