theatrical improvisation

Do A Theatrical Improvisation Course to Build Confidence

Hey guys, it’s Graham here again, and today I want to tell you why you should do a theatrical improvisation course. Now, you may have heard of theatrical improvisation or improve or theater sports or theater games, and they all refer to the underlying concept of improvising.

Now, improvisation is an incredibly valuable skill to have, and so I want to tell you why it’s so great to be able to improvise as far as self-confidence goes. Of course, the first reason why you should do theatrical improvisation is it’s simply a lot of fun. You’ll get out there, you’re mixing with some really cool people, you’re doing stuff that’s just coming into your head spontaneously and it’s a really great space to be in.

(more…)

By Graham Stoney, ago

How Theatrical Improvisation Increases Your Confidence

I’ve been taking a bunch of theatrical improvisation courses lately because it’s a really fun, engaging way to increase self-confidence. There’s a part of me that loves being on stage, without the old inhibitions that used to get in the way of everyday life. The skills involved in theatrical improvisation, also known as Comedy Improvisation or Improv, turn out to be essential life skills, especially when it comes to interacting confidently with other people.

Much of what I’ve learned in Improv class reverses a lot of what I learned about how to act while growing up. Many of us have huge chunks of our creativity, and our true personality, beaten out of us in the education and socialization process while we were young. We got punished for failure, bullied for being different, and ridiculed when we got things wrong. So we learned to play it small, avoid risks, and generally keep our head down to avoid getting kicked. It was a conservative survival strategy that worked at the time, but doesn’t work so well in the adult world.

Theatrical improvisation, on the other hand, teaches us how to:

  • Fail brilliantly.
  • Say “Yes” to opportunities.
  • Take risks.
  • Listen to other people.
  • Get out of our heads.
… Continue reading…
By Graham Stoney, ago