Improv and Artversity at KPU

Finding ways for students to share their performing art talents

Previously, students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University wishing to take part in theatre, dance, singing, or improv were left with few avenues on campus to showcase their talents. Improv groups, in particular, are growing in popularity at large universities across North America, with the largest presence in the United States.

With its popularity slowly starting to creep across the borders and branching out to more schools across Canada, could we use a group like this at Kwantlen? Perhaps, seeing as how a few enterprising KPU students have come together to create a club for students hoping to get involved in the field of performing arts.

“I feel that there are so many talented KPU students and they need a club to represent them,” says Argel Monte de Ramos, co-creator of Artversity. “This will be the mother club of all future performing arts clubs.”

Artversity is a way for students to take performing arts of any variety—dancing, singing, acting, improv—and bring it to the group. “There are no prerequisites to joining Artversity and we will not be conducting any auditions,” says Monte de Ramos. “In fact, we are encouraging everyone to join.”

At the end of every semester there will be a variety show put on to showcase the talents of the club members, but if you can’t wait that long, every month there will be open mics for all students to come, practice, perform, and enjoy.

Beyond the borders of the campus, there are other student groups with similar goals.

“The two active college/university groups in town are UBC Improv and 11:07 at Trinity Western,” says Angela Galanopoulos, a Vancouver Improv performer, actor and voiceover artist.

UBC will be hosting their annual IMPULSE Improv Festival from March 16-19. The festival consists of four teams from UBC, as well as teams from all over Canada and the USA. The festival is four nights of workshops with various instructors, networking with talented improvisers locally and globally, and “non-stop improvised hilarity.”

Artversity has no competitions set for the near future as it was only recently created. With a community of university groups though, there is great potential.

Meetings are every Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in Fir 128. For more information about Artversity, contact argel.montederamos@kpu.ca.