improvise – v. the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one’s immediate environment and inner feelings.
Do you like to improvise?
Most people I know would put themselves into one of two broad categories: those that love structure, planning and order, and those that enjoy spontaneity. Folks in both categories may enjoy a variety of movement activities like dance or martial arts. But the way they practice, and the specific kind of dance they gravitate toward, is likely to vary.
In Nia Technique lingo we refer to structure as “form” (pre-choreographed movement that has a beginning and end, clear steps and a clear purpose), while we refer to spontaneous, unplanned movement as “freedom.” Regardless of our personal comfort zones, THE BODY ITSELF can benefit greatly from both. In each Nia Technique class we include a balance of form and freedom as a way to stretch our comfort zones and promote maximum levels of physical and emotional health.
In my own life, I am grateful for the stretch. The art of improvisation is becoming more and more important as a skill in my toolbox of on-the-job capacities.
This week I facilitated a training session with the staff of Up With People, in Denver Colorado. These inspiring volunteers are tasked with the training, management and support of a cast of 120 young men and women who will spend the next year on the road traveling from country to country, performing a musical theater type show and volunteering in communities and schools. Because of the nature of their busy and often unpredictable schedules, they have coined a phrase I love: “dance with the circumstance.” It refers to those moments when the only option is IMPROVISATION.
I got a taste of this unexpectedly when my flight, scheduled to arrive at 11:30 in time for a 1:30 training session, was delayed for two different (and highly unlikely) reasons. Instead of showing up for my training session, I arrived later in the afternoon, in the middle of an elaborate all-cast event. I had met no one before that day, and had little understanding of the process I had just walked into. From that moment on, I had many opportunities to trust that things would be fine – and to practice my improvisation skills.
As a facilitator, I took an intention before my trip to create enough structure so that the goals of my sessions were met. AND I practiced “dancing with the circumstance” within the structure, so as to be most present with the needs of the group at any given moment. It wasn’t easy, but the outcome of this approach inspired a greater confidence in my own capacity by the end of the week.
What are the important uses of improvisation in your own line of work? What use does pre-preparation serve in improving the quality of an improvised action? If these questions speak to you, choose one activity this week to improvise. Work to balance form and freedom (for example give yourself enough preparation time on the front end, and enough flexibility to change course in the moment). What new things are possible when you take this approach?
For your body, this week I invite you to try at least one fitness practice that offers the opportunity for free-form or improvisational movement. If you love dance, a Five Rhythms or Nia class might do the trick. Or if you love to run, you might simply set out from your home with no particular destination in mind. Set a timer and run any direction, turning at any intersection based on your gut instinct in the moment (if you’re worried about getting lost, bring along a smartphone or GPS in case you need to plan the return route ½ way through the trip!)
AND I invite you to ALSO try one fitness practice that provides a very clear structure and form. Many yoga and traditional dance classes, especially instructors that focus on the physical form of the body, will meet the criteria here.
Notice if one or the other is more comfortable for your own body. Notice what resistance or fear rises to the surface when you practice the opposite.
I would love to hear your personal comments. Let me know how it goes for you!
In the moment,
LeeAnn
Great Blog! As a facilitator I am constantly stiving for that balance of form and freedom. For me you have hit the nail on the head when you say that the preplanning and structure of outcomes before the session helps allow the improvisation ( which is what I belive makes a truely great faciliator) during the session. Becoming more comfortable with the improvisation is the gift that Nia has given me!
Thanks for the comment Jo, it really speaks to me. You are one of those people whose sense of structure I’ve admired and learned from. I keep finding that if I’m good at one thing, then working on the flipside makes me more well rounded and much more effective!