I hate improv. Or, that's what I say.
I have never loved watching improv. I never said that I hated going to watch it, but it was never my go-to night out. It's fine, but I don't usually enjoy slapstick humor or silly, surface-level jokes. Maybe I had never seen good improv. Maybe it's funnier if you know the performers or you are watching in a specific contest. Both of those have been true for me, especially after I joined the drama team at egm.
I never expected to do improv. I never identified myself as funny; my brother played that role in the family. I have never liked ridiculous games or theatre warm ups. I always feel like I'm making a fool of myself or that I'm failing at the whole game.
WHY ON EARTH WOULD I DO THIS IN FRONT OF PEOPLE?
That being said, I am so grateful that I was pushed to do it. Here's why:
14 Gifts of Doing Improv Regularly:
1. I have to trust people.
---The game will fall flat if the performers don't trust each other. I have to trust that the others don't want the skit to fail either. They won't let me fail, or we'll all fail together.
2. We're all in this together.
---The skit does not rest on the abilities of one person. Everyone must contribute.
3. I might look like a fool, but so does everyone else.
---It's actually the person who doesn't allow herself to potentially look crazy that looks awkward and stands out.
4. We can practice over and over and it will never work out in the same way.
---Practicing improv is about learning techniques and new games. It's about practicing trust and having fun. An improv game will never play out the same way twice, but when we learn and practice techniques and tools, we learn that we will (almost) always be able to play out any game successfully.
5. Side-coaching
---When we learn new things, the teacher doesn't participate onstage, but at the side of it. She is there to critique and encourage and help us get unstuck and find a place to go. We are not told to try something and then left to drown.
6. Practice is not for spectators.
---Believe me; I've tried. I tried to go once because I loved the people, but I didn't want to participate because I was feeling particularly vulnerable. That didn't fly. Rehearsal is a safe place. One person cannot sit out while everyone else puts themselves out there, vulnerably trusting. It's a delicate balance. One person sitting out would throw everything off. If you're in, you're all-the-way-in. Even when it's hard. No excuses.
7. Be vulnerable.
---This has come up already, but it's worth pointing out directly. The skit is only as good as the performers' willingness to be vulnerable.
8. Live in the moment.
---You can't dwell on what happened that day or the crisis at work. You can't worry about what you need to do when you get home or the doctor's appointment on Tuesday. When you get onstage, you are onstage. You are focused on what is happening there. If you don't, you will lose the storyline and fall out of the game. This also means you say/do something and you let it go. There is no time to worry about what you said when you need to pay attention to what is going on right now and what you need to do in 2 seconds.
9. No judgments
---No judging what someone else does. No judging yourself. No judging the story line or where the skit goes. No judging the audience.
10. Try new things. Be creative.
---Change things up. Be daring. No one wants you to fail so they'll pick up the pieces if things fall apart.
11. Say yes.
---Someone says your a goat with an eating disorder and you go with it. You don't negate the statement. That makes the other person look bad, halts the story, and potentially disengages or confuses the audience. It also throws off the other actors. It is so much better to embrace the crazy and let the story go wherever it goes.
12. No matter where the story starts or where it goes, you can trust that you and the others can get to the end.
---It may look different than you expect or hope, but you, together, know how to get from start to finish. You, together, know how to get unstuck. You have the tools, techniques, and trust to get out of anything.
13. If you don't get a laugh, keep going.
---It will come. Or maybe not. Either way, remember: no judgments.
14. Yoga.
---It's good for the mind, body, and soul. Also, there is nothing like a common hatred for something to bring people together.
(P.S. Yoga may be another thing I don't hate.)
Practice does not make perfect, but it does make something. Regular practice of improv has taught me and shaped me to live in these 14 ways in every area of life. These 14 gifts have changed my life.
I am better able to handle high-stress situations and things that seem impossible. I act under pressure. I don't freeze. I cherish each moment. I push myself. I don't back down. I practice and practice and practice.
When I get onstage, I have more adrenaline than I know what to do with. I get intimidated. I get terrified. And then I do what I've learned to do. And we laugh. And I love it.
