East Vancouver theatre hosts weekly improv for wellness events

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The Tightrope Theatre in East Vancouver is offering improv events every Monday until Nov. 27 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm to promote mental well-being. The weekly sessions are open to anyone.

Located in Mount Pleasant, the theatre has been hosting weekly in-person jams since September to teach improv, which is where live performers make up their material on the spot.

“When we do a show on stage, the goal of the players is to be authentically present and available to create with each other,” says Dan Dumsha, director of improv for work and wellness at the theatre.

“So those skills that make great improv also translate for us in the world to be able to better connect with people, to have meaningful, deep connections, and to be enriched by those connections. We find that promotes wellness because when you are present, and you’re inviting people in in real time, it creates communication that’s positive and inclusive.”

Dumsha says an instructor usually shares a theme for each jam with participants, such as listening and co-creation.

“One of the themes they were exploring lately was reciprocity, this idea of giving and taking and how these improv skills promote wellness,” he says. 

The jams begin with 15 minutes of socializing before the instructor establishes a safe space by demonstrating gestures that indicate a pass and timeout for participants to use as needed. Participants also share any boundaries they have as well as their pronouns and a goal for the jam.

From there, the group will warm up their imagination, voice, and body before doing a couple of improv exercises and games that explore the theme. After a five-minute break, participants have the opportunity to get on stage and play some of the games with others.

Dumsha says while some may choose to stay in the audience, participants often “want to get up there, build their confidence, take a risk, and try it in front of the group.”

If there are not enough people on stage, the group continues to play more games, with performances ending at 5:45 pm, allowing participants the remainder of the time to socialize.

“One of our missions is to build community, so we have that buffer time before and after, where people can connect, and they can ask any questions,” Dumsha says. 

He also says improv helps participants listen to others. It also helps people to stop worrying, plan ahead, or evaluate what they have already performed.

By staying in the present and being calm, he says participants can connect and improve creativity with each other. As wellness is something anyone can benefit from, Dumsha says theatre staff do not ask people why they came to the session. 

Each jam has a pay-what-you-can registration, where $15 is the recommended donation.

“We knew that finances could be a barrier for people. … We didn’t want that to stand in the way of this important benefit for folks and the opportunity to build a community with people who are interested in trying out improv and using it to promote wellness,” Dumsha says.

Dumsha hopes participants take the improv skills, such as paying attention to people and co-creating, and apply them into their own lives, so they can better deal with anxiety, feel more confident, and connect with others.

They’re looking to host more improv sessions in the new year and will be announced soon, according to their website. 

To register for their session on Nov. 27, visit https://bitly.ws/ZUF6.