By Christian Fernandez
Consent in life should not differ from consent in choreography. This was the thesis of Hannah Roccisano, a post-baccalaureate student in the Shakespeare and Performance program, as she led first and second year students in the program through an introductory intimacy workshop. Roccisano provided students with research and guidelines developed by experts from Intimacy Directors International (IDI). The workshop began with Roccisano’s presentation and concluded with several workshop participants practicing a few choreographed movements.
Roccisano’s experience in intimacy work began in college. During a moment of intimacy in a show she was acting in, Roccisano’s stage partner deviated from the scene’s designed choreography. It is in order to avoid such inappropriate moments that the IDI created its guidelines. The guidelines focus on four principles: Consent, Choreography, Communication, and Context. Roccissano explained the important distinction between consent and permission. Whereas anyone in the rehearsal space (e.g. director) can provide permission for choreography, only the individual part of the choreography can provide consent. Consent can entail permission, but permission does not imply consent. Because consent focuses on the security of the participant, the participant can take back his or her consent any point he or she desires. Roccisano stressed that actors and directors especially should continually ask each other for consent through each process of choreography. Simply because an individual accepts a role does not imply the individuals consents to the choreography.
In regards to choreography, strict choreography is necessary. Deviating from the choreography puts individuals in a scenario outside of the choreography they consented to. Sticking to the choreography creates a safer environment for everyone. To ensure participants adhere to the choreography, and consent is present at all stages, communication is essential. Communication entails not only what people ought to say and ask, but also what people ought not to say. People ought to refrain from uttering inappropriate jokes and triggering terms (e.g. “rape scene”). Finally, productions should always remember the context of the intimacy as they prepare the choreography. This entails asking questions such as “What is the story?” and “What feelings do we want the audience to experience via this scene?” Answering such questions provides direction to the
choreography and a reason for each phase of the choreography.
Jessie Lillis, Roccisano’s workshop assistant, appreciated what she learned both from the workshop itself and from working with Roccisano. While most of Lillis’ experiences in intimate scenes were organized and professional, there were a few where the intimacy was “not handled as well as they could have been.” Lillis’ biggest takeaway was the importance of communication at every stage of the choreography. “The last thing any of us want is to feel uncomfortable or unsafe, or to make someone else feel that way, and the only way to keep an open environment is to communicate clearly with everyone involved. It may feel awkward at first, but in my experience, at least, you’re way better off to talk early and often with your scene partners and director(s) rather than end up having to act in a scene that you’re not actually comfortable with.”
Roccisano is still attending intimacy workshops to learn more as the IDI continues to develop its teachings. Recently, the IDI added another pillar to their guidelines: closure. The Shakespeare and Performance program has encouraged Roccisano’s attendance of the workshops, even allowing her to miss the first few days of classes in order to attend a workshop in Chicago.
