Patrick Tangredi and Kerry Leek

Mining the Gifts of Improvisation Principles for Community Building

AKA

Improv for Scaredy Cats

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Brief Introductions

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• Names/Pronouns
• Temp check
• On a scale of 1-5 how do you feel about being here at this workshop and improv!
• 5 - I’m not comfortable, I may not fully participate or I might leave!
• 1- I’m relaxed, present, hoping to have fun and learn something I can use!
• You do not need to explain your number

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Image source cathyinoz

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Why we are doing this and what is Improv?

What is Improv?

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Improv is not just fun and games!

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It has important underlying concepts that help the improvisers work well together that can be used in teaching and everyday life.

Image: Jono Hey, Sketchplanations

Participation Requests

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• Our workshop is designed for participation and we hope you will join us!
• Find a space you can talk out loud
• But! Please mute until asked to unmute unless asking a question.
• We love questions. Please ask them:
• Through Chat at any time
• Unmuted/verbal - before or after an exercise.

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Image Pixabay.com

Don’t be afraid! Here is what you can expect

• Introduction of a fundamental Improv Concept
• Participate in a low stakes improv exercise, with repetition and added concepts.
• Debrief your experience and how it applies to you and how it applies to your community!

Image credit: dat’

Improv/Community exercise #1 Word Association

Concepts: “No wrong answer”

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DIRECTIONS:

1. Unmute (Cameras or not, put raise hand emoji so we know who to call on).
2. Word/Name/Word. (Based on PREVIOUS word spoken)
3. Named person goes next! (Model)
4. Remember:
1. What word does the last word inspire in your mind?
2. It is ok to think but don’t overthink! There isn’t a “right answer”

What was that like for you?

• What discoveries did you make?
• What did you notice about your own experience?
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WORD ASSOC #2- CHAT WATERFALL

1. Patrick will say a word
2. You will type a word into chat but DO NOT press “Return” until…
3. Patrick says “3, 2, 1 Go”
4. We see the words at once!

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Image credit Matt McGee

What was that like for you?

• How was that different this time?
• How does the concept of No Wrong Answer apply to your life?
• How does it apply to your discipline, class and/or community?

Improv/Community concepts found in Word Association

No Wrong Answer AND….

• Brainstorming
• LISTENING
• No Judging of others OR yourself!
• Patience with variety of paces (next slide)

What pace are you?

Hummingbird

Panda

Image credit Robert McMorran/USFWS.

Image credit Ross Manges Photography

Improv/Community exercise #2: The Rant

CONCEPT: Warm your brain up!

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Directions

1. This is a solo exercise - Stay muted!
2. When I say go, point to as many things as you can in the room and say loudly what they (actually) are.
3. Goals
1. Don’t slow down
2. No “ums”, No Pauses
3. Go until I tell you to stop!

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Image Credit Akshay Gupta

What was that like for you?

• What was easy? What was hard?
• What discoveries did you make?

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Improv/Community ex #2: The Rant Part two

CONCEPT: Warm your brain up!

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Directions

• Same as before - point to things and name them ANYTHING except what they actually are.
• Goals
• Don’t slow down
• No “ums”, No Pauses
• Go until I tell you to stop!

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What was that like for you?

• How was that different this time?
• When would Warming Up Your Brain be useful?
• How does this apply to your discipline, class and/or community?

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Improv/Community concepts found in “Ranting”

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Warming up our brains helps with being creative AND:

• Problem solving
• Recognizing self imposed limitations/rules
• Practicing addressing what happens to your mind and body when you have pressure.

Improv exercise #3: Collaborative storytelling

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CONCEPT: Yes, AND

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In breakout rooms you will tell stories that are 5 sentences long, one word a time.

1. Decide an order (A, B, C)
2. Each person gets only ONE word.
3. 5 sentences - each ends with a period.

Hints:

1. Aim for short declarative sentences.
2. The goal is to make sense
3. Listen to the previous word before deciding what your word will be.

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What was that like for your group?

• What discoveries did you make?
• What did you notice about your own experience?

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Improv exercise #3: Collaborative storytelling PT 2

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CONCEPT: Yes, AND

In breakout rooms you will tell stories again

• Decide an order (A, B, C)
• Each person gets a full sentence at a time. Everyone gets own sentence.
• 5 sentences long (second time around, you can do 7!)

Hints:

1. Try to work with, instead of against, the flow of the story.
2. Introduce a character in the first sentence

What was that like for you?

• How was that different this time?
• How does Yes, And apply to your life?
• How does Yes, And apply to your discipline, class and/or community?

Improv concepts found in Word at a Time Stories

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1. Yes And: What does that mean?
2. How do boundaries help creativity?
3. Listening
4. If X is true then Y
5. Letting Go of your expectations of what YOU want it be, and replacing it with MEETING THE MOMENT.

Keegan-Michael Key’s “Backing Up” metaphor

More relevant improv concepts

• Honoring what comes before
• Listening w/ attention for participation/group building ideas
• Discovery over invention
• Seeing what happened and not ignoring it but using it

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Ending discussion

Reminder: improv doesn’t need to be focused on “performance”, it’s more about everyone getting to contribute.

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We’re all offering one shovelful at a time to build our sandcastle together.

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What will you take?

Images source: Flickr: Ultimate Sand Castle

Thank you for your participation.

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Please complete the session evaluation by using the link.