Creating a Culture of Consent in Youth Theatre
Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced / Acting, Dance, Musical Theatre, TechPresented by Holly Haverkorn
As actors, artists, and arts educators we are keenly aware of the pressures on young actors and dancers to say "yes". It is built into the foundations of the art; the "yes and" in improv, the "yes" to impossible movement, the "yes" to pushing past injury. Ours is a discipline that falls into gray areas of physical/psychological contact and therefore requires clear guidelines and systems to provide safe environments.
We believe the first step in preventing the victimization of youth in arts communities is by providing education to kids, mentors, and educators around consent and bodily autonomy throughout the performance and training process. Our workshops focus on the importance of clear communication in rehearsal and performance to create healthy boundaries in a touch centered discipline. Workshops utilize lecture and movement based activities to help students (and educators) understand how to create a culture of consent in a competitive enviornment of excellence.