Intimacy Professionals Raja Benz & Greg Geffrard, open a window to the role of intimacy directors, choreographers and educators on stage and screen. We discuss navigating the complexities of power dynamics, and their commitment to creating safe, empowering spaces where all voices are respected and where the stories of underrepresented communities are told with integrity and care on stage and screen.

Read more about Raja & Greg here.

Takeaways

• Intimacy professionals advocate for ethical representation in performance.
• Creating a consent-based environment is crucial for safety.
• Cultural competency is essential in intimacy work.
• The role of intimacy professionals is evolving in the industry.
• Comfort and discomfort are inherent in storytelling.
• Intimacy work requires understanding power dynamics.
• Education in intimacy practices is vital for future generations.
• Resistance to intimacy professionals often stems from misunderstanding their role.
• The intimacy field must address barriers to entry for diverse voices.
• Advocacy for vulnerable individuals in performance spaces is essential.
• Regional theaters are crucial for developing new works and voices.
• Casting in regional theater involves a different set of challenges compared to film and TV.
• The pandemic has significantly impacted the economics of regional theater.
• Advocating for representation in casting is an ongoing effort.
• Success in the arts is not a binary of pass or fail.
• Actors can thrive outside of major cities like New York and LA.
• Building relationships in the industry is key to long-term success.
• Personal values should align with professional goals in the arts.
• The journey of an actor requires persistence and adaptability.
• Community support is vital for artists to flourish.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction to Intimacy Professionals

02:36 - Understanding the Role of Intimacy Professionals

06:50 - Creating Safe Spaces in Performance

10:40 - Navigating Comfort and Discomfort in Storytelling

15:41 Cultural Competency in Intimacy Work

19:57 - The Intersection of Identity and Intimacy

26:33 - Progress and Challenges in the Field

32:42 - The Future of Intimacy Work

36:22 - Addressing Resistance and Legitimacy

40:34 - The Role of Power Dynamics

48:37 - Who Advocates for Intimacy Professionals?

54:21 - Conclusion and Future Directions

Connect with Raja on Instagram

Connect with Greg on Instagram

Check out The Den Theatre in Chicago on their website

Check out Actor’s Express Theatre in Atlanta on their website

Check out Nothing Without A Theatre in Chicago on their website

Connect with Caroline on Instagram

Connect with Grant on Instagram

Connect with In The Podlight on the Website

The Team:

Caroline Liem – Producer & Host

Grant Kretchick – Producer & Host

Cris Graves  - Producer & Editor

David Margolin Lawson  - Composer

Emily Yaneth Perez – Administration

In the Podlight is produced in collaboration with Pace University – Sands

• The thoughts, opinions, and views expressed by the guests, hosts, and producers of this podcasts do not necessarily reflect those of Pace University.