Alicia Rodis
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{short description|American intimacy coordinator}}
Alicia Rodis is an American intimacy coordinator, director and actress.
Career
Rodis grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and acted in regional and classical theatre.{{cite web|url=https://www.shakespeareexchange.org/content/meet-team-alicia-rodis-intimacyfight-director|title=Meet The Team – Alicia Rodis – Intimacy and Fight Director|work=New York Shakespeare Exchange|date=September 8, 2018|accessdate=October 19, 2018}}{{Dead link|date=June 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Growing up, Alicia was often cast in more adult roles. She was aged 15 when she had an on-stage kiss, and faked an orgasm aged 18. She had mixed experiences of adult scenes, with some causing mental distress later.
She moved to New York City in 2008, and became involved with the New York Shakespeare Exchange, becoming the fight director for several productions, and directing a Shakespeare-themed pub crawl in the city. She has also worked with the Yale School of Drama and the Juilliard School.{{cite web|url=https://www.safd.org/MemberProfile/Details/32624|title=Alicia Rodis|publisher=Society of American Fight Directors|accessdate=October 19, 2018}} She worked as intimacy coordinator on Season 2 of HBO's The Deuce and was the first such hire by a mainstream television network; demand for intimacy coordinators, who are tasked to ensure the well-being of actors performing in sex scenes or other intimate sequences, rose following the emergence of the Me Too movement in 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/24/business/intimacy-director-hbo-the-deuce.html|title=How Do You Play a Porn Star in the #MeToo Era? With Help from an 'Intimacy Director'|work=New York Times|date=August 24, 2018|accessdate=October 19, 2018}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/the-deuces-emily-meade-is-helping-actors-feel-comfortable-on-set/|title='The Deuce' Star Emily Meade Is Helping Actors Feel More Comfortable On Set|magazine=US Magazine|date=September 24, 2018|accessdate=October 19, 2018}}{{Cite news|last=Perasso|first=Valeria|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-51745702|title=The women helping Hollywood shoot safer sex scenes|date=March 7, 2020|work=BBC News|access-date=March 9, 2020|language=en-GB}} She was recommended for the role based on her reputation, and her help was described as "a successful, positive, experience".{{cite news|url=https://www.eonline.com/news/970626/the-deuce-s-emily-meade-shares-the-value-of-intimacy-coordinators-on-set|title=The Deuce's Emily Meade Shares the Value of Intimacy Coordinators|work=E! Online|date=September 21, 2018|accessdate=October 19, 2018}}
Intimacy Directors International
Rodis is a founding member of Intimacy Directors International, an organization working towards developing standards of safety and performance for intimacy in film and on stage. Along with her co-founders, Tonia Sina and Siobhan Richardson, she has witnessed inappropriate behavior on set or mishandling during scenes involving close intimacy.{{cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/intimacy-directors-choreograph-sex-scenes_us_5b0d87dae4b0fdb2aa574564|title=Meet The 'Intimacy Directors' Who Choreograph Sex Scenes|first=Amanda|last=Duberman|date=May 30, 2018|publisher=Huffington Post}}{{cite web|url=http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2018/04/13/theaters-intimacy-directors|title=Theaters Turn To 'Intimacy Directors' To Guide And Protect Actors On Set|website=www.wbur.org|date=April 13, 2018 }} Her role is to watch the scenes closely, making notes, and making sure actors are comfortable with the work required, and that nobody is physically or mentally harmed.{{cite web|url=https://wfpl.org/local-theaters-intimacy-directors-help-foster-safer-workspaces/|title=For Local Theaters, 'Intimacy Directors' Could Help Foster Safer Workplaces|work=89.3 WFPL|date=February 23, 2018|accessdate=October 19, 2018}} Rodis has said that there is an increased demand for this type of work.{{cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/theatre-intimacy-actor-training-1.4479406|title=Theatre world calling in intimacy coaches to guide actors through sex ...|work=CBC|date=January 9, 2018|accessdate=October 19, 2018}} In early 2020, the US actors' union SAG-AFTRA publicized a policy mandating the inclusion of intimacy coordinators.
In 2018, the group performed an exhibition, #MeToo Shakespeare, explaining the importance of Intimacy Choreography.{{cite journal|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwfood-wine/article/SHAKESBEER-by-New-York-Shakespeare-Exchange-this-Fall-on-Saturdays-915-922-and-929-at-300-pm-20180909|title=SHAKESBEER by New York Shakespeare Exchange this Fall on Saturdays|journal=Broadway World|date=September 9, 2018|accessdate=October 19, 2018}}
References
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External links
- [https://www.instagram.com/alicia_rodis/ Instagram page of Rodis]
- [https://www.facebook.com/aliciarodisintimacy/ Facebook page of Rodis]
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Actresses from Cleveland
Category:American theatre directors
Category:American women theatre directors