Emil on IFH
(Katie, Jeff and Rachel Pan - 2011)
Emil`s Improv from the Heart Experience
I’ve taken improv classes in a number of places, but I can’t say enough for David Alger’s“Improv From the Heart.” David is a first-rate teacher. Kind. Gentle. Knowledgeable.
The Pan course was the first improv class I’ve taken that really went beyond theater games and actually was relevant to every kind of acting you might want to do in your life.
The class connected the spontaneity of improv with the kind of performance you’d do in a more scripted setting.
The foundation for the course is the Meisner technique, and it’s a natural for improv. You learn to react to your partner in a real, truthful, honest way, as you notice all changes (physical and emotional) that happen in the moment.
Everything is more natural, and the words are not a problem. Meisner is based on a repetition exercise that when you do it, you will see the application instantly to improv, not to mention any kind of acting, period.
Improv can sometimes seem like random exercises that people often strain to find value or function because it’s sheer play. It’s a fun and challenging diversion. For non-performers, it can be liberating and make you more creative and spontaneous in business.
In that sense, it is more fun than say a Toastmasters meeting.
But if you’ve had fun at improv, enjoyed it, and found yourself wanting a little more, “Improv from the Heart” may be the class for you.
It will definitely help you take that next step as an actor.
Emil, Journalist, Writer and Performer, Walnut Creek, CA