Embracing Imagination and Communication in Improv Training

Alt title: Get to Skin Suit Town: 3 Exercises to Improve Your Acting

In this episode, I'm diving into one of the best acting exercises you can give yourself: practicing scene work with little dialogue, or even none at all. I’ve found that learning to use physicality, emotional reactions, and environment is what changes a performance from "just saying words real good" to truly embodying a believable character. Or like... as I like to say because it is now improv canon, "get to skin suit town".

I’ll explain why taking dialogue away forces you to slow down, live in the scene, and build a story layer by layer. Part of that oh-so-classic "show, don't tell" advice. Then, the exercises. You can add three new exercises to your workout to build this skill. I'll also tell you how to adjust them to practice on your own.

And if you do a lot of audio-only improv or have difficulty with nonverbal cues: I’ll specifically explain why this work is still useful, and how you can adapt it to your own unique brain and performance style.

As an aside! If you have trim silence features on in your podcast app, I'm gonna guess it'll trim a few intentional pauses in this one ;)

Resources Mentioned:

• Downloadable PDF Exercise Guides: improvupdate.com/downloads
• The Improv Update Discord Community: improvupdate.com/discord
• Free Improv Worksheet & Newsletter: improvupdate.com/newsletter
• Improvised Comedy Podcast, Grack Public Access: stereoforest.com/grack

Downloadable content

Download the Free Post-Show Reflection Guide: Sent to your inbox when you subscribe to either newsletter (and added to the footer to each message if you're already subscribed).

NEW! Comprehensive guides all about getting notes as a student, or giving them as a teacher. Two guides, big discount if you get both! https://improvupdate.com/notes

Get a booklet with six exercises to help you get reps in challenging scenes called "Exercises to Ruin You"

Get more downloadable booklets here: https://improvupdate.com/downloads

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About

This podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. Jen has certifications related to healthy communities (Tufts University Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy), nervous system regulation and soon teacher training certification on community resilience. She has a BFA in teaching creative arts to adults. You can find her full bio here.

This episode was and edited and produced by StereoForest.com.

This podcast was made in British Columbia, Canada by StereoForest Podcasts.

Mentioned in this episode:

Student and Teacher/Coach Guides about NOTES in Improv

Find more information, Table of Contents and links to get the guides at https://improvupdate.com/notes

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