Welcome to “Demystifying in Process…”.
This series focuses on some key roles in theatre that are sometimes overlooked as a 'luxury', that we believe should be an essential member to every creative team, no matter how small a project.
The first step in demystifying these roles is to better understand them, as well as their application within a project at various stages. The ultimate aim is to create a dialogue that will allow us to collaborate more confidently with Movement Directors, Intimacy Coordinators and Dramaturgs!
In this feature, we’ll be speaking to Movement Directors Marlie Haco, Noemi Vox and Rebecca Goh.
Marlie Haco
I’m a theatre director, movement director & dramaturg specialising in text-based, character-driven stories that engage with the complexities of our psychologies and relationships. Having danced for most of my life, I love to incorporate movement into my work, exploring how aspects of a narrative that may resist verbal expression can be told through physical means.
Skills: directing, dramaturgy, writing, movement, choreography, dance, script editing, reviewing, facilitating workshops, life coaching
Location: London
Noemi Vox
Noemi Vox is an actress, voice actress, teacher and creative consultant. She acts, as well as writes, devises and choreographs performances always paying attention to themes of mindfulness, kindness and empowerment whether through movement, voice work, solo, ensemble work, physical theatre, film or dance. Noemi studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and the Aberystwyth University and continues to develop her craft through regular training and acting. She works through the medium of English, Spanish, Polish and specialises in voice and movement, character and accent work.
Skills: Physical theatre, character costume work, stilt walking and as I danced for years and absolutely love drawing on it I’d say Boogie Woogie, rock n roll, Salsa. I draw on hip hop, modern, jazz and folklore too. I love languages and cultures. I’ve been working with Polish and Armenian folk dances too. One of my interests includes Japanese movement styles & the grace of animal movements.
Location: I’m always happy to advise on movement, story, voice, dialect and choreography. I’m based in Wales but work nationally, internationally, even remotely
Rebecca Goh
I am an interdisciplinary theatre director, movement director, dramaturg, writer, collaborator, and researcher. I am the artistic director of from (a)basement theatre collective, and I graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London with a First Class degree in Drama and Philosophy. My practice is based on the processes of extraction, excavation, and empowerment — with a particular focus on site-responsive movement semiotics, public-private spatiality, and documentary / multimedia performance. I am currently exploring the intersections of physiology and critical museology in existing creative forms, such as visual poetry and physical theatre. I have previously directed and trained with creatives and organisations internationally; some of those interactions include multicultural commissions from the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, Singapore, and the UK. My passion lies in creating collaborative spaces for social change and intersectional advocacy. My work has been described as experimental theatre at its best, with cleverly created subtleties and brave staging choices.
Skills: Dramaturgy, movement direction (intercultural/holistic), copywriting, producing, workshop facilitation, actor training, digital production (live streaming & multimedia), arts research, arts writer & critique
Location: Experienced at working and collaborating remotely; I’m between countries at the moment. Based in London usually, but am happy to travel
“I believe authenticity is very helpful. Getting details right and weaving the cultural and behavioural patterns from different eras and areas can enhance the performance and the overall feel, as well as authenticity of the production.”
What does a Movement Director do?
(Rebecca) A Movement Director creates the physical score of a production — taking into account characterisation techniques, dramaturgy, text, set design, the performers’ abilities & body, and the overarching aesthetic and themes of the play. The process varies from one Movement Director to another, of course, but what I believe differentiates their role from a choreographer’s would be their focal points; a Movement Director is ultimately someone who uses physicality and somatic theories to drive the actor’s experience of portraying a character. Movement directing occurs in tandem with the main rehearsal workflow, and it is usually a close collaboration between all creatives in the room. A Movement Director’s work could spotlight certain elements of the script that are often missed by the audience (rhythm, intimacy, breath, recurrent motifs), and it could definitely enhance the metaphorical layers of a performance in an extremely dynamic way.
(Marlie) A Movement Director focuses on the physical aspect of a production - helping actors to find the physicality of their characters, locating the world of the play in a particular period or culture by creating a gestural language, choreographing dances, devising transitions between scenes and even composing fight sequences.
(Noemi) I like to consider myself a creative consultant. Movement Directors in general often help with the planning of moves within the story. They look at all aspects of the play/show/film/scene, the director’s vision as well as the actors’ approach to what they want to create. They, as much as everyone else involved in the production, should do their homework and plan out as much as they can. They put a lot of effort into the preparation and the visual aspects of each scene or moment. They consider the character and situation, as well as the overall meaning of particular gestures. I believe authenticity is very helpful. Getting details right and weaving the cultural and behavioural patterns from different eras and areas can enhance the performance and the overall feel, as well as authenticity of the production. Movement can be light, delicate, gentle. A decision can be made to not engage in movement to highlight the rigid culture or particular character in a production, hence, Movement Directors can shape all aspects of movement and lack of it. They can focus on different methods, create choreography and blocking, or draw on dance, Laban, Lecoq, Grotowski, the overall physical theatre approach, the Alexander technique and others. A Movement Consultant or Director can be as little involved or as much as the production requires.
“Communicating with movement and gestures was essential due to the terrible stammer I had when I was growing up — and that’s helped me to find my voice.”
Why did you choose to be a Movement Director? How did you get into it? And what does the role mean to you?
(Rebecca) I’ve always found physical self-expression to be the default for me. Communicating with movement and gestures was essential due to the terrible stammer I had when I was growing up — and that’s helped me to find my voice. Physicality and working with the body is fundamental to my practice, and it has influenced the work I create and my collaborations with fellow creatives.
(Marlie) I started with directing, but given that I have a background in dance, I became interested in incorporating movement into my own work and in collaborating with others to bring out the physical side of the production. I enjoy choreographing dance sequences, but have also been brought on board a project to work with the physicality of the actors, to compose more stylised transitions between scenes, or to use the body as another tool through which to access classical text.
(Noemi) I’m an actress and voice actress. I’ve also taught various subjects and danced semipro. I travelled within my dance adventure and I choreographed different performances. I’m extremely interested in movement, story, sound, voice, people and cultures, as well as how those different cultures create and respond to voice, movement, dance and gesture. I’ve written my dissertation on artistic practices leading to a regime falling, as well as researched and trained in all kinds of movement. I walk on stilts, dance, ride horses, train martial arts, fence, all on different levels of ability. I noticed I was asked for advice a lot. Whether it was about voice, languages, story or movement - the pattern would be the same: someone who cares about their show or performance, needs support but doesn’t really know where to start or how to improve, so needs support.
“Understanding how the body works is important, as well as how it stores and releases trauma (even minimal), and how our habits, experiences and cultures affect our bodies through our sense of expression and patterns, such as repetitive movement.”
What skills does a Movement Director need?
(Rebecca) A passion for making theatre and art through close analysis of the human body and its role in performance. Patience in moulding and getting the best out of the process, the ability to adapt quickly to changes, feedback and complications. A willingness to learn from the people you work with, a flexible problem-solving mindset, a strong visual and spatial awareness of what you’d like to create with fellow collaborators and performers, and organisational and time-keeping skills (really important!).
(Noemi) A Movement Director should be very open and great at observation. They should be able to pick up on nuances, as well as have an interest, a passion and understanding of research. Understanding how the body works is important, as well as how it stores and releases trauma (even minimal), and how our habits, experiences and cultures affect our bodies through our sense of expression and patterns, such as repetitive movement. What can help a person working as a Movement Director is empathy, as well as the understanding that all people work, function and study differently. Being able to support and encourage others is very important in this line of work.
Do Movement Directors vary in their skill-sets and interests?
(Rebecca) Of course! There’s a clear sense of variety even within the community still - some of us might be formally trained in certain dance genres (ballet, Bharatanatyam, hip-hop), many might not have any specialisations at all, and some of us might have experience in physical theatre itself (which demands a different set of skills from dance training). Some MDs might be more interested in fight or intimacy coordination, and some of us might utilise movement for performance research contexts, whereas some might have a focus on working with ‘classical’ texts such as those from Euripedes or Shakespeare. We really run the gamut in all forms, so it’s about finding the Movement Director who’d best suit or challenge the work you’re looking to create.
(Noemi) Movement Directors vary. Their skills and personalities differ too. You might find a director focused on certain areas of movement or topics, such as a particular dance like Polonez. You might find a person who has a passion for many things. I’m a fixer, if you are stuck, need a nudge or would like to figure out whether a play from a particular year differs in movement to a play from a later decade, then of course we can chat. We can talk about unusual moves and phantasy or fight scenes. We are all quite happy to help and won’t mind you ‘shopping around’ - both sides have to be comfortable.
(Marlie) Rebecca and Noemi have pretty much answered this. Movement Directors come from all different backgrounds, so it’s useful to identify what they’ve trained in and where their skills lie.
“Physicality is something that can be universally understood - honing that aspect of performance will enable an outreach to a broader audience that’s beyond linguistic and cultural paradigm.”
What does a first-meeting with a Movement Director look like? What do I need to prepare or ask?
(Marlie) A first meeting is usually to establish how much movement there is in a production and that will inform how much time the Director will want the Movement Director in the room - for example, are there dances and fight sequences to be choreographed or will the MD mainly be supporting the actors to find a distinctive physicality for their characters. It’s usually easier to involve a Movement Director as early as possible, and as much as you can in your process. Then, when they come in specially to choreograph or set something, they already have a much better sense of the Director’s vision for the show and a more intimate understanding of the material.
(Noemi) The first meeting should be a relaxed chat. If someone doesn’t have a clear vision on how they would like movement incorporated into their production, they can simply tell the MD about the overall effect they would like to accomplish, as well as about the performance, the context, the characters - the movement director can then help guide the next steps. One of the ways a Movement Director could help is by asking questions, which can help shape the approach to creating the performance.
How can a Movement Director support a work-in-progress or R&D (Research and Development)?
(Rebecca) A Movement Director will be able to extract additional layers of metaphors and meaning-making, and contribute to the rehearsal and workshopping process through that emulsification of the project’s theatrical language. Physicality is something that can be universally understood - honing that aspect of performance will enable an outreach to a broader audience that’s beyond linguistic and cultural paradigm. Including a Movement Director in your R&D would allow for the holistic development of a project.
(Noemi) This is a perfect moment to work with a Movement Consultant or Director. They can help uncover hidden meanings, bring fresh ideas or advise on devised aspects.
“Nuance is very important and movement doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful.”
How can a Movement Director support a project which doesn’t involve dance, physical theatre or have an obvious movement element?
(Rebecca) There is always something to explore within text, visual art, or ‘classical’ forms of expression that might not concur with what one might perceive when they hear of physical or dance theatre. Ideas of rhythm, breath, posture, and gestures are still relevant to text-based performance and characterisation processes - and are very much worth incorporating!
(Marlie) I believe every production could have a Movement Director as there is a physical aspect to all stories we tell on stage. A Movement Director can help to maximise the possibilities for communicating narrative, emotion, subtext etc. through the body in space. Finding a physical language for the play can also be another way into the text and can uncover meaning in places that might otherwise feel inaccessible.
(Noemi) Both movement and the choice not to engage with it are crucial. Nuance is very important and movement doesn’t have to be big to be meaningful.
What should I not ask a Movement Director to help with?
(Rebecca) Once again, this depends on your Movement Director - someone like me would be very comfortable devising and analysing text, as well as working with movement. However, that isn’t the case for all MDs. Setting out clear project roles and expectations from the very start of the rehearsal or workshopping process would help to minimise any instances of misunderstanding and perceived exploitation (for lack of a better word) that might surface at some point down the line. Some production teams do fall short of communicating constructively and effectively with their Movement Directors, so I’d highly recommend regular check-ins and ensuring a safe space for all creatives involved to voice their opinions.
(Noemi) Make sure to ask the MD and be as upfront as you can about how you would like them to help you. Some might mind helping with something in particular and most will probably be happy to be involved in many capacities and at any stage.
Where can I find a Movement Director?
(Rebecca) You can find them in wonderful directories such as the one collated by Mrs C’s Collective! There are many more of us on Facebook and Twitter, and I have found some of the best collaborators and creatives via open calls on social media.
(Marlie) Social media, but also the Movespace and the Movement Directors Association
(Noemi) Collectives, associations, social media and websites. Word of mouth is great, just ask.
How much does a Movement Director cost?
(Rebecca) It really depends on the length of the project, its scale and the scope of the Movement Director’s role (as it would absolutely differ across productions and R&Ds). Ideally, everyone should be paid the minimum fee/rates as set by Equity here: https://uktheatre.org/theatre-industry/rates-of-pay/. Of course, negotiation is always key, and a good Movement Director would be able to offer advice about how they’d be able to contribute to a project based on the available budget.
(Noemi) The cost differs. Some freelancers (including Consultants and Directors) charge per project, which means aspects such as length, intensity, the amount of research required or commuting times will affect the rate. Others charge per hour which also changes based on aspects such as research and travel. Movement Directors should be paid fairly. There are various rates out there and it might be worth asking the MD for a quote once you have provided them with details of the project.
How can I become a Movement Director?
(Rebecca) Take the first step! Do some research into a field that you might be interested in - and how you might get involved in creating work that speaks to you in that way. There isn’t a right or surefire way to become a Movement Director; all you need is a passion and interest in the human body and it’s potential. Movement directing can happen anywhere and at any time, and sometimes it really is all about trusting yourself and the process.
(Noemi) You are already reading about it with interest. Step one done. Now research more and ask questions, volunteer, create movement patterns, blocking or choreography, help, learn, get involved and create something. But above all, enjoy it!