A resource for the the thoughtful improviser

The excellent The Way of Improvisation website has a whole bunch of new articles up, including one by me, in which I walk about rediscovering workshops and the workshop space. It’s relevant not only to improv, but also to life off off the stage and outside of the workshop room.

Working out the Stagnation
 A couple of years ago I stopped taking improv workshops. It wasn’t a conscious choice, I just didn’t. Not coincidentally, when I performed – which I continued to do regularly – the risk, discovery and joy decreased. My performances suffered from something I now recognize as stagnation.

I’ve moved beyond that phase – I now frequently teach locally and internationally. And, as I spend more of my time developing and leading workshops, I’m also participating in as many as I can. I’ve been loving all of it, and the joy and risk have returned onstage.

This renewed emphasis on training has reminded me of something quite basic: the workshop space is an important part of any practice. It’s where we’re encouraged to make mistakes, and be introduced to, and really play with, new elements.

Read the rest of the article here. And while you’re there, check out a few others. There are plenty of good pieces up there.