theatrical intimacy professional
Consent + choreography
Tara is certified through Intimacy Professionals Association (IPA) as an Intimacy Choreographer for Live Performance (ICLP). This organization is one of the leading international organizations for intimacy professionals in film, television, theatre, and live events.
what is an intimacy choreographer?
An Intimacy Choreographer (or coordinator) is a specialized, trained industry professional who oversees consent and who facilitates safe intimacy choreography for the stage. They act as an advocate and a liaison between actors and production for scenes that involve intimate contact, insinuation of intimate topics, simulated sex acts, nudity, and other intimate or hyper-exposed scenes. They support the performers’ and crew’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being during the rehearsal process while collaborating with the director to aid in the realization of their creative vision.
What is coordination vs choreography?
Intimacy coordination is the work of liaising between the production team and the performers to facilitate clear communication around intimate staging to ensure the boundaries of performers are upheld while the creative vision for the performance is realized. This work overlaps between all departments of productions.
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Intimacy choreography is a specialized form of physically orchestrated artistry that creates staged intimacy in a way that is choreographed clearly and articulately. Performers know exactly what to do and what to expect with their performance partners and a consistent artistic visual is achieved.
How does a consent forward practice benefit a production?
Equipping your production with a consent-forward practice not only invites integrity as a core value of the ensemble, but it also enables an atmosphere where performers can work more efficiently and more vibrantly because awareness and communication are not in question.
When performers have the structure of choreography to lean on, they can relax and perform more fully in the moment without the implication that they should base their choices on implicitly assumed instinct.
let's partner together
Through workshops, I provide an introduction to the foundations of consent-centered practices and how to develop a working language to navigate the needs of staging theatrically intimate moments. I am passionate about teaching performers how to navigate their autonomy professionally.
education
Supporting the open dialogue needed between the creative team and the performers, I connect between each department to ensure all needs are factored in such as costuming, closed-set protocols, etc. Not only supporting performers, but also addressing needs of the crew and production team as a whole.
coordination
I craft, rehearse, and support choreography that deepens the storytelling of the moment and meets the needs of the talent and their boundaries. Expert choreography with an eye for how each moment connects or changes can be the difference maker in what the audience experiences of that moment.
choreography
Are you creating a new work and eager to implement the current best practices surrounding intimate storytelling? Do you have a script, but want to deepen creative approaches around staging intimacy?
Are you unsure of what is too taboo? Let's start that conversation.