The Hideout teaches five levels of improv classes, and we thought it might be illuminating for you to hear from the students in their own words.
Here’s Kathleen Nakozy, a current level 4 student:
I began improv thinking I was a funny person. But in Level 1 improv class, I quickly realized that I’m not funny. I was discouraged after the first few classes. I watched my teacher’s troupe perform and thought, “These people are funny. I can’t do that because, as it turns out, I’m not funny.”
I kept at it and moved on to Level 2 because classes at the Hideout were so fun. Then I moved on to Level 3 and Level 4. Somewhere in there, I had a second revelation — trying to be funny isn’t the point. The point is not trying to do anything, to lose your ego and just be up there, improvising.
It’s not that great improvisers are naturally funny. People just look funny when they don’t know what the hell they’re doing. And I think the more you get into it, the funnier you look.
But, I may be over-thinking it.
-Kathleen Nacozy
Kathleen’s absolutely right. One of the first things we teach students in our classes is to let go of the pressure of trying to be funny. Trying too hard to be funny is one way to guarantee that you won’t be.
An audience wants to see people on stage who are relaxed, confident, having a good time, and willing to risk failure. They want to feel like you’ve “got this”, and that they’re taken care of.
It may sound strange, but we’re really teaching you how to have fun… in any situation, no matter what is thrown at you. You learn to not care about looking cool, and instead to focus on and roll with whatever the moment is giving you. And if you’re relaxed, having a good time, listening, and talking faster than you can think, the audience will think you’re brillliant…
and funny.
Wanna experience the revelations that Kathleen had first hand? A level one class starts soon (tomorrow, Saturday at 3pm as of this writing). Sign up here.