Photo: Kylie Shields

Tessa Permar is a choreographer and intimacy coordinator based in Western Massachusetts. She grew up dancing under the mentorship of Paul Taylor dancer Sandra Stone before studying with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company. At Vassar College, Tessa first began coordinating intimate scenes in plays like Chantal Bilodeau’s Misterioso 911 and Attempts On Her Life by Martin Crimp.

 

A battle with Lyme Disease sparked Tessa’s interest in access and inclusion in creative spaces. She worked as a Job Coach, Art Teacher, Movement Teacher, and Communications Coordinator for several nonprofits that serve adults with disabilities. Tessa also spent two years working for dance residency program The Yard on Martha’s Vineyard where she supported companies like Urban Bush Women, Sean Dorsey Dance, and Music From The Sole. 

 

Tessa is currently finishing her SAG-AFTRA certification as an Intimacy Coordinator with LA-based company CINTIMA. She brings a breadth of movement experience including Capoeira, Tai Chi, Draznin, Yoga, Ballet, Jazz, and Puppetry, as well as a comfort level and passion for working with individuals with diverse bodies and access needs.

 

Most recently, Tessa worked on a series of short films with Emerson College Graduate Students. In June she co-produced and choreographed TICK, a horror satire about ticks on Martha’s Vineyard. Tessa’s choreography has been performed in New York, Austria, Israel, and on Martha’s Vineyard. She writes about sex, creativity, and illness on Substack: How To Be Sick.