Don't. Be. Confused! There Are Two Different Kinds of Improvisation
“Only full, overhead sun
diminishes your shadow.
But that shadow has been serving you.
What hurts you blesses you.
Darkness is your candle.
Your boundaries are your quest.
”
There are many styles of improvisation: short-form, long-form, game-focused, comedic, dramatic, and more.
But, after performing and teaching improv for over 30 years, I only know of only two different categories of improvisation. Most people only know about one of those, so I wanted to take a moment to talk about the differences.
category one: "End Product Improv"
End Product Improv is - as its name suggests - a product. It’s the product that audiences see on stage when they arrive at the theater to watch or consume that product. As products go, most all improvisation that is performed on stage is comedic, something that audiences enjoy, expect, and are willing to spend money to have.
I adore watching and performing End Product Improv. It's a fantastic product that brings me joy as I work with my fellow improvisers to invent and evolve characters, stories, and narratives to help produce laughter and deep meaning. Much of the work in our Advanced Workshop classes focuses on End Product Improv because it definitely has an honored place in the world.
However, it's not the only kind of improv. The other - which is far more popular - isn’t known by most of the world.
Category Two: “Process Improv”
In Process Improv, there is no audience: only participants. Instead of performing on a stage for someone else’s pleasure, Process Improvisation asks participants to undergo a personal and transformational process. In that process, they learn the core skills that the practice of improvisation teaches. Process Improv teaches us, for example, to closely observe what is happening around us. Over time, this closer style of observation causes time to slow down. It does that by asking participants to rely less on their spoken words. That, in turn, allows participants to better understand what others are building or - equally important - what they are communicating.
Process Improvisation, for me, is the cutting edge of improvisation because it is open to all people from all walks of life. It’s like surfing, building with Legos, or walking a labyrinth: it’s a meditative practice of tuning in and turning on. Process improvisation teaches a joyous and playful set of skills that anyone can learn. Even better, it creates incredible amounts of joy and community when practicing it.
Process improvisation is anchored in collaboration and communication. Because of that, it’s amazing for business training, sales team training, and corporate leadership training.
Process improvisation is one of the many reasons why I continue to improvise in my 50s and will continue to do so until my final days. That is also why our Foundations and Community Play classes focus largely on these skills. Process improvisation is anchored in collaboration and communication. I invite you to join us on that journey.
No matter your walk of life, Process Improvisation will answer questions and change your life.