You guys remember taking night classes back in college? Those three hour slogs that starts at 7:00 PM. You’re fighting the urge to fall asleep the entire time. Did we really learn/retain anything pertinent from those courses? It was mostly just for the credit, and the privilege of only having one class per week.
It would seem I want to relive that experience as an adult in his mid 30s. I signed up for a six week foundational improv class at BATS School of Improv. Right here in San Francisco at the Fort Mason Center. During the six week we meet every Tuesday from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Indeed, it is just like the night classes back in university. Except this time, I voluntarily signed up for it, paying a not unsubstantial $350 for the 30 hours of training.
Why an improv class? Because peer pressure. My good friend took an introductory sampler class - at the same company - and was hooked enough to continue on to the proper stuff. Drawing from a sense of duty, I decided to accompany my friend on this new adventure. On the other hand, I think improv will greatly help me to be more social and getting out of my head. The whole point of improv is no preparation: it’s whatever coming out of your mind at that exact moment. You have to be flexible, intuitive, and most important: not give a crap about what other people think.
The moment you think you have something, the situation can change on a dime. It’s easy to then get caught thinking for something suitably appropriate, instead of simply going with the first thing that pops into mind. Improv is really useful for the self-conscious of us to get out of our heads. The remaining five class periods are going to be fun.
Safety deposit box.