One of the many things the pandemic taught us was how important it is to feel socially connected to each other. After not being able to see each other or do our usual activities, finding a “new normal” was a difficult adjustment. For me, it felt as if I was standing up after my legs fell asleep for some time – I knew the mechanics of a conversation, but I felt so clumsy doing so. From casual group activities to routine one-on-one interactions, like greeting a clerk or waiter, social situations felt unusual and perhaps anxiety-inducing for many.
To help people make a smoother transition into a “new normal”, Unscripted starting hosting outdoor improv workshops on the weekends for people who were vaccinated. Improv provides a fun, low-stakes, and encouraging environment to build up confidence and fluidity in social situations. Improv games and exercises can feel awkward and challenging, especially if you are new to the artform, but the atmosphere is so supportive and fun that it gives you permission to try and put yourself out there, to guffaw, and to try again.
We hosted the two-hour workshops at local parks on Saturday mornings. We were usually greeted with sunny weather, the smell of our participant’s coffee, and popsicles that Emma would bring for the halfway break. We began the sessions with a check-in, inviting people to share out their experience with improv, why they took the workshop, any of their goals, fears, and things they wanted to work on. The majority of workshop participants had no previous experience with improv. Each workshop had a facilitator with a background in mental health or group facilitation in order to hold space for whatever topics and emotions came up. We had many honest discussions about social anxiety, challenges we experienced over the pandemic, and insecurities we had about jumping into improv games as some of our first in person social activities since the pandemic.
Then we would jump into some of our improv exercises, which were mainly beginner games that are higher in energy and focus on mirroring and exchanging energy - zip zap zop, the name game, character pass, one word proverb, and thank you statue. After each game, a facilitator would debrief and ask the participants to share out their experiences. Something I love about these intentional workshops is that, perhaps contrary to a skeptic’s expectation, these are not spaces of toxic positivity. While some participants share that they really enjoy being in a more playful headspace, some participants openly discuss how hard, uncomfortable, or unappealing they find some of the games. Most of the time, participants explain that they react negatively during the exercises, but see it as a challenge that pushes their boundaries - similar to an exposure therapy for OCD or social anxiety. I think it’s a strength of the workshop that people feel comfortable honestly disagreeing or disliking certain parts of it. On the whole, almost all participants are sharing how fun and helpful the workshop is, even if it is challenging at times. One of our participants said that her and her friend found our class just by googling “pandemic” and “anxiety,” signed up, and had so much fun that she wanted to start taking improv classes at third coast.
As the weather cools and the amount of vaccinated and socially distanced events grow, we have decided to end the workshop series. All participants (and newcomers) are welcome to join us at any of the improv jams that Unscripted hosts, or participate in Unscripted’s other wellness-focused programs like Improv 4 Anxiety and Improv 4 Life. We hope to see you around!
