Staging Sex: The 3 Big Ideas
This text by Chelsea Pace is a must-read for anyone interested in nurturing a consent-forward performance space!
What are the 3 Big Ideas?
Advocacy: Create a culture of consent.
Safety: Desexualizing, Documenting, and Protocol.
Artistry: Choreographing something beautiful that both matches the directors vision of the scene within the performers boundaries.
1. Creating a culture of consent
Directors may think that if they’re super progressive and friendly with crew it will flatten the power hierarchy in the room. It doesn’t. Many performers have literally been trained to say yes, even just to scene partners through improvisational games like “yes and…”, so one can imagine the increased pressure to say “yes” to the director who literally has the power to hire and fire them.
Having an IC on set can neutralize this power-differential and help to normalize “No” by establishing boundaries and protocol around scenes dealing with sexual content or sexual violence. Even if a full time IC can’t be brought on to production, looking at the 5 pillars of intimacy choreography as outlined by IDI (now IDC) is advised to every performing arts human as a place to start.
2. Creating safer spaces
From a trauma-informed perspective there is no way to create a 100% safe experience for everyone on set. Each individual has their own unique triggers and points of nervous system arousal based on their unique past experiences. However, there are certainly important ways we can collectively mitigate potential harm by introducing consent-forward techniques early on in the process, like boundary practices and desexualizing the language when working on an intimate scene. Documenting the action so that the stage manager and everyone involved is clear on what’s happening and everyone stays accountable to consistency between partners and regular check-ins is essential.
3. Artistry & Choreography
A phrase I’ve heard over the course of my trainings that “Passion fades. Choreography is forever.” Choreographing a scene is a super relational process between the director, IC, performers, and crew. If a scene requires nudity an IC is in communication with the wardrobe department to ensure robes and garments are made available, works with AD’s to secure closed sets, and with directors on the vision for the scene. Choreographing the action makes it less weird for the performers as they aren’t expected to expose their personal preferences or perceptions around what being “seductive” or “sexy” looks like. I mean imagine that was expected from you in any other workplace?
The takeaway?
Staging sex doesn’t have to be complicated or awkward and certainly shouldn’t be triggering, traumatizing, or retraumatizing. Anyone working in the performing arts with this range of material should consider hiring an IC or at least training up on some best practices. Along with the text pictured above which is an awesome practical guide, the folx at Theatrical Intimacy Education and Intimacy Director’s & Coordinators offer affordable workshops to help hone skills and techniques. I’m super excited to begin my journey in the workforce as I finish up my certification this summer. Connect with me if you’re interested in working with someone now or learning more about the practice!
