What Drama Teachers Need to Know About Intimacy Direction in Schools

Intimacy direction isn’t just about staging romantic content onstage — although that is one component of the role. It’s about creating a culture of consent, clarity, and safety in any moment of physical or emotional vulnerability onstage. As drama teachers, we frequently challenge our students to take risks onstage and push themselves out of their comfort zones. But in order to do that, we need to create a safer space for them, and knowing about intimacy direction can help with this.

In recent years, professional theatres and post-secondary training programs have started to embrace intimacy direction as a standard part of rehearsal, just like fight choreography or dance. In many high school settings, however, the concept of intimacy direction hasn’t always been present, oftentimes because administrators or educators might feel that school shows shouldn’t have visibly romantic content, or because the intimate moments in school shows are “small” or brief. That being said, the more that teachers are able to include consent-based concepts of intimacy direction in their teaching and directing, the better we will be able to support our students in approaching these moments onstage in age-appropriate ways. Here’s what drama teachers should know.

1. What is intimacy direction?

Intimacy direction is the practice of clearly and safely choreographing and rehearsing moments of closeness, affection, or vulnerability between actors. This might include physical contact (such as hand-holding, leaning on someone, embracing, etc.), romantic or affectionate moments, or moments that involve emotional intimacy. Intimacy directors help to set boundaries and act as a mediator or liaison about consent between actors and directors. They use clear language to create choreography that is consensual and repeatable, while serving the narrative of the scene. Everyone involved should know what’s happening in the scene or moment, and no one should feel pressured or unsafe.

2. Why it matters in school theatre

Even if your play or musical doesn’t include romance, many scenes involve strong emotions or situations that could potentially be triggering for some students. We don’t always know what students have experienced outside of the drama classroom, and we certainly do not want to cross a line or disrespect a student’s boundaries. This can cause lasting discomfort or break a student’s trust in the drama classroom as a safe space.

Using consent-based intimacy direction best practices in your teaching models respect and professionalism, builds a culture of consent and clear boundaries in your classroom, and reduces awkwardness, discomfort, and misunderstandings. It tells students that they can speak up and advocate for themselves (or for their peers, if they aren’t able to speak on their own behalf), communicate their own boundaries, and approach vulnerable moments with maturity. They learn care and compassion for their scene partners and for themselves, all of which they can use in their lives outside the drama classroom.

3. Consent-based practices for teachers

Try incorporating the following consent-based practices into your teaching and rehearsal work:

• Work on identifying boundaries with your students. Some boundaries might not appear until in the moment. Remember that “no” is a full sentence, and practice saying it. Try the following exercises: Yes and No Circle and the improv game “Yes, And…” and “No, But…”.
• Normalize consent check-ins. Before any moment of physical contact, have students confirm with their scene partners that it’s ok to proceed with the touch. You can also say things like, “Is it ok if we try that blocking again with the hand on your shoulder?”
• Avoid assumptions. Don’t assume all students are comfortable with physical touch in the drama classroom or rehearsal space. Always offer students alternatives to physical contact.
• Don’t dismiss or minimize student discomfort by saying things like, “It’s just acting!” This can discourage students from communicating their boundaries or speaking up at all. For some students, even prolonged eye contact can be difficult.
• Let students communicate and choose what level of physical contact they’re comfortable with. For example, start with greetings: “You can high-five, fist bump, give a handshake, or wave and say hello.” For more intimate moments, students may decide if they’re comfortable with holding hands, a side hug, a front-facing hug, or simply making eye contact with their scene partner.
• Choreograph all physical contact. Any moments of physical contact should be specific, repeatable, and not improvised. This helps students know exactly what to do in each moment, and helps them portray their characters clearly to the audience, while ensuring students’ comfort.
• Use clear and concise language, especially when giving blocking. Asking students to “act romantic” or “show passion” is not only vague, it requires students to attempt to portray something they may not understand, know how to do, or feel comfortable doing. Scene partners may have very different ideas of what is appropriate to do in those moments. Give clear explanations of the storytelling goal of that moment, and what physical gestures the students can employ to portray that to the audience.
• Check in and use closure practices at the end of rehearsals. When working on intense exercises or scenes in the drama classroom, students’ bodies don’t know the difference between the made-up stress they are performing and real-life stress. A quick “how is everyone feeling?” and moment of closure helps students to reset and separate themselves from their characters.

You don’t need to be an intimacy directing expert to bring these concepts and practices into your drama classroom or rehearsal space; you just need a willingness to learn and model care, respect, and communication.

Additional Reading:
An Introduction to Consent in the Drama Classroom
#MeToo in the Drama Classroom