I began taking improv classes because I needed to have more socialization in my life. My best friend moved suddenly and then a couple other friends I had moved as well. For six or seven months, I experienced feelings of loneliness and isolation and needed to meet new people. I checked out the community education listings and saw a class about acting and improv and for it was for people in the 55+ age group. I could be with my people! I didn’t think that I would be embarrassed by anything. By the time you reach a certain age, a lot of that personal judgment tends to fall away. So I joined the Tuesday class about five years ago, back when the classes were held at 2605 Hennepin and I’ve been coming ever since. I love the community and I looked forward to the laughs. This has made my life whole again.

There’s a lot of healing things about improv. Not only the aspect of socialization, but how you learn to listen to other people and yourself. You learn to say yes to yourself as well as other people. I’m able to be a better listener around my husband and not put my thoughts in his words. We’ve been teaching each other in this way and it’s made us better communicators. My husband teaches tai chi, and what he does is very similar to what improv does for me. When you’re in a scene, you’re not thinking about what is going on later that day or tomorrow – you’re seeing just what is present in front of you.

It helps you shed off what’s sometimes referred to as the “monkey mind” that’s telling you what you should be doing and worrying about what people will think or say. I’m able to relate a lot of what I’m learning in improv with my husband because both of our practices are grounded in the mind-body connection. Tai Chi is about meditation in movement, and the repetition of movements after you learn the exercises. It’s so similar to the games we do in improv, and how so many of our interactions involve moving and engaging the body to be as present as possible.

Before improv, I would get frustrated over things I had no control over – especially when driving. It was easy to get tense and have a lot of internal judgment about what other people should or should not be doing. With improv, you’re responsible for yourself and what happens to you in a scene when you’re with a scene partner. You can’t control what they’re going to say or do.

I apply improv to my life with how I react to what my friends and peers are saying and doing. Improv helps me stay true and honor myself and give my most honest reaction. That’s the reaction that goes to the heart of people. And when you can be honest with yourself out in the world and have honest reactions, then that lovingness that you show yourself relieves a lot of stress. You’re not having to live up to someone else’s expectations and you are able to show up and just be.

Linda Nation, Current BNW SU Student in Everyday Improv for Seniors

Be Brave. Do Improv.