Welcome to my applied improvisation page. Here are links to all my writings, experiences and created exercises for improvisational work. Some are hosted here, some on other sites.
You are welcome to use these resources in your own practice. Please reference the material back to here. Many more resources at the Applied Improvisation Network.
The Golden Rule of Applied Improvisation
The skilled applied improviser always improvises the improvisation they are applying.
Exercises and Activities
Aftermath – an exercise for exploring a difficult organisational or business change
A Rather Different Improvisation Warm-up – using simple drawing to tune into group improvising
Assertiveness Scenarios – used in my improvisation sessions on this theme
The Breath Improvisation – an exercise in harmony/convergence, and a neat little breathing exercise for impro groups
Climbing down towards Naturalism – a quirky workshop activity to find the right level
Contemptuous Customer Care Theatre scenarios – for use in improvisation workshops
Crossing the Line – an exercise in unity, individuality, community and presence
Crystal Ball – an exercise exploring future into present
Dance of Breathing 1 – a pure improvisation activity
Dance of Breathing 2 – a pure improvisation activity
Dance of Breathing 3 – focus on attention
Dashing Duality – a high octane Energiser
DAWAW Panels – an improvisational devils’ advocate technique
Debriefing an Applied Improvisation Activity – practical advice
The Enormous Group Warm up – an energiser for 100s of people
Exploring Originality and Cliche – two activities (Posted on AIN)
Exploring Resonance – an activity
Falling into Improvisation – a simple breathing activity that explores group focus and response
Finding Our Connection – a simple connector activity
Fingertip Connection – an activity exploring improvisation and texting
The Four-Word Poem – a fun, simple activity exploring creativity and writing (Posted in AIN)
Ghosts – an activity for exploring new organisational states
The Glass – a storytelling activity (Posted on AIN)
The Graveyard Activity – for exploring biograpphy, personal development and career
Hand on Hand – A Simple and Raw Improvisation Activity
Improvisational “Anchors” – some practical notes
The Improvised Banking Crisis – an activity exploring pitching and persuasion, investment and risk
The Improvised Vicinity Game – a fun and touching exploration of communication and stories (Posted on AIN)
Into the Woods – an Encounter Improvisation Exercise
Into the Dark – a collaborative improvisation exercise
Leap into Simplicity – an activity exploring “lean” and essence
Let there be Light! – the use of lighting in applied improvisation activities
Moments of Connection – an improvisation exercise
My Card! – a fun energiser
Not This – an activity for defining and clarifying
Portrait Gallery – a fun improvisation activity exploring stillness, meaning and interpretation
Our “basic” exercise – three rules for improvisation (inspired by Spindrift Theatremakers)
Personification – an experiment in personfiying problems
Rain – a lovely contact improvisation exercise
Scripted Improvisation – we can bring the quality of improvisation to our scripts in life and at work, meeting them anew, as if for the first time
Shadow Improvisation – an activity for finding the present moment (Posted on AIN)
Silence and Patience – a naturalistic improvisation activity
The Silent Story – a virtual improvisation activity exploring collaboration
Stand up, sit down, lie down – an activity for exploring organisational positions and conversational processes
Sweeping Away the Cobwebs – the importance of warm-ups and “clearing”
Theme Song Improvisation – an activity for presentation and speaking skills
The Moment after the Improvisational Moment – a strange activity
The Turnaround Game – an activity for exploring turnaround.
Tender Breath – An Essential Breathing Improvisation – contact at a simple level
The Upside Down Talking Stick – a powerful activity for exploring silence and leadership
The Wind of Change – an activity for exploring change
Verbal Tweeting – a fun activity exploring the idea that less is more
Articles, Ideas and Reflections
A More Profound Path to Creativity – a challenging view
Art and Critical Incidents in Organisation – a case for
Connectedness – a short essay
Connectedness in Theatre – an article
Defining Impro! – a naughty critique of the cult of Keith (posted on AIN)
Definitions of Improvisation – revisited (posted on AIN)
Evolutionary or Evollusionary Theatre – an intiguing view for theatre practice
Falling into Fear – improvising fear: some grand challenges (posted on AIN)
Falling into Positivity – the role of misery in Improvisation and also Insipid Positivity (posted on AIN)
Five recession-based themes for a recession based impro workshop
Focus and Gaze in Acting – a metaphor for managing in life and work
Getting Work in Applied Improvisation – a post-meltdown article
Having Decidedness – a perspective on spontaneity and facilitator
Icebreakers or Icemakers ? – the role of energisers at impro events (posted on AIN)
Improvisation and Scripts – notes from a theatre experiment
Improvisation, ghosts and exorcism as a method of change
Joyful Improvisation – a look at laughter and laughs
Justifying Arts in Business – an essay
Leadership “in the Moment” – a short essay
Let there be Light! – using lighting in applied improvisation
Moving beyond Left-Brain/Right-Brain (posted on AIN)
On Leadership – definitions and some reflections linked to improvisation themes (posted on AIN)
Overcoming Resistance to Change – a basic model for Impro Exercises (posted on AIN)
Soul Touch in Drama – an airy perspective!
Stepping into the Moment – my applied improvisation philosophy
Stepping into the moment before the moment!
Theatre – an Evolutionary Approach
The Danger of Games in Improvisation – a critical viewpoint
The Essence of Improvisation – a fundamental view
The Importance of Distraction in Performance (posted on AIN)
The Inner Attitude of Wonder – on authentic facilitation of applied improvisation
The Institutionalisation of Spontaneity – a challenging view of our field
Two New Principles of Applied Improvisation – breaking new ground here!
Unimprovisation – it’s importance a way of dealing with group chaos
Using Art and Theatre in Training – an essay – good for use in proposals and pitches
What is Spontaneity? Some questions and thoughts (posted on AIN)
What is to be done with Improvisation? – a critique of institutionalised improv
Where do you stand? – practical tips on where an applied improviser should stand in a workshop room
Working, “living lightly” and negative innovation – an exploration of simplicity and improvisation
Virtual Improvisation – Activities and Articles
(I’ve posted the following activities and articles on the Applied Improvisation Network)
140 Character Conversation – A virtual improv activity, taking applied improvisation to the borderland between face to face and text-based communication
An experiment in virtual creativity – Notes
Dealing with the Invisible in a Virtual Improv Training Session – An article
Fingertip Connection – An activity exploring virtual connection
How should I speak on the phone? – Two Applied Improvisation Activities
Improvised storytelling as visual radio – A virtual improvisation activity
Reflections on a virtual improv session – December 2011
The Silent Story – A virtual improv activity
