Your Improv Brain Clear Mind = Get Out of Your Head in Improv
Aug 4, 2025
Discover how forgetting can actually enhance your improv skills. Explore the neuroscience behind intentional forgetting and its role in reducing cognitive load. Learn how to clear your mind and trust your instincts, leading to more captivating performances. Jen shares a practical mental exercise to offload unnecessary details, a personal story of trusting her memory on stage, and insights for neurodivergent performers. Get ready to embrace the art of letting go for a more spontaneous improv experience!
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Forgetting Is An Adaptive Skill
- Jen deHaan explains that forgetting is an adaptive brain process that intentionally sheds irrelevant information to improve performance.
- Letting go of details reduces cognitive load, sharpens listening, and helps improvisers get out of their heads.
Let Go Of Unnecessary Details
- Stop forcing yourself to remember every detail and only keep what you need when you need it in a scene.
- Trust your brain to prune irrelevant details so you can be present and respond naturally.
Use A Mental 'Put It Away' Cue
- Deliberately release dead-end ideas by mentally putting them on a shelf or boxing them away during a scene.
- This clears working memory so you can focus on offers and natural responses.