Last night, I went to my very first Improv class. Something I’ve been thirsting to try out for years. At a scout hall, next to a gas station. Twenty people of mixed gender, ages and races, though majority is white. I run into a fellow meditator, small world?
We sit around a circle configuration. A kind man invites me to conversation, “Is this your first time?” A polite and gentle exchange. Three of us join for the first time.
We start by saying our names and sharing something that made us feel seen and supported.
I rack my brain and remember an earlier gift from a colleague I met just a month ago. “I’ve been looking for a set of house slippers to offer my guests. The ones I have are too small for the majority of my tall friends with bigger feet. I mentioned this to him once few weeks ago. He remembered and brought me a fresh pair wrapped in plastic bag.”
After each share, we snap our fingers.
We have to start every response with “Yes, and”, a disruption to our usual “No, but”. Moving from the contrarian to community advocates.
We choose to be here, carving out a Monday evening to meet with strangers to partake on an open play of acceptance and kindness. Giving ourselves permission to play and mess up. We are not chasing alpha.
When asked to join the stage, no one hesitates. This feels like the last opportunity to jump on, and jump, I do.
“Three onto the stage” beckons five to jump up. And the coordinator adjusts to fit 5 from the original 3.
Woman sits down in the middle. A pair is made among the four. I’m paired up with Dani, and the two gents with each other. We have to present the lovely lady with pick-up line. Dani and I hook our arms together. We can only say one word at a time, and the partner takes the next word. We have to start with “Hey, baby”, with fake guns made with index and thumb, as if we’re cocking imaginary guns.
Tell us about yourself, the coordinator asks.
Woman: I like to sleep.
Dani “Hey”
Me: “Baby” 😉
Dani: “Are”
Me: “you”
Dani: “my”
Me: “Teddy”
Dani: “Bear”
Cheesy smile, and we go “heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy”
We win this round. The next one.
Woman: I like scary movies.
Dani: “Hey”
Me: “Baby”
Dani: “Do”
Me: “You”
Dani: “Like”
Me: “Scary”
Dani: “Movies”
Me: “Boo!”
“Heeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy”, shooting our fake guns.
She jumps from her chair, and we lose this round.
The next round, we are tied. Congenial collaboration.
Wrapping up the session, we are invited to call out, popcorn style, what we appreciated about someone. I tell a Tafatswa, “I loved the way you jumped up at every opportunity to participate” She responds with, “I loved the way you tried to pronounce [whose name I’ve forgotten already]”
A social evening, an invitation to go for drinks. I pass. “Who is going to Sea Point?” Asks the lady who likes to sleep.
I shoot my hand up, and give Dani a ride home, not too far from where I live. A casual conversation of 20 minutes, she asks, “You’re brave to try this out yourself!”
“Thanks, improv doesn’t scare me. Other things do. I’m trying to actively chase discomfort.”
What did I learn?
Act of three lines. I couldn’t understand what one partner said, and we were put on the spot. I couldn’t advance, because I had nothing to go with. And so, it is the responsibility of the communicator to speak to be understood, not to stand out. A quick lesson, because we move on to the next partner. New act. If we got used to moving on this quickly, we would be further ahead, happier and less afraid to fail. What is failure anyways?
Life is better lived with imagination, with one another. Not imagination alone, by ourselves. Listening intently to invite the storyteller to expand or advance. Tell me more. This is boring, let’s move forward. Expand into the now, before advancing into the next.
This love letter celebrates the act of trying out new things, creating positivity as we expand and advance.
The number 9. Circling into curiosity. Growing legs, expanding into life.
Here is to new beginnings.
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