Applied Improvisation

From: Janse van Vuuren, P and Kirsten, B. 2017.
SNE Essentials - Strategic Narrative

Embodiment TM Short course in facilitation and coaching.: Playbook. Playing Mantis
People Development consultants (Pty) Ltd : Randburg
Applied Improvisation
What is Applied Improvisation?
Improvisation (without the ‘Applied’ part) is a kind of

theatre or music where performers make up the scenes or
songs on the spot in front of the audience in real time.
Applied Improvisation is the practise of applying and

developing the same skills that actors or musicians use,
but in contexts that are not linked to the stage. These are
contexts like the workplace or in your personal life
where the skills are equally important for success. (For
the historic development and examples of Applied
Improvisation see Wikipedia-article).
That means, instead of learning to act on stage like the

guys from ‘Whose line is it anyway’, , you learn to act
with greater confidence, collaboration and
innovativeness in your work or personal life.
Improve your improv skills e.g.:
 Building rapport and communication skills
 Improving self-confidence and spontaneity

 Knowing when to lead and when to follow
 Finding your creativity and allowing the creativity of
others to flow
 Accepting mistakes and using failure
From: Janse van Vuuren, P and Kirsten, B. 2017. SNE Essentials - Strategic Narrative
 Laughing and playing more
More characteristics of omprov that makes it valuable to

apply as facilitation training skill.
Acting in a set context without the benefit of scripted words

and using only the tacit knowledge accumulated through
experience is called improvisation – the central concept
around which our facilitation revolves. Improvisation draws
on the ability of a group to generate solutions together and
use co-creation to drive the action, and indeed the learning,
forward.
* Improvisation is action-based – participants’ contributions

and understanding can only be received or assessed by the
act of taking part and risking ideas.
* In improvisation participants absorb what they observe,

hear and feel – the faculties of listening and of being
aware of all the information and contributions in the room
are essential.
* Improvisational learning is a whole-brain whole-body

approach, involving as many of a person’s senses and
faculties as possible.
* Improvising is a team effort, building relationships,

communication skills and connection between the people
who improvise together. This further supports learning.
* Improvisation builds confidence as it challenges

participants to risk their intuitive and personal knowledge,
and when they do, it is received and used without

judgement.
* Improvisation incorporates diverse ideas into a sense-

making whole, letting all participants feel valued and
included in a shared vision.
* Improvisation lowers anxiety and resistance to new ideas

and change because it creates safety by rewarding risk and
building relationships between participants.
* Improvisation supports personal healing by helping the

right brain regulate stressful and limiting psychological
states of mind, enabling the individual to be more flexible
and adaptive.
We can call the set of skills that applied improvisation

teaches improv-sense.
Improv-sense is the ability to know when to listen and

observe, when to take action and initiative, and how to mix
the two into a dance of intuitive sensing and responding. It is
the skill and art of improvising in the moment and trusting
that the outcome is what it needs to be. These skills are
essential for creative participation in finding solutions that
individuals can own and use. Improv-sense is a skill with
three layers:
1. Listen and be aware of one another.

2. Step in with confidence and risk your ideas.
3. ‘Yes, and …’, that is, work together to let all the diverse
ideas integrate into a coherent whole.
Each of these three is broken into three or four aspects to

help us unpack their power.
Listen
1. Be present and aware – be here, now with these people
to do this.
2. Slow down – match your body clock.
3. Be curious – don’t make judgements.
Step in
4. Risk and use mistakes – make it safe to fail.
5. Show, don’t tell – actions speak louder than words.
6. Give and take control – step into the flow zone.
Yes, and …
7. Accept fully – everything is useful.
8. Participate wholeheartedly – boots and all.
9. Make your partner look good – let go of ego.
10. Share the vision – focus and reincorporate.
Listen
1. Be present and aware – be here, now, with these people,

to do this.
Questions to stimulate your thinking:
 Are you present and aware of your own thoughts and
feelings as you facilitate?
 Are you also tuned in to those of your participants,
instead of thinking of the content you are
presenting?
 Do you structure activities so that participants need
to tune in with one another?
Walking exercise
Aims:
 To introduce the difference between script and
improvisation, or between top-down leadership and
shared responsibility.
 To help participants experience the difference
between being ‘checked out’ and being present and
aware.
Time: 15 min
Number of participants: 6–50
Game flow:
Have the participants walk around the space, spreading them
out evenly across the floor. Tell them to stop when you clap
your hands and to start walking when you clap again. Do this
for a while, varying the intervals. Then tell the participants
that they have to do exactly the same thing, walking and
stopping at the same time, without you clapping your hands. It
is important that the participants do not talk during the
exercise. When participants clap or lead in any other manner,
ask them to try without a leader.
Debriefing questions:
 What was interesting about the exercise?
 What was different between the first and second
rounds?
 Who was in control in the first and second rounds?
 What did you do to be successful?
123
Aims:
 To help participants see the difference between
collaboration and individual ownership of a process.
 To invite the brain to let go its scripts.
 To access whole-brain thinking.
Time: 5–10 minutes
Number of participants: In pairs
Game flow:
Ask the group to divide into pairs and face each other. Let
them count to three, each person contributing the next
number alternately. Demonstrate using a volunteer. It should
look and sound something like this:
A: 1
B: 2
A: 3
B: 1
A: 2
B: 3 etc.
Have the participants do this for a while.
 What did it feel like counting like this?
 What made it difficult?
 If you had to do it again, what would you do
differently to make fewer mistakes?
 What happened when you made a mistake?
 What influence did this exercise have on your
relationship with your partner?
Variation:
Replace the numbers with sounds, movements and words.
2. Slow down – match your body clock.

 Are you able to let go of the need to drive the
process to its conclusion, and slow down to a pace
that keeps everyone on board?
 Can you capture the attention of participants so that
they too remain checked in, as opposed to watching
the clock and wanting to rush through the
experience?
 Can you see where to cut your process so that you
honour time constraints?
Group counting
Aims:
 To learn patience, listening and silence.
 To help talkers to listen and listeners to contribute.
Time: 5–10 min
Game flow:
Everyone stands in a circle. Participants have to count from
one to 20 in order. There is no planning or designated order.
It is random. Each person can say the next number whenever
they wish. When two players start to say a number at the
same time they have to start from one again. After a while of
not succeeding, give any of the following tips:
 See if it helps to close your eyes or focus on the
centre of the circle.
 Do not speak when you are anxious.
 Slow down and do not be afraid of silences.
 What did it feel like playing the game?
 What helped you to get better at the game?
 How did you decide when it was your turn?
 When did you decide to stay silent?
Monster talk
Aims:
 To experience the effect of pre-empting when we
mean to listen.
 To learn the value of slowing down.
Time: 5–15 min
Game flow:
Ask participants to pair up with another player. Tell them that
they are going to have a conversation and that the listener
must mirror the speaker’s words as she speaks. Ask a
volunteer to help you give an example. The aim of the
exercise is to speak at exactly the same time, so if the speaker
notices that the listener is struggling to keep up, the speaker
must slow down. The result sounds a bit like Dory speaking
Whale in the movie ‘Finding Nemo’.
 What did you notice while playing the game?
 How was your listening different than usual?
 What made the exercise difficult?
 What could you do to make it easier?
3. Be curious – don’t make judgements.

 Do you accept the contributions and responses of
participants without judgement and with a sense of
wonder and curiosity?
 Do you see them as capable, willing and resourceful
people who have valid feelings and good reasons for
every response?
 Are you interested in their inner workings and
motivations?
Interview with a time traveller

Aim:
 To cultivate a sense of curious listening, intense focus
on the other, and a desire to understand them.
Time: 5–15 min
Game flow:
Ask participants to pair up. They decide who will be the
interviewer and who will be the time traveller. Interviewers
each choose an example of modern technology like a
microwave or a cell phone that they will explain to their time
traveller. The time travellers each decide from what era they
have travelled from. The interviewers then explain the
technology to the time travellers so that they can understand
what it is and how it works.
 What was interesting about playing this game?
 What did it feel like to be the interviewer/
time traveller?
 How did interviewers explain so that the time travellers
could understand?
I’m curious …
Aims:
 To teach the art of questioning.
 To introducing the difference between genuine
curiosity and opinions disguised as interest.
Time: 5–15 min
Game flow:
Ask participants to pair up. Instruct them to pick a
controversial topic of which each chooses an opposite point
of view. One participant shares their point of view and the
other participant is only allowed to respond with curious
questions. It helps if they start their questions with the words
‘I’m curious …’
Tell them to be careful not to disguise their own point of
view in the form of a question. The questions must come
from genuine curiosity and not from judgement.
Time them for 3 minutes or so and then let them swop.
The other participant now explains their point of view while
the first asks curious questions. Again give the same amount
of time.
 What struck you about this exercise?
 What did it feel like to ask only curious questions?
 What was it like being listened to in this way?
 How was your listening different than usual?
Step in
4. Risk and use mistakes – make it safe to fail.

 Are you able to create a feeling of safety so that
participants feel able to take part?
 Do you accept their mistakes as well as your own?
 How do you create trust so that participants feel they
can take creative risks?
Circus bow
Aim:
 To explore the relationship between safety, risk and
failure – explore what a no-blame culture might offer.
Time: 10 min
Number of participants: 2–200 in pairs.
Game flow:
Have the participants stand in a circle. Tell them that everyone
will get the chance to step forward into the circle, then say
anything along the lines of ‘I made a mistake’ or ‘I failed’ and
then give a big bow. The rest of the group then give a round of
applause.
This exercise is called circus bow, because whenever a
trapeze artist makes a mistake and falls down into the net, he
will make a summersault out of the net and bow towards the
audience as if that was exactly what was supposed to happen.
 How did it make you feel being applauded for a
mistake?
 How did it feel to applaud the others?
 What can we learn from this exercise?
 How can we help one another to feel safe to take risks?
This is not a …
Aims:
 To generate lateral thinking and come up with new ideas.
 To create a safe environment for risk-taking.
 To experience the value of embodiment over telling.
Number of participants: 4–12 (if there are more than 12, divide
them into smaller circles)
Game flow:
Delegates stand in a circle. Place an ordinary object in the middle
of the circle (anything like an empty bottle or a kitchen
appliance). Tell them that everyone will get a chance to step
forward, pick up the object and say “This is not a … (‘bottle’, for
example) this is … (anything else, for example, ‘a telescope’)”.
The participant must then show how the object is used as this
new object. For example, if it is a telescope the participant can
hold it in front of his or her eye and look around the room.
Everyone should come up with at least three different ideas.
This stretches them to think creatively and challenges their belief
about what is actually possible and plausible. Most participants
will think it will be impossible for everyone to come up with three
different ideas, but in fact there are endless possibilities.
Treat each suggestion as equally creative and encourage the
participants to support one another by applauding each idea.
 How did it feel to participate?
 What made it difficult?
 What helped to make it easier?
5. Show, don’t tell – actions speak louder than words.

Questions to guide your thinking:
 Do you design experiential exercises that let
participants do things, rather than just talk or think
about them?
 Can you confidently take action when needed
instead of being paralysed by thoughts and feelings?
 Can you and your participants ‘behave’ or ‘act’
yourselves to success?
Tableaus
Aim:
 To let go the need to talk and plan before taking
action.
Game flow:
Delegates form groups of four. Tell them that you are going to
call out different concepts like shapes, objects, animals or
emotions. Once you’ve called the concept they must, without
speaking or directing one another, make a statue with their
bodies that represents the concept. If they struggle to go into
action, give them a time limit and start counting down from
10. Tell them to resist the urge to have the whole picture
planned before taking action. Once one person starts by
forming part of the image the rest must just build on their idea.
 What struck you about this exercise?
 How does leadership operate in this exercise?
 What was it like not being able to talk or direct?
 What did you do to be successful?
‘Yes, and …’
7. Accept fully – everything is useful.
 Do you structure your facilitation so that people can
contribute their ideas?
 Do you then use and incorporate these ideas?
 How do you ensure that all voices are heard and
acknowledged?
 Do you appreciate and applaud the gifts of
contribution in whatever form they appear?
‘Yes, and …’ vs. ‘Yes, but …’

Aims:
 To experience the difference between ‘Yes, and ...’
and ‘Yes, but ...’.
 To debate the relative value of each.
 To identify the costs and benefits of each.
 To appreciate, acknowledge and incorporate.
Time: 10–15 min

Game flow:
Let everyone pair up with a partner. Together they have to
plan a company party. One must start by sharing an idea. The
other replies with the words ‘Yes, but’ and a reason why the
idea cannot work, and then this participant shares another
idea. The first then replies with ‘Yes, but …’ and so they go
back and forth blocking each other’s ideas. After a while, stop
them and ask them to plan the same party, but this time
instead of saying ‘Yes, but’, they must start their sentences
with ‘Yes, and’, accepting the other’s idea and building on it.
 What was the difference between blocking and
accepting?
 What are the benefits and costs of both?
 Which do we most often encounter in ordinary life?
Why?
8. Participate wholeheartedly – boots and all.

 Are you fully committed to your material and your
audience?
 Can you build and maintain an enthusiastic energy
throughout, withholding nothing and engaging with
all your heart?
 Can you fully let go and commit to the process,
trusting that what is, is what needs to be?
Yes, let’s!
Aims:
 To experience unquestioning acceptance of an idea.
 To experience giving and receiving support for
different ideas.
 To play with story-making and contribution.
Time: 15 min
Game flow:
Have everyone walk around in the space. Tell them that any-
one in the group can make a suggestion for an action, such as
‘Let’s climb a tree!’ or ‘Let’s bake a cake!’ Everyone then
replies with the words ‘Yes, let’s!’, and mimes the action with
enthusiasm. At any point someone else can make a new
suggestion and everyone replies again with ‘Yes, let’s!’ and
again mimes the action. Continue until everyone has made at
least one suggestion. I works best when the ideas build on
each other rather than when it is a brand new idea each time.
 How do you feel after playing this exercise?
 How did it feel to have your suggestions supported?
 How did it feel to support other’s ideas with so much
enthusiasm?
9. Make your partner look good – let go of ego.

 Can you share the stage, acknowledging and
appreciating contributions from participants as
equals (no power games)?
 Can you accept them as equals even if they are
younger than you/from a different class/race or
gender?
 Do your activities help participants to connect with
one another as equals?
The rant
Aim:
 To learn how to listen beneath the emotion.
 To practise being appreciative.
Time: 10–15 min

Game flow:
Participants pair up and sit in chairs facing each other. Tell
them to think of something that really irritates them. Each
participant gets a chance to rant about this frustration for two
minutes while their partner just listens. Tell them to fill the
whole two minutes. The listener’s task is to listen past the
frustration for the underlying value that is really important to
the speaker. When the two minutes are up the listener
responds with the words ‘I hear you really care about…’ The
value that the listener listens for must be something positive.
For example, if the speaker rants about how she hates it when
people are late, the listener shouldn’t say ‘I hear you really
care about people not being late’. A better response could be
‘I hear you really care about respecting someone else’s time’.
 What did it feel like being listened to in this way?
 What did it feel like listening in this way?
Gifts
Aims:
 To practise appreciation.
 To experience the interplay between giving and
receiving.
Time: 15 min
Game flow:
Have the participants stand in a circle. If there are more than
12 players let them pair up. Tell them to hand one another
imaginary gifts. The giver only makes a physical gesture with
her hands. The receiver then justifies the shape and weight of
the giver by naming it appropriately. The receiver accepts the
gift with enthusiasm as if it is the one thing they have always
wanted.
When doing the game in a circle, let people pass gifts around
the circle. In other words everyone gives a gift to the person
on his left or right. Only one person gives a gift at a time while
the others observe. When doing it in pairs, the partners just
give each other gifts.
 How did it feel to have your gift appreciated like this?
 What did it feel like receiving the gift?
 How does this apply to creativity and collaboration?
10. Share the vision – focus and reincorporate.

 Are you clear about your intentions for every part of
the workshop, letting your audience share and help
manage that intent?
 Are you able to maintain that focus in spite of all the
contributions and sharing of ideas?
 Are you good at reincorporating ideas into the
activity to follow the shared vision?
‘Yes, and’ story

Aims:
 To practise listening and reincorporation.
 To learn to work together towards a shared vision.
Time: 20 min
Game flow:
Everyone sit in a circle. Get a name for an original story from
the participants. Anyone in the circle may start to tell the
story by saying an opening sentence. The person on their left
then builds on the opening line by adding the next sentence to
the story, starting their sentence with ‘Yes, and’. The person
on their left then adds the next sentence, also starting with
‘Yes, and’. Continue telling the story, each person contributing
until it comes to a conclusion.
 What made this exercise difficult?
 What did you do to make it easier?
 What would you do next time to tell a better story?
 How did the title help or inhibit the storytelling?
Variation: Tell the story one word at a time.
Let’s reflect
Personal ‘yes, and …’

Think about what it is that you want to change in your
coaching/facilitation practice as a result of today’s learning.
Pick the thing that seems the most meaningful, and possibly
most daunting.
Write this on the card by completing the first sentence

I really want …
Now complete the second sentence by listing no more than

three obstacles that may be in your way of getting what you
want.
But …
Next, cross out the ‘But’ and replace it with ‘And’. The
obstacles now become conditions for the solution.
Now brainstorm some ideas that meet these conditions by
starting a third sentence with the words:
So what if …

Applied Improvisation

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From: Janse van Vuuren, P and Kirsten, B. 2017.

SNE Essentials - Strategic Narrative

Improvisation (without the ‘Applied’ part) is a kind of

Applied Improvisation is the practise of applying and

That means, instead of learning to act on stage like the

Improve your improv skills e.g.:

 Building rapport and communication skills

 Improving self-confidence and spontaneity

 Laughing and playing more

More characteristics of omprov that makes it valuable to

Acting in a set context without the benefit of scripted words

* Improvisation is action-based – participants’ contributions

* In improvisation participants absorb what they observe,

* Improvisational learning is a whole-brain whole-body

* Improvising is a team effort, building relationships,

* Improvisation builds confidence as it challenges

and when they do, it is received and used without

* Improvisation incorporates diverse ideas into a sense-

* Improvisation lowers anxiety and resistance to new ideas

* Improvisation supports personal healing by helping the

We can call the set of skills that applied improvisation

Improv-sense is the ability to know when to listen and

1. Listen and be aware of one another.

Each of these three is broken into three or four aspects to

1. Be present and aware – be here, now, with these people,

2. Slow down – match your body clock.

3. Be curious – don’t make judgements.

Interview with a time traveller

4. Risk and use mistakes – make it safe to fail.

5. Show, don’t tell – actions speak louder than words.

‘Yes, and …’ vs. ‘Yes, but …’

Time: 10–15 min

8. Participate wholeheartedly – boots and all.

9. Make your partner look good – let go of ego.

Time: 10–15 min

10. Share the vision – focus and reincorporate.

‘Yes, and’ story

Personal ‘yes, and …’

Write this on the card by completing the first sentence

Now complete the second sentence by listing no more than

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