Creativity & Self- Expression Through
FULL SPECTRUM IMPROVISATION
By Joya Cory

"The creative life is always based on self-values, not on the values of an external system"
—Creativity & Conformity by Clark Moustakas

" Create your own method" —Konstantin Stanislavski

"Trust your own impulses and intuition and don't worry about what you think the world, or the class, or the teacher, expects of you." —Joya Cory

At the risk of sounding melodramatic I'm going to say that creative movement and improvisation saved my life. No, I don't think I actually would have died without this creative outlet. Only my spirit, my true, unique self would have. Like many people, as I grew up, I developed a harsh inner critic whose voice restricted and sometimes tormented me. Over the years of training and practice I've learned ways to make peace with that voice. During my 30 years of teaching and performing improvisational theatre, I've encountered many people who are afraid of performing. Along with the fear, there is often a great need for self-expression and for play. And the relationship between these forces releases a creative intensity in those willing to follow their passion in spite of their fear. So, I've come to think of performance anxiety as an asset, a source of energy.

For the open-hearted explorer, the world of improvisation offers great rewards: the pleasure of discovery, the blooming of the imagination, the energy that is released as we access the many previously unrevealed facets of the self. In short: deep fun.

At the core of my teaching philosophy is a definition of creativity that embraces the full spectrum of emotions, the shadow as well as the light side of the human condition. If this doesn't sound like I'm teaching "Comedy Improv," that's because I'm not. Although much of the work that comes out of my workshops is, in fact, hilarious (incongruity and surprise, intrinsic to improvisation, are core elements of comedy) there are often pieces that are poignant and poetic. For the actor and non-actor alike, the training greatly expands creative freedom, spontaneity and emotional and physical range. Our beginner's class has been called the "the most therapeutic Improv around" because we create a very safe and supportive environment and work carefully with each person's "inner critic."

We develop expressive and flexible body and voice, acting skills, and the ability to tell stories with ease. Just as important, I believe, is to develop one's intuition and faith in the unconscious as the source of creative impulse. On our journey toward emotional authenticity we practice listening intently to our inner impulses, to the messages of the body, heart, mind & spirit. Within the exercises and structures for solo, duo and ensemble, we listen to one another and support each one's search for his/her unique voice. The most successful improvisational theatre pieces are born from impulses that come from the actual emotional realities of the moment. The performer learns to be receptive and present, willing to accept whatever impulses come up without judgment.