Improv or impro, short for improvisation, is a form of live theater in which the plot, characters, and dialogue of a scene or story are created spontaneously in front of the audience. In other words, improv is acting without a script. It is about making everything up as you go along.
Very often, improvisers take suggestions from the audience to start a scene and to guide the whole performance. Audiences love the spontaneous, entertaining, and unpredictable qualities of an improv performance.
Improv actors prepare for an improv performance by polishing these skills, the same skills that are vital for any business or team to grow and thrive:
Listen and communicate clearly
In happy and productive teams, members feel heard and understood. Improv requires individuals to listen actively to their fellow team members in order to react appropriately.
Say “yes, and … “
This is the basic foundation of improv. By saying yes, you accept others’ ideas and suggestions and then you build on that by saying ‘and …’. Fun fact: People who feel listened to feel valued and perceive the listener as more trustworthy. This means more satisfied clients for your company.
Make your teammates look good
To create good scenes in improv, you need to play well with your team members. Improv is 100% teamwork. You support them in what they say and they in turn support you, as you build the story together, piece by piece.
Trust
Improv is based on collaboration, not competition. In an atmosphere of safety. trust and support, team members learn to be present with the group and work towards a clear shared goal.
Don’t be afraid to fail
In improv, failure, struggle, vulnerability and fear are all part of the game! It’s ok if the scene doesn’t work. It’s ok to fail. The important thing is getting up, getting out there, and doing it again until it finally works. When you learn to live in the moment and face your fear, that’s when the magic happens!