Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nicole Perry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Nicole, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
In the Intimacy field we talk a lot about closure. And I think this is such an important skill that I remind performers to practice, but that I also need to practice myself.
When I engage in closure, I am able to separate myself from my work. This lets me be a more focused choreographer in the room, as well as a more present me at home.
Closure for me usually involves music- I have a specific playlist I use. I also have a couple of colleagues I can call to talk things through with if it has been a particularly weird day! In both practices, I give myself TIME to process the day and to make the separation of “work me” and “life me.”
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a dance and intimacy choreographer- I use movement to tell stories!
I also teach on these things. I have taught dance and movement at several South Florida institutions and studios. I teach intimacy for the Intimacy Professionals Education Collective, a SAG-AFTRA accredited organization to train people in the intimacy field.
I also write on how these things intersect. This usually looks like how to integrate consent-forward and/or trauma-informed practices into dance and movement teaching. I just had a chapter in a book, “Applied Theatre and Gender Justice” published in December 2024. And I have my own book coming out, hopefully this time next year!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Being a life-long learner. I have 2 undergrad degrees, an MFA, and 4 advanced movement certifications. I love to learn and know that there is more to learn. I’m always taking a course, listening to a podcast, or reading a book. These things help me add to my skills, but also to see new connections. Don’t stop learning.
2. I have an ability to move on pretty quickly. Doesn’t mean I don’t remember the bad things that happened or the mistakes I made. But I also know the only way to create a new outcome is to keep moving. I don’t dwell on the past, I look for what’s next.
3. Kindness. I try to treat everyone with compassion, to speak with compassion, to assume best intentions. This makes a difference in how I show up.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
This is part of that closure again. Sometimes it isn’t time to close out, but I need a grounding practice. I always go to the body.
The body can only be here, now. Our brain can go 10 years in the past and think about some stupid thing we said, or jump 5 years into the future and worry about it. But our body can only be here now. So a practices like breathing, stretching, shaking, 5-4-3-2-1 (a sensory practice), or a short yoga or movement phrase can get me back to the here and now.
I also wear a spinner ring on each hand. So I can spin it and breathe, and get grounded.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicoleperry.org
- Instagram: @intimacychoreofl
Image Credits
Featured image: Nicole Perry coaches dancers (L to R) Abbie Fricke, Mélanie Martel, Kalin Basford, and Sarah Romeo in “Prove It” for Momentum Stage, funded by the Doris Duke Foundation. Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography.
Others;
Nicole Perry coaches actors (L to R) Clay Cartland and Matthew Buffalo in an intimate moment in Island City Stage’s production of “Which Way to the Stage”. Directed by Michael Leeds. Photo by Matthew Tippins.
Kalin Basford in “Home” for Momentum Stage, choreographed by Nicole Perry and funded by the Doris Duke Foundation. Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography.
Abbie Fricke and Nathaniel Heustis share an intimate moment, created by Nicole Perry, in “Lovesong” at Thinking Cap Theatre. Directed by Nicole Stodard, PhD. Photo by Tabatha Mudra.
Alex Alvarez and Kim Vilbrun Francois in a vulnerable moment created by Nicole Perry in “Summer Shorts: Flipping the Script” at City Theatre. Directed by Karina Batchelor-Gomez. Photo by Morgan Sophia Photography.
Headshot of Nicole Perry by Amy Mahon
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