My job is a hot topic. There’s no doubt about it. And a lot of conversations I have, with strangers on TikTok, in meetings with producers, and with students at the university start with “How do you become an Intimacy Coordinator?” or “What are the qualifications to be an Intimacy Coordinator?”
So here are my thoughts on this.
Movement work. You need to be a movement specialist, and not in the “oh, I teach yoga” way. You need to know how and why certain movements of the body can tell a story. AND, you have to be able to communicate that clearly to performers.
Consent and Power Dynamics. You need to know how these two intersect and how the Power Dynamics that exist in the entertainment industry, performance traditions, and/or academic structures influence consent.
Context and Research Skills. Do you know how to learn what you don’t know, but need for story-telling purposes?
Communication Skills. As mentioned above, we have to be able to choreograph, and then teach that choreography. We also have to be able to communicate with folks across power dynamics.
What about certification? Are Intimacy Coordinators certified? Do Intimacy Coordinators need to be certified?
Again, these are only my thoughts.
Certification is one way to show the training an Intimacy Choreographer has received. It is not the only way to become an Intimacy Professional. However, you do want someone who has training in: movement, power dynamics, consent, trauma, and in your specific medium. With certification, you know that someone has that training, and certain amount of experience.
However, my best advice is: Check resumes and references. Make sure this Intimacy Coordinator is working regularly, and that people across all power dynamics have had positive experiences with them.