Connecting Virtually

Improv is a wonderful tool for connecting with one another, and we are so grateful to reach a wide variety of communities through our Improv for Wellness program. And, did you know that most of the Improv for Wellness programs take place online?

As we all know, video conferencing technology became essential during the height of the pandemic. Improv for Work and Wellness President, Dan Dumsha, was uncertain at first about doing improv over live video, but now, a few years down the line, virtual programming has helped us connect with more people than ever.

Offering programs through virtual meeting platforms means that we can not only reach people across geography, from big cities to small communities to the other side of the world, but we can offer connection and wellness when in-person programming might not be accessible. For some participants, having to leave the house and having to travel to the event would mean not being able to participate in weekly improv classes.

And you might still be skeptical. How can you do improv classes over video calls? True to improv, we adapt. Standing games become seated games, paired exercises are played in breakout rooms, and virtual filters and immersive views become new costumes and stages to be inspired by.

Despite being through a screen, the connections built through improv are palpable. The PD Performance Troupe, for example, has been rehearsing together for more than 5 years, mostly online! And, when I finally got to meet some of them in-person, I felt like I already knew them, because I did. Or, when I’m facilitating Improv for Parkinson’s Level 1, I feel deeply connected with the participants over the 6-week course. We laugh together, learn from each other, and share powerful reflections. Or, when I drop into Improv for Brain Health, I’m delighted to see the familiar faces of a community who meet every week to make each other laugh until they cry.

Hesitant about trying improv virtually? I encourage you to give it a try, and be surprised by the connections you’ll make and the fun you’ll have.

Written by Rosemary Morrison, Improv for Wellness Manager