Top Ten Tips for Teaching Improv

Jennine Profeta is an improv star and educator (you can find her in the Theatrefolk Resource Section with Impowerment Improv and Improv Games with Purpose as well as in the Drama Teacher Academy!) Here are her Top 10 Tips for Teaching Improv. And, you can click below for the instructions for a great improv warm-up, “One-Word-at-a-Time Story,” with suggestions for multiple rounds and feedback questions!

Tip #1 – There are no wrong answers.

There are no wrong offers. Students are very reluctant sometimes to put something on the table in an improv scene. They’re scared that they’re not going to say the perfect thing. Encourage students: Don’t worry about being perfect. Just put something out there! 

Tip #2 – Improv is overwhelming.

With improv you can choose to say anything in the world as your next line, and that can be overwhelming. Students are afraid that they’re not going to say the perfect thing, they’re not going to be funny, or they’re not going to be able to contribute anything. Help students realize that they’re in a space where it’s ok to fail. Not every line is going to be perfect or funny and that’s ok!

Tip #3 – Improv is a team sport.

We are in it to win it together. We’re all friends, we all support each other, we all help each other out. Share with students: When we do shows, a lot of us have adopted this thing called “I got your back.” We go around and tap each other on the back and say, “I got your back” as a reminder that it’s a team sport.

Tip #4 – Keep physically open.

Students tend to cross their arms in scenes or cross their legs when sitting. This is a defensive posture that shuts us down. You’re actually not able to listen as well when your body is crossed. Encourage students: Get them to open up — uncross those arms, uncross those legs. Sometimes you have to remind them several times throughout a class.

Tip #5 – Listening.

It’s all about communication and collaboration, so we need to listen to each other. All acting is about reacting and improv is this in the purest form. Tell students: The best improv scene is when performers listen to each other and react. Don’t focus on your line, listen to what your partner is saying. 

Tip #6 – Focus on the wins and the challenges.

This is an important tip when giving students feedback on their improv scenes. Avoid focusing on what they did right or wrong. Focus on the wins! Share with students: There is no wrong in improv as long as we’re listening to each other and supporting each other.

Tip #7 – Emotion is your friend!

Emotion is always fun to play with and it’s a great tool for the improv toolbox. It can inject energy into any scene. Encourage students to embrace their emotions and riff off them in a scene. 

Tip #8 – Funny is the byproduct, not the goal.

This may be the hardest thing to instil in student improv performers. Yes, improv is funny, and we like it when improv is humorous. But the goal is to communicate ideas, give strong offers, and listen to scene partners. Tell students: When we build a scene on communication, offer, and listening, the laughs will come. 

Tip #9 – Avoid questions.

We want to avoid questions in our scene work. Some students don’t want to commit to the scene or they think that whatever they have to say is not good enough and as a result they start questioning: “What are you doing? What’s your name? Why are we here?” Encourage students: Reframe that question. Make it a statement. 

Tip #10 – Have fun.

In improv, there are rules and structures that are introduced in a lot of the exercises and games that we play. Those rules are there to help us have fun! Remind students: Every time you hit the stage, play!