Consent cannot exist if someone is under manipulation, influence, or coercion. Therefore, consent cannot exist when power dynamics are at play. Because power dynamics, whether social-structural or embodied, influence how we chose, behave, and speak.
Which is why consent does not exist for performers or students.
I developed the framing of “Working Consent” to help talk about what we do in the performing arts and arts training programs. Working Consent is the ongoing process of acknowledging the power dynamics in performance and learning spaces, opening dialogue between all parties involved to the goal of evaluating and mitigating those dynamics, and centering the focus on the overarching work we have agreed to accomplish, as equal artists in the space.
I wrote my whole thesis (if you want to read it all, let me know!) on how this idea plays out in performance creation and pedagogy. I try to implement it constantly as part of process as a choreographer, intimacy choreographer, and teacher. I teach workshops regularly with Momentum Stage and the Dance Education Equity Association on how companies, conventions, institutions, and individuals can practice Working Consent. But, an absolute requirement of this practice is naming and acknowledging power dynamics and being in relationship and conversation (“Hey, this OK, right?” or “You’re fine with this, yeah?” is not a conversation.) around mitigating them as much as possible. This requires time, trust, and transparency.
IDC, where I teach Foundations of Intimacy Levels 1 and 2, in which power dynamics and consent are components, calls it “considered” consent. In order to fully consider both the situation, and the consequences of my consent, or lack thereof, I must know and understand the power dynamics at play. I must be able to recognize how they are influencing my choice to behave or speak in a certain way. This kind of consideration, too, requires time, trust, and transparency.
In my mind, only the person in the relationship with the least amount of social-structural power will know if they have given truly considered consent to working in the moment. The person with the most power can only create transparency, conversation, and mitigation possibilities with the hope and intent of working toward consent.
So the next time you hear “Oh, they are totally OK with…”, evaluate all the power dynamics you can see in that situation, both within the social-structure of the situation, and the embodied participants of it. Because if they exist (and they do exist), then it’s not consent.