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Why improv?

Our mission and organization is centered around the practice of one art form: improv.

Although improv is a relatively new art form in the world, the number of people noticing the impact of its practice is growing. We are part of that movement, bringing improv to more people, using it in ways other than for performance, and learning more about it every day. Improv is a dynamic art form, one that helps people connect, listen, and understand themselves in new ways.

We are constantly learning more about what improv does for people, but our program values center around the specificity of the practice. As in, our facilitators start as either experts in the craft of improv, or experts in the field in which they work, or both. We train them on how to use improv in a specific setting, and measure as many of the observable changes we possibly can.

Plenty of improvisers and researchers have linked positive benefits to improv practice. We've included a few below. The list grows all the time. 

The impact of improv on treatment for anxiety in Psychology Today

Linking improv practice to comfort with uncertainty in Psychology Today

Tina Fey in her book Bossypants

Stephen Colbert's commencement speech at Northwestern University (scroll to the bottom)

Charles Limb's research on jazz improvisation and the brain

The blog from Mindful Improv

New Yorker article on Amy Poehler, improv, and confidence