I’m not someone who has a problem coming up with ideas. My problem is the opposite: my brain is constantly generating more ideas that I could ever possibly execute – so I struggle with focus and mourn all the unmade possibilities and explorations that I have to let go of. In some ways, it’s a great problem to have, but, still, my human limitations (ie: time, resources) annoy me. Anyone who knows me well knows that I’d do and make 50 times more than I do now if I could pull it off.
So, you can imagine my surprise when I went to my second improv class at BATS Improv and found my mind moving veeeeeery sloooooowly. We did a bunch of free association exercises, and I just kept drawing blanks. Let’s just say I was a little wierded out.
Some of the issue was my inner critic, which I am now in full fight mode against. But that wasn’t all of it. My brain was, well, a little weak when it came to this stuff.
Imagine this:
A group stands in a circle and one person stands in the middle and sings a song. When that song triggers another song in your mind, you tap the singer on the shoulder and take their place and start singing your song. And the game continues, song after song.
Sounds simple, right? Yeah, except all I could think about was the song the person was singing. It took over my brain.
Our teacher, Barbara Scott, said that it’s important to do free association exercises to keep your mind agile (especially as you age). I guess I thought I already had an agile mind, but you know, when I think about it, most of the things I think about and do during the day are very routine. I don’t think I’m getting as much brain exercise as I think I am — and I bet most of us don’t. Apparently this smart brain of mine needs a little exercise. Good thing I’m taking improv.
——
This series is now complete. Read about the rest of my experience here:
Improv Class #1: Getting Out of My Own Way
Improv Class #3: Don’t Anticipate
Improv Class #4: Reach Beyond the Obvious
Improv Class #5: Choose Your Status
Not sure if we talked about this ever, but I took an improv class, as a joke, with some friends in 2002. I don’t say this about many things, but it changed my life.
I don’t remember playing the game you mention, but I found all of the games incredibly silly and child like – I felt that a bunch of 8 year olds could do all these things much easier than I could, but not because it was impossible, but I had layers and layers of made up inhibitions from the adult world that i had to unlearn. It’s all there, but I had to strip it away.
The the group of random folks in the class were just as wierded out by the experience the first few weeks, but our teacher did a great job of showing us how subjective it was to respond to the games the way we did, and there was an easier way: just give in.
Please keep writing about your experience. Love to know how it goes and if it gets better or worse for you.
The other thing that worked for me were the improv rules we were taught:
1. No half assing
2. Make the other guy look good
3. Yes, and…
4. No apologies
In many ways these are a translation of “Don’t be precious”, but in real time
Hey thanks for the feedback, Scott (it’s nice to know someone is actually reading this stuff!). You know, my experience has been much like what you describe. I was prepared for scary — I wasn’t prepared for how profound it has been thus far. After only 2 classes, I’m already significantly more aware of my inner critic and am practicing ignoring it. IE: last night I met with a friend to start recording a song and before I went I told myself I was going to ignore the negative voice in my head and just sing (let it suck, let it be awesome, let it be whatever). As a result, I really tried not to shut down opportunities/explorations of my voice and was much more nimble, playful, loose, and open than I know I would have been prior to the improv class. There were still remnants of the critic, but they were less powerful. And I had a GREAT time.
I want to be able to access my own creativity and imagination in a much deeper way, and the class is definitely helping me with that. Thanks for sharing your experience.
[...] previous posts about my improv class at BATS Theater: Improv Class #2: An Agile Mind Improv Class #1: Getting Out Of My Own [...]
[...] previous posts about my improv class at BATS Theater: Improv Class #3: Don’t Anticipate Improv Class #2: An Agile Mind Improv Class #1: Getting Out Of My Own [...]
[...] at BATS Theater: Improv Class #4: Reach Beyond the Obvious Improv Class #3: Don’t Anticipate Improv Class #2: An Agile Mind Improv Class #1: Getting Out Of My Own [...]
[...] Improv Class #2: An Agile Mind Improv Class #3: Don’t Anticipate Improv Class #4: Reach Beyond the Obvious Improv Class #5: Choose Your Status [...]