Intimacy for the Stage
As a workshop teacher, I offer multiple versions of intimacy exercises. Intimacy for the Stage is the name of my method I created and pioneered through my direct experience as a fight director, movement choreographer, and performer.
Through my exercise, Instant Chemistry, I guide students through a progression of non-contact choreography that utilizes eye contact and empathy to find authentic connections for characters. This method offers a skill-based approach for actors to utilize when wanting to access real emotions in their partner work.
Instant Chemistry is used by hundreds of intimacy directors and coordinators as a tried and true method to navigating what can be an overwhelming and sometimes awkward experience.
I teach both actors and directors that want to gain tools for safe exploration into harnessing genuine emotions for the sake of finding character connections.
“Learning under you, your passion, the time you took to understand what was needed for this important work, and the gentleness with which you guided us has literally changed my life. The consent exercises, the way you modeled existing (using your chair as needed, setting boundaries, calm curious language, etc) and teaching/how to teach these concepts… I think of that workshop every day.”
- Kenzy Rose
Student Feedback
“Tonia literally changed my life. Her work in Intimacy Direction back when most people dismissed this work as unnecessary introduced me to an artform that I have studied deeply and continue to work in to this day. Tonia has been a teacher, a mentor, and a friend throughout my intimacy career, and whether I have been her student, her assistant, or working as her intimacy director while she directed, I have been honored and grateful for every opportunity to work closely with her. Tonia set the stage to change the world for the better by introducing intimacy direction as a unique and separate skillset to the theatre world, and I could not be more grateful for the work I've been able to do with and because of her. Her impact has carried through me to the actors I've had the privilege to work with, and every time I am able to introduce a new actor to their first intimacy direction experience, I thank Tonia for setting me on this path.”
— Jonathan Ezra Rubin, Fight & Intimacy Director
“Compassionate, empathetic, and amazing human. I’ve only heard her speak on her work, but one day I hope to have the opportunity to take a class with Tonia. Plus Daphne is a great assistant and takes the works seriously.”
— Amelia Morse, The Morse Actors Studio
“I participated in your 3 day intensive in Intimacy Direction in Saint Petersburg, Florida in 2018. At that point I had been staging operas all over the world for over 40 years; (the last 10 years of that time working as director of the University of Michigan opera program - staging budding opera talents.) Over the scope of my work there were plenty of scenes where intimacy was called for in the staging, and I had thought that as a woke dude I generally had done pretty well in being sensitive to personal space, agency, and the mechanics of working out the touch and the kiss... But your influence showed me that I still had much to learn in this area, that perhaps at times I had been taking mutual acceptance and understanding of intimacy in a scene a bit too much for granted. Now, as I have developed many more productions since taking your course, I always use your 5 Pillars, and initiate discussion with the production team and artists to get everyone on the same page with the work. I know this has made me more sensitive and aware as a director, and I greatly appreciate the wonderful care and direction I got out of that 3 day intensive. Thanks so much for the difference you are making!”
— Robert Swedberg
“It was an eye-opening experience. Tonia helped me realize my potential as an actor even when I didn’t see it for myself. The way we move as a character is just as important as the way we speak. I would do anything to take another class from her!”
- Jenn Lynn