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February 9, 2023Whether you’re planning your first visit to a San Jose Improv Show or you’ve been coming regularly for years, here are some key tips and tricks that will help make your experience as smooth as possible.
1. Don’t Be a Blocker
One of the most common mistakes made by new improvisers is to be too rigid on their ideas. They want to know exactly what their scene partner is going to say so they can “get right to it.” This is a big mistake because blocking will kill a scene and your scene partners’ ideas. The only way to get around this is to be willing to accept your scene partners’ ideas and then listen to them.
2. Don’t Rely on Audience Suggestions
Many improv teachers emphasize that audience suggestions should be used only occasionally. They’re a goodwill gesture and a great way to build trust between you and your scene partners, but they can quickly become a distraction. Keith Johnstone, a longtime veteran improviser and teacher, once said that he could go weeks without asking for suggestions!
3. Don’t Over-Improvise
One of the best things about improv is that you can have a blank stage, or no stage at all. This is an important skill to have if you’re a beginner, as it can help you build your skills by playing with a variety of different themes.
4. Don’t Repeat Yourself
This is a really simple tip that can help you to create new characters and scenes, as well as help your audience connect with your character. It also helps you to learn the rules of improv, so when you do repeat yourself it’s not as obvious to the audience!
5. Have a Different Style Each Time You Play
If you’ve been doing the same thing for a long time, it can be hard to break out of your comfort zone and try something new. This can be a challenge for many improvisers, but if you can find the courage to try it, you’ll be amazed at what happens!
6. Be a Fascinating Human Being
When you’re trying to be interesting, it’s easy to fall into the trap of being boring and uninteresting. Instead, it’s much better to be irresistibly curious about your scene partners, their ideas and their actions! This will open up a lot of possibilities and give you more to work with.
7. Use Body Positions You’ve Never Used Before
This is another way to get your mind going and have a bit of fun. The quickest way to do this is to start doing some different postures that you haven’t done before.
You’ll be surprised at how much your performance will improve!
In conclusion, these tips and tricks will help make your San Jose Improv Show visit a positive experience. Remember to be open-minded and willing to accept others’ ideas, stay away from relying too heavily on audience suggestions, have different styles each time you play, and use body positions that are unfamiliar to you.
