Improv Elective: Comfort Zones

About This Class

Improvisation involves stepping out of the familiar and into the unfamiliar. This can be scary and thrilling or downright anxiety provoking. For experienced performers, however, it might even be a little boring. Yet performing well, on and off stage, demands we move in and out of our comfort zone. When we can learn to adjust the dial of discomfort up and down, we can get the most from our creative life without becoming overwhelmed.

This applied improvisation class will use a mixture of theatre games, psychology, and reflective exercises to explore how we move in and out of our comfort zone. The focus is on bridging what happens in scenes to what happens in life.

The class will be kept intentionally small (12) to maximise time to play, and we’ll pair players and exercises based on experience levels.

Only the Human places a high value on community, diversity and inclusion. We endeavour to create a safe space where people can explore comedy without fear of oppression or discrimination. Women, people of colour, non-binary, differently abled and other folx are highly encouraged to take our classes. Learn more about diversity & inclusion at OTH. If you’re unsure whether or not this class is for you, feel free to email us directly at hello@othcomedy.com to discuss your needs.

The Class

Date: Saturday, May 25th.
Times: 10:00am-3:30pm
Where: Kardinya Lesser Hall - Woodturners Meeting Room (51 Williamson Rd, Kardinya)
Teacher: Aden Date

FAQ

Why should I learn improv with OTH?

Improv is a uniquely social experience and a great opportunity to make new friends and push your boundaries. We learn that being a good improviser is often just about being a radically excellent human: We need to be able to be vulnerable, confident, supportive, and empathetic. Improvisation has a long history of being used not only to train actors and comedians, but as a self-development practice. Don’t worry if you’re not an aspiring actor or comedian — our courses are designed for people who are starting fresh. You can read more about our teaching philosophy here.

We do our best to make all students feel welcome, accepted & included. When you take a course with us you’re also joining a community with plenty of opportunities for further learning, play and performance in the future. When you finish the introductory course, you can take specialised courses led by our senior teachers, join our community jams, or even form your own team.

Finally, there’s the science: Improv is effective in helping bosses become better leaders, improving mental health, and has even helped recently released prisoners adjust to life after release. Whoever you are, we are sure there’s something in Improv for you.

What can I epxect to learn from this class?

If you’ve never taken an improv class before, the focus will be on using improvisation to give you practical skills you can take back to regular life. We’ll provide safety and scaffolding through the exercises to ensure you feel safe enough to play.

If you’ve been performing improvisation for a while, the focus will be on giving you practical thinking tools to back up your on-stage and in-class experience, helping you connect what you know on stage to other aspects of life.

Can I register for someone else?

Absolutely! You can purchase classes as a gift, or just enrol a friend to join you. When you register, just say “It’s for someone else,” and add their details. We will reach out to them separately to confirm and keep them across our class communications.