Valeria’s approach to her work as an Intimacy Choreogrpaher is one of collaboration, creativity, and care. Her experience working backstage in a professional theatre setting for over two decades, allows her to truly appreciate the importance of cultivating a culture of trust and consent.
Valeria’s approachability, calm demeanour, and genuine curiosity in others, has been instrumental in building a good rapport with cast and crew members over the years, and she brings that energy into all of her projects.
With a background in kink, BDSM, and erotic power exchange, Valeria brings a consensual, safe, yet playful approach to the rehearsal process. Her goal is to aid in the choreography of intimate scenes with care for the identities of the characters involved, so that they are portrayed with accuracy and authenticity.
By offering alternatives on how to approach scenes of intimacy, Valeria gives the performers agency, while staying true to the director’s artistic vision. Her goal is to establish a process that is informed, inclusive, and collaborative, so that the performers, director and crew feel empowered to bring their best work forward and create freely with confidence.
If you are interested in collaborating with Valeria on your next project please contact here here or at vpintimacy@gmail.com.
What is an Intimacy Choreographer?
An Intimacy Choreographer (IC) is a trained industry professional who oversees consent and who facilitates safe intimacy choreography for the stage. They act as an advocate, and a liaison between actors and production for scenes that involve simulated sex acts, nudity, and other intimate or hyper-exposed scenes. They support the performers’ and crew’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being during the rehearsal process while collaborating with the director to aid in the realization of their creative vision.
Intimacy Choreographers are trained in the following areas:
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Consent, Boundaries and power dynamics
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Gender identity, LGBTQIA+, and sexual orientation
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Sexual harassment and Bystander intervention
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Identity, unconscious bias and microaggressions
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Regulations on nudity and simulated sex
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Anti-racism and intersectionality
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Equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI)
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Modesty garments and barriers
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Communication, mediation and conflict resolution
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Mental health first aid, trauma, and self-care
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Movement and masking techniques
Why hire an Intimacy Choreographer?
Including an IC to your team benefits the production by bringing in a trained professional who is best equipped to reduce risk and establish a safer environment in where the work can be done. When the performer’s consent and boundaries are prioritized, they will feel more at ease to explore an intimate moment bravely. This gives them agency and allows them to challenge themselves in their roles without feeling that their mental and physical safety is being compromised. An IC also supports and collaborates with the production team to fulfill the director’s vision and gives them the tools to ensure informed and continued consent for the entire run of the show.
Intimacy direction is integral and holistic. It’s not an addition to a process. A director modeling behaviour that says “Your thoughts, your feelings, your boundaries matter” is so important. Let what is Big within us guide us to a place of bringing an Intimacy Director on board on behalf of safety, storytelling, and advocacy; let what is Small within us guide us to collaboration and wisdom.” - Kimberly Senior
ABOUT
Valeria Pugliese (she/her) is a Guelph/Stratford based Intimacy Choreographer certified through the SAG-AFTRA accredited programme with the Intimacy Professionals Association (IPA); the leading international organization for intimacy professionals in film, television, theatre, and live events.
Valeria is a Latinx-Canadian bilingual theatre artist, born in Argentina and raised in Canada. She graduated with honours and received a BAH and MA in Theatre Studies from The University of Guelph with a focus on the theatrics of BDSM, under the direction of Canadian Playwright/Director and co-founder of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Sky Gilbert. This project became instrumental in Valeria’s journey into intimacy practice. In addition to this, she has completed IPA’s Intro to Kink and BDSM, and Sexplore’s Sexual Attitudes Reassement course. She continues to actively pursue her interest in consensual kink and BDSM through education and research.
Valeria is a member of The International Alliance of Theatre Stage Employees (IATSE), and has 3 decades of practical experience working in television, theatre, and live events, including direction, stage management, education, and technical production. Valeria spent many years working with youth in theatre as an educator and director, and in the mental health sector as a counselor. Advocacy has been at the foundation of Valeria’s work and continues to be something she is very passionate about.
Currently, Valeria holds the Avon Theatre’s Head of Properties position at the Stratford Festival of Canada and made history when she became the first woman to hold a head of department position at the Avon Theatre since it opened its doors in 1953.