decluttering

I am a creative person, and before I started doing improv as a hobby, I used to imagine that the more complicated you make something, the better it is.

Then, I was in improv class one day and the teacher said something poignant. She said that most people assume the point of improv is to make some random sassy complicated joke and make people laugh. But in fact, that is not true. The actual point of improv is to build connections between human beings through simple effective yes/no communication.

The main point of improv is to say yes to whatever your partner says. It can be as complicated as going into space on an elephant’s back. Or it can be as simple as going for a walk in nature and enjoying the surroundings.

Before I heard that, I always tried to come up with complicated routines that would make people laugh, but also create mystery, enigma, and perhaps, even confusion in people’s minds.

Now, I am going the opposite route.