Improvisation
Thoughts on the book 'Impro' by Keith Johnson
I've enjoyed the Status and Spontaneity chapters so much, and think they're super insightful writing about human psychology and interpersonal relationships: we want people to be low status without feeling sympathy for them (man falling on a banana skin); you can play high status (talking with a still head, ignoring eye contact and not glancing back; occupying more space vs feet pointing inwards; slow movement vs jerking suddenly) or low status( you're a teacher but in the wrong class: instead of students, there are governors: status instantly drops. Another game: one of you is late, one of you is waiting: scene; add insult to each sentence, invent a foreign language; Person x: "it's Tuesday" person y: "Oh no! it can't be! it's the day predicted of my death by the gypsies"...etc
The narrative skills chapter is mildly interesting, and by the time we get to the masks and trance chapter, things becomes a slog to get through: like, ok, we get it already: the mask takes over, the actor becomes entranced, and things get dangerous, but you don't need to tell us a million stories about that.
The important takeaways for me are: a) good teachers can activate a child's imagination through good teaching methods( have children take care of each other instead of compete; provide positive comments; take the blame for the wrong material you provide..) b) people are playing high status/low status all the time in real life without even realizing it, and playing either is not necessarily bad, but being rigid is, and one has to be okay with being flexible in status in response to the situation they're in. c) your imagination is not your personality, and in order for you to become imaginative, you gotta stop trying to be original, stop blocking( if a stranger says "as I leave and breath, it's john, we met last year in Bali, right? just roll with it: "well, of course, I haven't seen you since, whatever happened to your venture fund?"), and just let things flow naturally, and then joke about whatever comes out. Your authentic self is imprisoned, free it! d)Education inhibits creativity. When playing games like be sad now tell me why you're sad, you should trust your mind and say the first thing that comes to it, however psychotic, be warm and spontaneous, don't inhibiting what you think is insane thoughts but rather say them then joke abt them( im not saying thaaaat..) trying to be original inhibits creativity( accept your first thoughts instead) striving after originality takes you far way from your true self and make you mediocre. You can say yes and open an adventure( is your name smith? Yes: low status/and what if it is: high status) or no and demolition your partner. We're good at suppressing action,/blocking, impro is reversing, developing action/ playing along and be open to what develops. Accepting offers( dull vs interesting: as if things were prearranged: don't think up an offer but assume that one has been made) didn't I forbid you to be taller than me? You can choose an interesting life by controlling the co vicious patterns of your behavior( being natural and open to offers as opposed to blocking and saying no); extreme effect to an inconsequential remark( its tuesday. Oh no it canr be the day predicted of my death by the gypsies. Yes but game: is this your dog, yes but im selling him... etc.
[ ] The imagination is our true self, not our personality; reading about spontaneity wont make you spontaneous, trying to be imaginative wont make you imaginative.
supplemental notes:
Teaching: getting otherwise dull students to care about each others progress instead of competititveness; laying the blame on the teacher for giving wrong material is students fail; positive comments.
Seesaw principle( status contrast: "I got the part" vs "they thought I was too old" alternate lowering of patterns status: I smell beautiful vs you stink. We want people to be low status without feeling sympathy for them( man falling on a banana skin: automatic but absolves is of the need for sympathy) ; you can play high status or low status( talking with a still head, with hands on face vs away; ignorig eye contact and not glancing back; occupying more space vs feet pointing inwards, position of feet influence stricture of words; slow movement vs jerking suddenly.
[ ] Space is important, it can contract or expands depending on the people involved. Crucial to understand that human relationships are defined through pecking orders.
[ ] Spontaneity: you can turn an unimaginative into an imaginative in a moment: children lose it after age 11 and start to imitate adults, at class imagination should be encouraged. Once we define as self expression it becomes inhibiting to the artist cz know he has to deal with expectations and criticism, should rather be perceived as a vehicle for art.
[ ]
[ ] Narrative skills: you can have someone invent a story by asking them questions. Games: you're on a beach. Is it sandy or stoney? .. where are you? In a box. Who put you there? My aunt... youre walking along a pond. Yes, you fall and get eaten by a crocodile . making a story by interrupting a rountine; saying something unexpected to partner to create a narrative. What time it is? 4 o clock. It's time to begin. Must we? You know how strict he is.