Bionic Woman Costume = Bad Improvy Agenda

Letting go of your agenda is perhaps the hardest thing to do in improv. I suppose that argument could be made for listening, as well. Or making eye contact. Or whatever it is that you find the hardest thing to do on any given day. But today, I'm going with the agenda thing. It has nothing to do with the fact that some ladies out-agenda'd me this weekend and made me cranky.

Okay, it might have a little to do with that. Fortunately, I didn't challenge anyone to a duel. I mean fortunately for them. I would so win that battle.

Um. Anyway. In real life, we all have agendas. We make a plan for the day. We have to-do lists. We have goals and dreams and missions to accomplish. And we can't get all that shit done if we just leave everything up to chance. So having an agenda can be a good thing.

Even in improv, having a certain type of agenda is great. Planning to have a big character, respond to the last thing your scene partner said, listen and have big emotional reactions are great things to have on your improvy agenda.

Having a specific idea like, "I'ma be the boss, and I'll say 'From now on, all employees have to wear Bionic Woman costumes to work,' that'll be hilarious" is a bad thing to have on your improvy agenda. Just sayin'.

We all have ideas. They're not always good. Duh. But even the good ones can get you in trouble if you're trying to shoe-horn them into a scene where they don't belong. The fun (and brilliance) of improv comes from letting your ideas go and seeing where the group synergy takes you. Of course it's scary - I never said improv wasn't scary, peeps - but it's scary in an exhilarating, liberating, mind-expanding kind of way.

In real life, it's good to be willing to let go of your agenda as well. Of course you have a goal. But you don't want to be so married to that goal that you miss the million-times-better opportunity that comes up along the way. So have your plan. Make your agenda. List your to-dos. But remember, much like the Pirate's Code, they're really more what you'd call guidelines than actual rules.

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Sketch Writing Class in Long Beach

The very first Held2gether sketch writing class started last Wednesday, and it was fantastic. We did a couple of writing exercises and everyone read what they had written and got feedback from Darren and the class, and nobody cried or anything.

Obviously, sketch comedy is inherently different from improv. And yet, it isn't. One of the exercises we did involved two people working together, each writing one line of dialogue at a time, and then passing it to the other person to write their line. So it was exactly like improv, only on paper instead of on stage. Naturally, the whole "in the moment" aspect of improv is missing from sketch, but the essence of comedy is pretty much the same.

Some people found the writing class to be much scarier than improv classes. Others felt the opposite. I personally feel more exposed in improv, because I don't have time to edit myself, while in writing I can take the time to make myself not seem stupid. Okay. Not as stupid.

I also think that writing is an excellent way for people to learn to develop points of view of different characters. So many times in improv, the improvisor trots out a funny voice or accent or whatever and they think that makes a "character" - but without a strong point of view, it's just a person who talks funny. POV is tricky sometimes. But you have to think, "How does this person see the world, and how do they see themselves in it?" That's basically it. When you write, you have time to really ponder those questions and put your characters into situations that help you flesh out the answers. When you get used to thinking that way about your written characters, it'll be easier to do the same thing on the fly in improv scenes.

Anyway, it was an excellent first class and I can't wait for the next one. Just by having the class, I've gotten ideas for so many sketches, which is part of the point of this class - to get used to seeing things in terms of a sketch and to create a lot of material, until writing isn't so daunting.

Plus, now I have an outlet for all those agendas and pre-planned ideas I don't get to use in improv. Yay!

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Improv: Learning to Learn

Ever since I was little and my dad tried to teach me my multiplication tables, feeling stupid has made me frustrated and CRANKY. I'm a reasonably intelligent person (no, really - I can multiply up to my nines!) and I can do a lot of pretty diverse things, which is cool. But my learning curve typically involves a lot of frustration, swearing, tears and cranky-ass moods until I get to the part where I no longer feel like a moron.

I'm sorry, I'll get to the part where this is about improv in a sec. But first, more about me.

Just because someone doesn't know something or know how to do something doesn't make them stupid, obviously. Unless the someone is me. In my world, I should be able to do whatever I decide to do - instantly, perfectly and without having to look at YouTube videos of how it's done first. We're talking about anything from Sudoku to brain surgery.

This week has been tough - I've been having to switch between a lot of different types of work, which I enjoy... except for the fact that one of the things I'm working on is formatting and proofreading a doctoral dissertation in some kind of fancy-ass engineering. Um, yeah. There's all these equations and figures and tables, and Word only gets along with MathType when it's damn good and ready to, and it's literally all Greek to me, so the proofreading goes like this: "Upside down triangle? Upside down triangle! Check! Squiggly equals sign? Squiggly equals sign! Check! Vodka? Vodka! Check!" I'm pretty sure I could learn brain surgery easier.

Oh. Improv. Right. Naturally, I thought I should be perfect at improv too. And I have certainly had my share of struggles and frustration and tears and cranky-ass moods along the way. But interestingly, by learning improv you are also learning how to learn better. By staying in the moment, you aren't spinning out into the whole "I'll never learn how to do this, I'm an idiot" scenario that just makes it that much harder to learn. By listening, you can take in advice and instruction better. By agreeing, you save all that time arguing the point that it just doesn't make sense.

I'm not saying improv makes you learn everything effortlessly or without crankiness. My computer heard some new swearwords this week. Well, really swearphrases. But my crankiness only came out in short spurts because after a few minutes I would remember to just focus on the one equation in front of me and not worry about the 362 others that I had to figure out how to format.

Now I'm gonna go do something I'm good at. Fatburger, anyone?

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Improv? What's Improv?

We've had one of those unfortunate breaks between improv classes the past couple of weeks. Sometimes it can't be helped - scheduling conflicts, holidays and whatnot interfere. I especially blame the whatnot.

So now that classes are starting up again (with the exception of Saturday, which will be on hiatus until September), people have been texting me that they're sure they've forgotten everything they ever knew about improv.

To which I reply, "Eh. It happens."

Don't get me wrong. I actually don't think everyone has forgotten everything in a couple of weeks. But improv - like any skill, art, craft or sport - requires practice. And without practice, you get a little rusty at the skills you're actually pretty good at... and you definitely may forget the rules and skills and things that you were struggling with.

There's nothing wrong with taking an improv class every once in a while when the mood strikes or the stars are aligned just so or whatever. But to continually improve and develop skills that will last and carry over into your real life in a meaningful way, it's helpful to take several 6-week classes all in a row. That way, your skills build and multiply and you're not always swimming upstream to re-learn what you've forgotten. And when there IS a break, at least you and your classmates are all in the same boat.

Anyway, I've had a little break too (although I did go to the drop-in class last Wednesday; where were you?) so I may struggle with having big stakes or taking action in the moment. I probably won't forget to cry, though. And I'm pretty sure I'll remember to call my scene partner Frank.

Some things you just don't forget.

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Improv: Being In the Moment Classes

Darren and I were talking yesterday, as we do occasionally, and we agreed that we could easily call Held2gether improv classes in Long Beach Being In the Moment classes. I mean, it's probably not a good idea in terms of marketing, but that title is just as accurate as Improv Comedy classes.

It came up in conversation because, for an improv corporate workshop that we have coming up soon, the client is interested in, among other things, helping their employees be more in the moment when dealing with their clients, instead of thinking ahead to all the possible scenarios that might occur.

Being in the moment means you can't think about the what-ifs. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying you shouldn't look before you leap, or whatever other cliché you like. Obviously, you have to use good common sense about things, people. If being "in the moment" means you are totally focused on your Words With Friends game, great - but don't disregard the traffic and wander out in front of a bus. That's not being "in the moment." That's being "dumb." Sorry.

Anyway, back to improv. The only way to do good improv is to truly be present, in this moment. Having an agenda or pre-planning put you into the future, while thinking about how great (or terrible) you were last time puts you in the past. Thinking about what you're going to have for lunch or what the cute girl might say to you later puts you somewhere that isn't even improv-related. If you let go of EVERYTHING else, and simply focus on your scene partner, respond to the very last thing they said and have big emotional reactions to what develops in your scene, I can pretty much guarantee you will have a great scene. I mean, it's not a money-back guarantee or anything, but I'm pretty certain.

Even though it's hard, even in improv, to stay in the moment 100% of the time, it gets easier with practice. And the improv games and exercises we do are designed to help you learn to be comfortable letting all that other stuff go and just being present. When you get used to it, you start to like putting all your attention on the thing you are currently engaged with and you do it more and more. Until you can be in the moment when you're dealing with your clients, which improves your work situation, or when you're dealing with your kids, which improves your home situation, or when you're dealing with the cute girl, which improves your, um, situation.

That's why we call it improv for life, peeps.

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Improv: Not a Race

Two comes after one. That's true in real life, as well as in improv classes.

However, two doesn't necessarily come immediately after one. 1 1/4, or 1 1/3 or 1 7/8 all come between one and two, for example. And yes, before you get all snarky, I do have a point.

Many people - especially over-achieving, goal-oriented people - like to check things off their list and get to the finish line as quickly as possible. So they sign up for a Level 1 improv class and expect to take that class (once), then take Level 2 (once) and so on. Only it doesn't exactly work that way with improv classes.

At Held2gether, our Level 1 class consists of 12 hours of instruction. That is barely enough time to scratch the surface of the rules of improv and introduce some games. Everyone gets to try stuff every week, but in 12 hours there's no way for people to practice skills and games multiple times. And the only way to develop the skills necessary for Level 2 is to practice the skills learned in Level 1 several times.

What that means is, people generally need to take Level 1 three or four times to really have the fundamentals down so that they aren't over their heads in Level 2. Sometimes people argue that they're willing to flounder and be over their heads because they just have to move up to Level 2. The problem with that is, you're not floundering alone - everyone in the class should have the same basic skill set, so that all the exercises can work properly.

The appropriate time to take Level 2 isn't after you've taken Level 1 a set number of times, but rather when you've mastered the fundamentals taught in Level 1 and understand the rules, the reasons for the rules and how to apply them. If it makes you feel better, members of both Held2gether improv troupes take Level 1 classes periodically just to brush up on those fundamentals. That's how important the basics are.

And just so you know, it's not just H2G who does it this way. At Groundlings, for example, the Basic course is 36 hours (that's three times longer than our basic course) - and most people STILL take it a minimum of two times before moving on to the next class. So try not to see your improv education as a race. Honestly, the people who become the solidest improvisors are the ones who take their time really developing their core skills and confidence before moving on to the next level, whatever that level is.

Level 1 improv classes start all the time, right here in Long Beach! We also have 1/2-Day Workshops if you just want to see what this improv thingy is all about. Sign up at the website!

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Intro to Improv Comedy Workshop in Long Beach

It's almost that time again, peeps - time for an Intro to Improv Workshop! You know, one of our famous 1/2-day improv workshops, where we give you a little taste of all the fun of improv crammed into 4 hours. This one is coming up on August 5th at the EXPO Arts Center in Bixby Knolls. Look:

Don't let the scary Godfather font intimidate you - the class is actually super fun, low-stress, high-energy and did I mention super fun? It's a great place to dip your toe in the improv-y water to make sure you're not gonna drown, or just practice your improv skills with different players if you're already drinking the kool-aid. And yes, I realize I just mixed all sorts of metaphors in one sentence, but that's how it goes sometimes on a Monday.

You can register at the half-day improv class page or give us a call if you have any questions.

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Improv, Shyness and Introversion - Oh My!

Evidently there's a difference between shy and introverted. Who knew, right? Turns out, shyness is the fear of negative social judgement, while introversion is a preference for quiet, minimally stimulating environments. Naturally, there are degrees of both, and overlap, and whatnot. So you can be über shy and introverted, which I think = hermit, or you can be a little of one and a lot of the other or neither at all.

WTF? And, more specifically, wtf does this have to do with improv?

Well, specifically, I am a little of each, which naturally makes me an expert on both. (I'm more shy than introverted, if you must know). And I can state unequivocally that, if you are determined to overcome shyness, improv can help. Repeatedly going on stage and doing silly things and being strange characters and spewing totally off-the-cuff information gradually helps you face that fear of negative social judgement. First of all, in H2G classes, there IS no negative judgement because everything we do is about support and encouragement. So you learn that many things that you fear will elicit that negative social judgement just, uh, don't. And when things fall flat, as they are bound to do when you push yourself out of your comfort zone, you learn that nothing bad actually happens to you. So you become less and less shy in the real world as well.

I was VERY shy before I started improv. You can ask Darren. I'm not exactly a super outgoing alpha chick now, but I'm not overly shy either. It usually comes out more when I'm tired, actually. Or around mean people. I think that's more just good judgement than shyness, though.

Since introversion isn't really a fear, but more of a preference for quiet, I'm not sure it's something most introverts feel a need to "overcome." My guess is that extremely introverted people would not be drawn to take such a boisterous type of class in the first place, while moderate introverts would probably enjoy the class. Speaking as a mildly moderate introvert, I can say I love the camaraderie and friendships that improv engenders and, although I can definitely get oversocialized from time to time, the fact that I work at home alone is enough to balance out the stimulating nature of improv and lots of friends.

So, bottom line: if you're shy and you want to be less shy, do improv! I'm sure there are other activities that can help you overcome shyness, but I refuse to believe there are other activities that can help you overcome shyness in an environment as fun, hilarious, safe and encouraging as an H2G improv class. And if you're introverted, so what? It's not that stimulating, and you can always go back to your cave after class.

That's what I do.

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Improv: No Do-Overs

Improv is scary. What? I'm not saying you shouldn't do it; everyone should do it. But I'm not gonna lie to you. It's friggin' scary. Which is partly WHY everyone should do it.

Doing any kind of art is scary, of course. Improv isn't special in that regard. Any type of creative self-expression is fraught with every possible variation of angst, self-doubt and fear the human mind can conjure up. If we were half as creative in our art as we are in the ways in which we sabotage ourselves, we'd be pretty damn prolific.

The difference between improv and other forms of art, however, is that improv is offered up as-is. Actors and singers and dancers get to rehearse and rehearse and rehearse before they perform a show for an audience. Artists get to paint and repaint or sculpt and resculpt until they are satisfied with their creation. Writers get to rewrite and edit till the cows come home. You get the idea.

Improvisors can practice, of course. That's what class is all about. But when it comes time to invite an audience to see our art, we just have to put it out there. We have one chance to get it right - there is no rehearsing, no erasing, no editing... nothing.

In class, we stress the importance of committing to the scene and not bailing out when it goes wonky or gets confusing. That's because in improv, there are no do-overs. But the awesome thing is, when you get used to just going for it, you learn that you can make something out of nothing. And by not bailing, you learn that you can stick it out through the tough parts and you don't die or stuff.

And it's a pretty incredible thing to create art spontaneously and in the moment, without relying on Photoshop or Instagram or anything else to perfect it. No matter how scary it may be, that's a pretty friggin' awesome payoff, if you ask me.

Which, of course, you didn't. But I have to write something, you know.

By Sonnjea Blackwell

It's Better to Give!

We've had a busy week, culminating a couple days ago with our long form improv show Fireworks, Funnel Cakes & the American Dream, which was totally A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. Not to toot our own horns or anything, but we were on fire. And we had an awesome audience, so we were super happy to give them such a great show. Cuz we're givers.

On the topic of giving, my birthday is coming up. Oh, wait. That's a different blog. Anyway, one of the things that made this long form show so great was that the entire group operated as one, with everyone thinking in terms of "what can I give?"

There's an intangible but discernible difference between shows where some or all of the players are thinking, "Hey, this is what I can do" as opposed to "Hey, this is what I can give." The first one is a more selfish approach - hey, look at me! While the second comes from a place of being aware of the scenes as they unfold, as well as the big picture of the show as a whole, and consciously choosing to give information and ideas that your castmates can play with and further develop. Going into a long form clap-in scene with the idea, "Oooh, I'ma be funny right now" is not as strong a choice as going in with the idea of adding a layer of information to something that's been developed that will help the rest of the team take it to another level.

It's not just long form either, peeps. It's just as important in short form to think of giving your scene partner(s) gifts, rather than just what you can get. Labels of character traits and information about your relationship will give your partner something to go with, and ultimately give both of you a stronger scene.

And yes, I'ma make an improv:life analogy now. We're all so worried about what we're going to get out of life, but when we really focus on what we can give to others and how we can help in whatever situations we're in, life's a much better place to live.

I forgot that recently. So I'm just reminding you in case you forgot too. You're welcome.

By Sonnjea Blackwell