What Is An Intimacy Advocate

Albion at Questor's Theatre, 2023. Photography Evelina Plonyte.

Since the work of intimacy professionals first made its way onto the entertainment scene, there have been a lot of terms used. Intimacy choreographer (now largely defunct), intimacy director and intimacy coordinator. Nowadays intimacy coordinator is used as a catch-all for everything within the professional intimacy sphere (even though technically speaking director refers to theatre and coordinator refers to screen).

So what is an intimacy advocate then? And where does it fit in?

It's a term that I came up with when I first started educating amateur, community and local theatres about intimacy and consent-forward practices.

When I teach, it is very important I stress that the few hours a group spends with me, learning about consent, communication, choreography and all the other pillars of intimacy work, does not mean they will leave that space having become an intimacy coordinator or director. To be able to confidently carry that title, I believe there needs to be a combination of education along with applying that knowledge in low-stakes environments.

However, within amateur organisations, there is still a need for a role that can take on some of the responsibility of ensuring a production is being run in a way that means actors can more confidently give their consent.

That's where the term intimacy advocate comes in.

When teaching I talk about how, in an ideal world, the director is not the one taking on the responsibility of intimacy - there are too many power dynamics involved to comfortably justify giving them another title. And also, directors are busy! They don't need another role, they're wearing enough hats as it is.

To me, an intimacy advocate is someone within a theatre organisation who feels really passionate and excited about consent work. Especially about the advocacy and the communication aspects. They might come from a safeguarding background, they might not, but they are willing to learn. There are lots of ways to improve how a production handles intimacy, and often they can be done before a rehearsal period even begins and without the presence of an intimacy coordinator.

How An Intimacy Advocate Fits In

Here is how I imagine the role of an intimacy advocate would fit into a production:

• A production assigns an intimacy advocate (IA)

• The IA meets with the director before auditions, to understand what the intimacy requirements of the show are

• The IA will also work closely with the stage manager, to keep channels of communication open and on-going

• The IA will advise the director about what to include in the audition notice, and tips on how to approach physical contact within an audition environment

• During the rehearsal period, the IA will speak with members of the cast who are involved in the intimacy, to understand whether they have any boundaries around those moments

• The IA can communicate with costume, lighting or any other department that may need to know about an actor's requirements (i.e. soft lighting during the scene or particular underwear for a moment of nudity)

Because this is a bridge between an intimacy coordinator and 'the old way', how choreography is approached is going to be very subjective. Things to consider include the 'stakes' of the intimacy (is it casual, is it graphic), how comfortable the actors are working with each other, how much experience the director or IA has with movement, etc. The IA can also advise on policy, so that the organisation can take further steps towards having a culture of consent.

• The IA is not a PR manager or a mental health professional - they are not there to resolve disputes or hear people's problems

I have been introducing the idea of an intimacy advocate to various theatres throughout these past five years, as a way of finding a middle ground between having nothing (not ideal) and having an intimacy coordinator (costly or not available). It's a new role, but I hope to see it growing.

Would you consider bringing the role of intimacy advocate to your theatre?

I offer education and training, both in person and online, for organisations looking to introduce more of these concepts to their procedures. Find out more about my training here.

If you're interested about why amateur theatres in the UK could benefit from intimacy coordination, I wrote a blog post about it. And if you're looking for training in the UK, I have a list here.