"Embracing art that protects and celebrates bodies of color"
Our mission:
Intimacy Coordinators and Directors of Color will support and promote decolonized intimacy education and inclusive hiring practices in the entertainment industry.
What Is Intimacy Choreography?
Intimacy Choreography is the craft of designing moments of staged intimacy or sexual violence with respect, specificity, and professionalism. Intimacy choreographers respect the boundaries, integrity, and needs of the actors involved, so that the best work can happen enthusiastically.
What we do...
Consultancy
Consultancy
Consultancy
We meet with Artistic Boards, Producers, Directors and other leadership groups in theatre, film and television to help you incorporate intimacy work into your workplace ethos.
Advocacy
Consultancy
Consultancy
We gather stories and lend our expertise in group dynamics and conflict resolution to promote healing on set and in the rehearsal room
Training
Consultancy
Training
We offer classes that lead to understanding about the field of intimacy and the importance of racial and cultural balance in the profession.
Who We Are...
Ann C. James, Founder, Instructor
Ann James has an extensive career in theatre education, stage direction and conflict resolution in corporate and artistic environments. As an internationally certified educator she has had the opportunity to teach on 4 continents. Ms. James has been featured as moderator in Intimacy for People of Color with Theatre Communications Group, The Los Angeles Theatre Alliance, The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation and Lincoln Center Director's Lab West. She is a published author on HowlRound, and has been a featured Intimacy Specialist on many theatre affiliated group panels during Covid-19. With over 100 directing credits and in addition to owning China's only registered Expat theatre, DreamWeaver Productions from 2012 to 2018, she is now devoted to making both stage and screen safer places for People of Color to practice their craft. To that end, Ms. James looks forward to pursuing America's first simultaneous MFA in Performance Pedagogy/Doctoral degree in Intimacy Direction for People of Color at Loyola Marymount University this fall.
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Dr. Delvena Thomas, Advisor Emeritus, Instructor
Delvena Thomas is a mother, an American soldier, a scientist, and a physician who advocates tirelessly for healthy living to strengthen individuals, families, communities, and workplaces around the world. Trained in medicine and psychiatry at the University of Maryland Medical Systems in Baltimore (MD), she is board-certified in psychiatry and neurology and maintains a private practice in psychotherapy, psychopharmacology, and alternative health. Dr. Thomas is a consulting psychiatrist for the National Football League.
Dr. Thomas is also a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and a veteran of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom who has completed three tours of duty — to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kuwait — to provide mental health care for soldiers needing stress reduction and therapy, family connectedness, and spiritual well-being. In her private practice, Dr. Thomas provides individual, couple, and group therapy to address several issues, including performance problems experienced by serious amateur and professional athletes, addiction, sexual dysfunction, mood, and anxiety disorders.
Rachel Finley, Advisor
Rachel Finley is compassionate, patient and deeply dedicated to her students success. Rachel uses her deep study of the Stanislavski based acting systems, including Meisner Technique, Uta Hagen's Steps, Strasberg's Method and Michael Chekov Technique to offer highly personalized actor training. A certified Fitzmaurice Voicework ™ teacher with extensive training in Knight Thompson Speechwork, Ms. Finley also teaches voice and dialect work both privately and at the collegiate level to actors, public speakers and anyone interested in developing healthy and skillful speech and vocal use. Incorporating her work with Alexander Technique, Laban and Viewpoints, Rachel pushes her acting students to connect physically, vocally, psychologically and intellectually with their scripts to create unique and compelling characters.
Amara Brady, Advisor
Amara (She/Her/Hers) is a generative artist & cultural dramaturg from Chicago. At the crux of her artistry is uplifting Black women and connecting underserved communities to theatrical experiences. As an actor she’s been on stage at The Lark, Joe’s Pub, NYU Skirball, The Duplex, Barrington Stage Co., NYTW, 54 Below, & others. She is a member of Joe Iconis’ wonderful family As a writer she has been been a semi-finalist for Space on Ryder Farm, an inaugural member of the Showdogs playwriting collective, The Parsnip Ship’s Radio Roots Writers Group, and a member of SHECreates NYC’s Myths and Legends program. Her work has been staged at The Drama League, The Dramatists Guild, Joe’s Pub, and The Wow Cafe Theatre. As a producer she’s helped put on Theatre Communications Groups National Conference (2019) and was the Associate Producer of the NYT’s Critic Pick, SKiNFoLK by Jillian Walker. Check out her YouTube Series, ‘Skinny & White’ Aren’t Character Traits. In This Paper I’ll Explain. She wants to remind you to resist, check your privilege, & then give some space to Women of Color & Trans Folx. Ashé to the ancestors. All Power to all people.
Website:https://linktr.ee/ajbrady
Instagram: @bradynotthebunch
Peter J Kuo, Advisor
Peter J. Kuo (he/him/his) is bi-coastal LA native, and the Associate Conservatory Director at American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), where he serves as the Chair of the Staff EDI Committee. He is a theatre director, producer, writer, and educator focusing on raising the visibility of marginalized communities. Achievements include being part of TCG's Rising Leaders of Color cohort, a directing residency at The Drama League, directing assistantships at Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Williamstown Theatre Festival, South Coast Repertory, and Geffen Playhouse. He has directed for A.C.T., Weston Playhouse, East West Players, and Playground. He is a co-founder of Artists at Play, an Asian American theatre collective that produces Los Angeles premieres of works for Asian Americans. Following the success of his Live Video Theatre production of Madhuri Shekar's In Love and Warcraft for A.C.T.'s MFA program, he is now teaching several workshops over the summer on Live Video Theatre Techniques at Perseverance Theatre Company.
Website: www.peterjkuo.com
Social Media: @peterjkuo
Valerie Curtis-Newton, Advisor
Valerie is currently the Head of Directing at the University of Washington’s School of Drama. Valerie also serves as the Artistic Director for The Hansberry Project, an African American theatre lab. She has worked with theatres across the country including: The Guthrie Theater, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Actors’ Theatre of Louisville, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Children’s Theatre, The Mark Taper Forum, New York Theatre Workshop, among others. She has been awarded the National Endowment for the Arts/Theatre Communications Group Career Development Grant for Directors, the Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation’s Gielgud Directing Fellowship, Theatre Puget Sound’s Gregory Fall Award for Sustained Achievement, Seattle Times’ 13 Most Influential Citizens of the last decade, the Seattle Stranger Genius Award in Performance and the Crosscut Courage Award for Culture.
Upcoming Class: July 8 and 11
Holding Space: Racism & Mental Health in the rehearsal room
You are invited to join us for this 2-hour discourse led by Dr. Delvena Thomas. The class will leave participants with valuable insights and strategies on how to recognize and manage injustices in rehearsal rooms and on set. This round is an Affinity Space for BI&POC only.
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