Today’s post is written by Nicole Perry, CAN’s latest Consent Outreach Ambassador. Nicole is based in South Florida and her unique, professional background in the dance world ties right in with our mission to clearly define consent for society and in penal codes across the US and around the world! 

Nicole is an intimacy director/choreographer, dance choreographer, and movement director. She is also a director, actor, dancer, and the founder of Momentum Stage, a non-profit organization providing resources for performing artists. Her credits are listed below her post.

Here’s what she has to say…….

I believe this time of physical distancing is going to make us more aware of contact and proximity when we are able to reenter the “real world.” Because of that, being able to ask for, as well as affirm or deny consent, is going to be a really applicable skill, in a different way than before.

In the world of performing arts, where I work, consent has only recently become a topic of consideration. I am an Intimacy Director/Choreographer. I create the movement for intimate moments on stage, many of which require physical contact.

Recent beginnings

The term used for my job was created in 2004 by Tonia Sina, the founder of Intimacy Directors International. My role centers around consent. The theatre, film, and opera worlds have been adding this role to their creative teams since about 2017. Even though the #MeToo Movement thrust the need for consent into the spotlight, the concert dance world is still behind. But, as last year’s scandal at the New York City Ballet shows us, it really needs to catch up.

Agreeing under pressure

Being a performer conditions us to say “yes”, even if we don’t really mean it. The myth of the Hard to Work with Actor, conveys that when the performer does not say “yes” to everything asked of them, they’ll be labelled “hard to work with,” “difficult,” or “a diva,” and will find it very challenging to get work in the future. “Yes, and…” is encouraged as the only response when conducting improv work.

In dance, a teacher models the combination, and students work to look as much like the teacher as possible. Dance pedagogy, while being very teacher-centric and allowing only one voice of power in the room, is also very touch-centric. It allows the person in power to have “at will” access to the bodies of those not in power. This creates quite the paradox:

While dancers are working to have complete control over their bodies, they are also expected to immediately surrender that control to the teacher or choreographer.

The power-differential effect

Beyond a dancer’s conditioning to say “yes”, we are also conditioned to see and respect power. The performing arts are incredibly hierarchical. The director is in charge of the actors, but answers to an artistic director and/or producers. Among the actors there are leads as well as supporting, and ensemble company members. In dance, the choreographer is in charge of the piece, but the artistic director is in charge of the company.

There are the corps or company members, but there are also soloists who rank higher up the ladder because of their opportunities, physical capabilities, and often – their paychecks. These power dynamics are part of a performer’s culture from the very first show they are in; which for many is at a very young age. All of this reinforces “yes” as the only option.

Enter CONSENT.……

In my work, as an Intimacy Director/Choreographer, I tell everyone that the work is based on CONSENT, and “consent” is truly only “consent” if “no” is a valid answer. I assure the directors that I can make a story work and fit their artistic vision, while still respecting a performer’s boundaries. I try to ask open-ended questions to my performers, with no implied “yes,” such as, “Does it work for you if so-and-so puts her hand in such-and-such place?” or, “How do you feel about so-and-so placing her hand in such-and-such place?” in order to encourage them to answer honestly.

We are very pleased to be partnering with CAN to promote Consent Culture in the Performing Arts.

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Tap this link if, like NIcole, you’d like to help raise awareness and make the world a safer place by becoming a CAN Consent Outreach Ambassador.

About Momentum Stage

Momentum Stage, offers resources for artists and teachers of the performing arts. We have a whole category of such resources that revolve around Touch and Consent. We offer 3 online courses:

• Consent and Power Dynamics for Movement Specialists
• Creating an Ethics of Touch for the Classroom/Rehearsal Room
• Consent for Performers

In addition, we offer consulting services for studios, departments, and companies to help create policies that honor the agency of, and protect, their performers and creators.

Recent Credits for Nicole Perry include: 

• Imagine: a Journey in Dance at the Kravis Center,
• Choreography and intimacy direction for the US premiere of The Glass Piano at Theatre Lab
• Intimacy choreography for In the Heights with Measure for Measure Theatre, where she is the resident intimacy choreographer
• Certified Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analyst through Integrated Movement Studies
• Member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society
• Apprentice at Intimacy Directors International.
• Founder of Momentum Stage, a non-profit providing resources for performing artists