Acting Techniques: Improvisation

Learn the techniques of improvisation and how to effectively apply them to your craft as an actor.

Improvisation is a valuable tool for actors to use while exploring a role. It allows you to be fully engaged during your performances, which in turn helps create nuanced, authentic performances. Taught by a professional acting coach, this course is designed to make you feel comfortable improvising while strengthening your active listening, adaptability, and ability to imagine.

The course begins by exploring the foundational principles of improvisation and how to apply them within the context of scripted scenes. You'll then work on how to develop the character you are portraying, using improvisation to inform your character's identity, motivations, and tactics. Through analysis, guidance, and exercises, you'll learn to apply improvisation to help develop character relationships, discern script tone, and craft your emotional and physical interpretation of your character. You'll also learn to take advantage of moments before your scenes and use the spaces between dialogues effectively in your performance.

Improvisation encourages actors to embrace the unknown without a predefined plan. The goal of this course is to practice risk-taking in a safe space, so that you'll have the confidence and courage to do so in auditions and in life.

What you will learn:

✔ Use improvisational techniques to add depth to your acting
✔ Enhance scripted scenes by improvising the moments before them and infusing dialogue with spontaneity
✔ Strengthen your character development skills
✔ Improve your acting skills by learning to embrace mistakes, listen actively, and react authentically

Join our acting classes online and take your skills to the next level.

What you need to participate:

Computer or mobile device with Internet. Internet speed must be at least 1.5Mbps download and 800Kbps upload. For students using a mobile device, download the Canvas mobile app and select “Interlochen Online” as your school.

How the course works:

Interlochen Online courses are designed to be inspiring and flexible, with weekly learning units that combine video segments and guided instruction that you can complete on your own schedule during the week. You will interact regularly with your teacher and peers inside the learning environment.

You can also participate in an optional weekly hour-long video class meeting, where you can learn from the teacher and interact with your classmates in real-time. At the beginning of the course, you will complete a survey indicating your preferred times for the class meeting. The teacher will make every effort to identify a meeting time that works for everyone. The teacher will also post recordings of the meetings and you can view them when it is convenient.

The goal is that you walk away not only with practical skills and friendships, but that you are inspired and motivated to pursue your art and realize your potential.