Say (Agreement)
Make Mistakes
Mistakes are great for improv. They create surprises and opportunities. Embrace and play with your mistakes!
Yes And
Whenever your scene partner presents something to you within a scene, you should agree with it and then add your own piece to it. You can dislike what they say, but you should agree that it is the truth of the scene.
Yes-and means ‘I’ve heard you and I will honor what you said by adding to it.’
Avoid saying “No” in scenes or negating information. “Yes, but…” is also problematic since it often deflects or negates. If you catch yourself starting to say ‘but’ quickly change it to ‘because’ – it’s a great word for improv because it justifies things!
Listening and Honoring
A lot of times people start an improv class putting a lot of pressure on themselves to say something funny, but actually improv is about listening to what the other person has said, agreeing with it, and then honoring it by then adding on to it in an honest way.
Using this Listen > Agree > Honor > Add process, fun and funny things will emerge all on their own, often effortlessly!
Use Sentences Instead of Questions
Sentences work much better for improv scenes than questions do. The main reason is because when you ask a question, more often than not, you are putting the weight of information on your scene mate, whereas a sentence gifts information to them. Gifting information is always better.
We are all wired up to ask questions. It will slip out sometimes and that’s okay. If you catch yourself asking a question, don’t correct it, but rather quickly answer your own question.
“What are we having for dinner? I’m hungry for meatloaf.”
Some questions are better than others. Questions that provide some specific information are usually fine.“How was your blind date last night?” is good because it brings some information. The other character had a date last night.
If someone else asks you a question in a scene, you can answer it however you want and that becomes absolutely true, because anything you say becomes true in a scene and they have to agree with it. If they ask a Yes/No type question, most of the time it will be more fun to say Yes to it, even if it’s not something that YOU would normally say yes to. But your character can!
I Don't Know What to Say
If you try to start a scene but have a brain fart and can’t think of what to say, “I don’t know what to say.” is a sentence and we totally allow it. It will start a solid scene. Consider it your ‘Get out of jail free’ card that you can use anytime you get stuck!
Got Your Back
Your number one job on an improv stage is to make your scene partner look great. Their job is to make YOU look great. Everyone lifts everyone else up. We signify this with a ritual called ‘Got Your Back’ before shows where we gently tap our teammates on the back and say ‘Got your back…’ I’m going to make you look great, you’re going to make me look great!
Class Safety
Our classes should always be safe, inclusive and fun for everyone!
We are adults – we don’t censor. Everyone has different tolerances and opinions on what we find funny and what we find offensive – what bothers one person may not be a huge deal to another person.
However, we always want to be kind to everyone, even if their sensibilities are different than our own.
The teachers will be your guardrails, but if we miss something, you have the right to speak up at any time and for any reason, big or small.
OUR SAFETY PHRASES
Banana-banana-banana
A lighthearted way to signal that we are probably entering into dangerous territory. Let’s redirect the topic of the scene and make some different choices.
New choice
You can request a new choice in a scene if something is offensive or inappropriate to you and makes you uncomfortable.
Time out
Make a T motion and/or say “Time Out” and step out of what we are doing. We’ll reset with something brand new.
I’m uncomfortable
The most direct statement. Simply state that what is happening is not making you feel good.
CLASS CONTENT
We will keep things at a light R rating or less for classes. There’s no need to get graphic with explicit sexual descriptions or gross out humor. Innuendo is far funnier than being crass or gross.
Farts, poop and pee, as well as other bodily functions can be funny in small doses, but try to avoid doing several scenes in a row about it.
Shock humor often isn’t funny. The best comedy comes out of the relationships within scenes.
Adult language is fine. If you cuss, have at it. If you don’t, you do not have to at all. Fuck or Fudge, it’s up to you and we’ll respect it either way. If we know that someone doesn’t use explicit language, please be kind and don’t set them up to do so.
We may adjust these standards depending upon our host location’s guidelines for classes and shows.
No mean spirted content
Slurs of any kind are not allowed – we will ask for a New Choice if they are used. Repeated instances will result in being removed from our classes.
No negative stereotypes, inappropriate accents, cultural appropriation, speech impediments, or commenting on a fellow improviser’s in real life personal appearance.
RESPECT PERSONAL SPACE
We are a class and there will be no need for extensive physical contact. Handshakes, fist bumps, high fives, and Got Your Backs are totally acceptable, but otherwise refrain from physical touch and always respect others’ physical boundaries.
We are a class and there will be no need for extensive physical contact. Handshakes, fist bumps, high fives, and Got Your Backs are totally acceptable, but otherwise refrain from physical touch and always respect others’ physical boundaries.
Six inch rule: For things like TSA ‘pat downs’, etc., you can do ‘air’ touch – always six inches away. It translates on stage.
When you are on your own troupe, your group can agree to and set their own boundaries for touch, but for classes we will keep things minimal.
You can also opt out of all touch if you would care to do so – let us know and we will help facilitate that.
TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF
Improv can be awesome for dealing with anxiety, but it also has the potential to trigger it as you are learning improv.
If you get an anxiety attack, get stuck with a brain fart, or are just overwhelmed in the moment, please feel free to take a time out, take a walk, sit and watch, or do whatever you personally need to do to settle your mind again, and then please feel free to join back in when you feel you are ready again. We completely understand!
Please do not beat yourself up over anything in class as you are learning. You WILL make mistakes. It’s okay! It’s part of the learning process.
Be patient with yourself and don’t judge yourself against others. Everyone has their own unique skills as well as their own timeline in which they will pick these skills up and get comfortable with them. You might be better at game and Becky might be better at character. A solid troupe will have a mix of abilities.
Think of learning improv as being a lot like learning to drive a car. The first six months to a year, you’re paying attention to every single detail – checking your mirror, putting your hands at 10 and 2, etc. At some point it becomes automatic as you grow more confident. The learning process for improv is similar. Give yourself time and patience to let it become automatic.
SIDE COACHING
We side coach, which means we will interrupt scenes to point out opportunities that you might not be seeing yet.
This will never be a criticism of you, your performance or your humor, it’s just us as teachers with more experience helping to direct you in the moment, and it is directed for the entire class’ benefit.
This will help you to know how to deal with it when a similar opportunity comes around later on.
If we ever have an actual critical note for you, we will handle that with you directly and privately, and not in front of the class.
Video: The Origins of Improv
The origins of Improv were spawned from a daughter of Russian immigrants who taught theater games to teach English to new immigrants who arrived in Chicago. Her son would later found Second City. Del Close, a performer at Second City, would figure out how to make improv work for more than just writing sketches or doing simple short-form games and developed long-form improv. Del Close would go on to teach and coach Bill Murray, John Belushi, Jon Favreau, Amy Poehler, Adam McKay, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, Chris Farley and many many more.
The full hour-long documentary about Viola Spolin is embedded below from Youtube:
Improv Games
Here are descriptions of some of the improv games that were played this week if you want to share them with friends and family!
Zip Zap Zop
Simple pattern game. Form a circle. First person says Zip and points to another person (or hand swipes towards them), next person says Zap, third person says Zop and repeat the pattern.
Clap Pass
Circle up. Two people clap at the exact same time. Then they pass it to the next person and clap at the exact same time. Go around the circle at least once and then give them instructions that they can now send the energy in the other direction by staying with that same person and clapping again. You’ll likely need to remind them to try and be in sync when clapping.
Name Thumper
A great game to learn names! Each person will say their name, make a movement to go with their name, and then give a word to go along with their name – the word can start with the same letter, rhyme, be an animal, etc. it doesn’t matter – any word is good. Go around the room one by one with everyone repeating it back after the person gives the name, movement, word combo.
Once it’s gone around at least once, explain that you’re going to give your own name & symbol and then someone else’s name and symbol. When someone sees their name and symbol, they will give their own name and symbol and someone else’s, and so on. Let them know that this isn’t a competition, so anyone can stop and ask for a name, movement or symbol at any time – it’s encouraged to do so to learn names!
Squirrel Nut Tree
Circle game. Three people form a triptych together. First person out says “I’m a Squirrel” and puts their body in the shape of a squirrel. 2nd person says “I’m a Nut” and takes the shape of a nut. 3rd person says “I’m a Tree” and takes the shape of a tree. The person who was out there first (or longest) says who stays and the other two return to the circle (let’s say Tree for the example). The person remaining then says their own thing again “I’m a Tree” and two more people come out to join them doing something that goes along with a Tree that is neither a Squirrel or a Nut this time. (example “I’m a swing” and “I’m a leaf”). Person out longest says who stays and repeat again. Note: You’ll often have to remind the first person to say theirs again to get the pattern going, remind the one out there the longest to keep one, and also encourage them to keep it flowing and not leave anyone out there by themselves for long.
For the last one, find an easy one to have all of the class pile on to finish it off.