I MISS YOU!!
I was scrolling through my Instagram and saw some of your gorgeous, silly faces and felt a deep sadness and pull to express. I miss you! We were just getting going – growing a cool group of improvisers and big-time players who were quickly connecting as a unique community. BOO-HOO!
Yes, I feel sad.
And… here we are… well, here I am… are you there? haha… check out this funny parody of Hello by Adele.
I just completed a Zoom intensive by the knowledgeable and generous, Spark Interactive. Also, I’ve been using a free Zoom account for a while so I feel like I have a good enough grasp on Zoom to make an online improv class happen.
And yet, I’ve been resisting taking my improv classes online. “Lots of people do it” I hear in my head… “YES, BUT… all the physical and nuanced interactions of being in person are lost!” Boo!
Is that true?
That question inspired me just now to do the following exercise that you might find helpful in these turbulent times.
1. Think of an issue, current event, potential… anything you want to explore.
2. Ask yourself, “What’s true about this?”
3. Answer. Say the first thing that comes to you in one or two out breaths. Think of this as an improv scene with yourself and don’t go on and on. It’s not a monologue. You’ll have another opportunity soon.
4. Ask yourself, “Could that possibly be argued with?”
5. Answer, Yes or No.
6. Pause for a breath and/or say Thank You to yourself.
7. Start back at #2, but this time ask, “What ELSE is true about this?”
8. Repeat steps 2-6 for several minutes until you feel complete.
My example:
1. Leading improv online.
2. “What’s true about this?”
3. The physicality and nuanced communication is lost over the interweb and that’s what I’m good at!
4. “Could that possibly be argued with?”
5. Yes
6. Full breath.
Round 2
2. “What ELSE is true about this?”
3. I don’t WANNA do another Zoom call, OMG.
4. “Could that possibly be argued with?”
5. Yes
6. Thank you
Round 3
2. “What ELSE is true about this?”
3. I don’t know what I’m doing.
4. “Could that possibly be argued with?”
5. Yes
6. Thank you
Round 4
2. “What ELSE is true about this?”
3. I’m scared.
4. “Could that possibly be argued with?”
5. No
6. Thank you
And so on. Notice where you go to “find the answer”. Do you go to your head? Do you feel it in your heart or somewhere else in your body? Do you look outside yourself? Simply notice and then move on.
Some suggestions: If you have a partner, friend, family member who would support you, you can ask them to ask you the questions, but I highly suggest you/they follow the script. If you notice you’re analyzing too much about true or not true, just blurt something and move on. I did this while moving about my room and I suggest you get up and move about as well while you do it. I also recommend saying the questions out loud if you’re doing this by yourself.
This exercise helped me get into alignment with what I was thinking and feeling because I gave space to both. Landing on something that felt so true in my body that it couldn’t possibly be argued with was a major, freakin’ relief. I learned this from my mentor, Katie Hendricks, about three years ago and I come back to it again and again. You can check out their other centering resources over at the Foundation For Conscious Living.
Now I’m easily choosing to lead a Free ONLINE Improv Drop-In on April 20th at 7:00 pm PST. This is the usual day and time we have a monthly improv drop-in class. I love that acknowledging my experience helps me choose even while I still don’t know exactly what we’ll do! My intention will be as it always is… to practice presence, connection and play!
Last class I improvised an imaginary bumper sticker that goes… “Play It Out Improv – the quickest way to go from crappy to happy!” So… here… we… go!
I hope to play at a distance with you soon!
Playfully,
Dhira