What’s Impro?
Improv refers to improvisational theater.
It is a form of theater in which, with no fixed roles or script, people accept ideas that come from within each other and weave a new story that no one has seen before. Originally, it was done as a training for actors.
One of the characteristics of improv is that it can be performed by anyone. It is often done in the form of workshops or shows.
What you can do in a workshop
In the workshop, we will play an improv game with simple rules. Improv games are a natural way to learn about communication while having fun with the rules.
Example
One word at a time
Rules: This is a game in which each person spins a story by connecting one sentence phrase at a time, such as “once upon a time” or “in a certain place…”. If the game becomes difficult or uninteresting due to out-of-context ideas, participants can cheerfully shout, “One more time! and start a completely different story from the beginning again.
Aim: This game teaches people to accept each other and to be brave enough to venture into the unknown.
I am a tree
Rules: In teams of three or four people.
A: “I am a tree” and describe a tree with your body.
B “I am a mountain” and describe something related to a tree.
C “I am a bird”…
In this way, the team completes a picture. If you can’t think of one, you can say, “It’s another mountain!
Aim: In this game, you will learn that any idea can be accepted by others and that you can change yourself according to what they are doing.
For whom?
They range from preschoolers to the elderly. I often conduct workshops for preschoolers, elementary school students, parents and children, and children with developmental disabilities.
Show case
We do improvisational theater! You can start with a specific role or situation, start with an emotion, or start with nothing at all. Some are participatory, where the audience gives the actors themes and lines.
In Canada and the U.S., there are theaters dedicated to improvisation, and they are so popular that they are filled to capacity. In Japan, various improvisation teams have emerged in recent years, and it is gradually becoming more popular.