Burcu Emeç is a queer Kurdish theatre creator, intimacy coordinator (film/TV), and intimacy director (live performance) based in Tkaronto (Toronto). She began her career as an actor and has since worked seamlessly across various mediums, including live art, theatre, film, and TV.
Burcu’s theatre and live art creation has found its place in diverse venues like theatres, galleries, and parks. She is intrigued by narrative beyond text, and uses the dramaturgy of space and the visual to create immersive live performances. Her practice frequently weaves together social commentary with images, and delves into the spaces between performativity and “non-acting”. Burcu has received support for her original works from festivals, theatre companies, and art councils across Canada, including the Festival TransAmériques (FTA), La SERRE-arts vivants, MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels), SummerWorks, Playwrights Workshop Montreal, and Public Recordings. She has been the recipient of several awards including the Mécènes investis pour les arts, OFFTA Hybridity Award, and five META nominations.
Burcu’s theatre and live art creation has found its place in diverse venues like theatres, galleries, and parks. She is intrigued by narrative beyond text, and uses the dramaturgy of space and the visual to create immersive live performances. Her practice frequently weaves together social commentary with images, and delves into the spaces between performativity and “non-acting”. Burcu has received support for her original works from festivals, theatre companies, and art councils across Canada, including the Festival TransAmériques (FTA), La SERRE-arts vivants, MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels), SummerWorks, Playwrights Workshop Montreal, and Public Recordings. She has been the recipient of several awards including the Mécènes investis pour les arts, OFFTA Hybridity Award, and five META nominations.
Throughout her journey, Burcu has been interested in how the way artists collaborate impacts their work. This interest led her to work for several years at Articule, one of Canada’s oldest artist-run centres, where she played a pivotal role in spearheading anti-harassment and anti-racist advocacy initiatives.
This advocacy thread continues in Burcu's current work as an intimacy coordinator. As an intimacy coordinator, she provides an artistic and safe framework to tell stories that involve nudity and/or intimacy. Certified by SAG-AFTRA accredited IDC/Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (U.S.) and Intimacy Coordinators Canada, Burcu has worked for CBS, Lionsgate (Starz), and Paramount+, amongst others. She received training from HBO’s In-House Intimacy Coordinator Alicia Rodis (The Deuce, Insecure, High Maintenance), the first to be hired by a major network, as well as with other top intimacy professionals like Claire Warden (Three Women, Gossip Girl) and Casey Hudecki (Infinity Pool, Sex/Life). Drawing from her rich experiences both on camera and onstage, Burcu brings over 15 years of diverse storytelling and a robust background in movement to support actors and directors alike. Her approach is rooted in a queer, anti-racist, and sex-positive lens, striving for an inclusive and supportive environment for everyone involved. She also has a complimentary certification as an active listener that serves as a valuable resource to productions in the filming or staging of vulnerable content.
See this page for more on what an intimacy coordinator does.
IMDB
Photo by Phanie Éthier
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