What warm-ups are for!

Spots · Post by **Spots** » December 1st, 2012, 7:00 pm

Lubu I forgot to address your point about embracing failure but you're totally right. That's a great benefit to venturing out of your comfort zone. (so long as people don't insist to wait "till you get it right")

I love it when a student invents a new game.

Even if it's reworking an old game-- it just feels right. Rather than stress a particular rule it somehow embraces the spirit of improv. Like language. Adapting and evolving fluidly. Always moving forward.

"Guys I have no idea how this is going to turn out but let's try it."

The other day someone suggested a new twist to an old game and it was absolutely perfect. Here was a new game.

You know magic is about to happen when you let the games wash over you. I'm not a traditionalist by any means except for that core concept behind the idea of theater games.

jillybee72 · Post by **jillybee72** » December 2nd, 2012, 3:59 am

No one asked you to do it correctly, they just asked you to do it.

Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell · December 2nd, 2012, 11:19 am

besides, it's way more fun when you fuck up.

jillybee72 · Post by **jillybee72** » December 2nd, 2012, 12:14 pm

PLUS! To add on to what Jesse said, I love when groups take care of each other. My 101 class this term had one older gentleman in it, he had problems with rhythm and speed. It almost broke my heart every week how BEAUTIFULLY his classmates took care of him during warm-ups. If he was off rhythm, they waited for him. If he didn't make it across the circle, they helped him. It was gracious and lovely like the best improv.

If you're in a jam, that sort of courtesy is one of the muscles to warm up, so hopefully whoever's facilitating will coach that the best possible thing to do is take care of each other and make sure everyone's having a good time.

jillybee72 · Post by **jillybee72** » December 2nd, 2012, 12:17 pm

Spots wrote:(so long as people don't insist to wait "till you get it right")

What tyrants are you improvising with? Quit immediately and form a different team. There's so many improvisors in Austin. No one should suffer perfectionism where it doesn't belong.

jillybee72 · Post by **jillybee72** » December 2nd, 2012, 12:19 pm

Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell wrote: for instance, i have no idea what "skills" bibbidy bibbidy bop taught me to use onstage

It did not teach you skills any more than a hamstring stretch would. It simply made your brain fire faster so you were not sluggish in your onstage responses.

Spots · Post by **Spots** » December 2nd, 2012, 1:53 pm

jillybee72 wrote:
Spots wrote:(so long as people don't insist to wait "till you get it right")
What tyrants are you improvising with?

You've never been in a warmup circle with someone who says, "You're doing da da da da dadada. This game is da da da dadadadada. Go again!"

"Nope we can't move onto Julie yet. Listen to the-- Da da da da dadadadada. Get it?"

That never happened to Jill Bernard?

TeresaYork · Post by **TeresaYork** » December 2nd, 2012, 2:02 pm

Also this that I found:
http://www.ehow.com/video_4949397_benef ... rmups.html
Hi Shana!

PyroDan · Post by **PyroDan** » December 3rd, 2012, 3:56 pm

I hate warm-ups. I will do them, but I hate them. I will participate, but It causes me to lose focus, not gain it.

I stretch and often like to have a beer so I am not so hyper active is a bad way.

When I coach I love to make up warm-ups specifically for the group. I especially like to make them almost impossible, for reasons I wish not to disclose so that I can keep my mojo.

Post by **Jon Bolden** » December 3rd, 2012, 4:02 pm

I almost forgot! One of my favorite warmups is to pretend like we all have "new warmups" to share with each other and completely make them up in the moment but pretend like they've been played a million times. It's fun to watch people immediately start learning & repeating your bullshit and adding variations.

Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell · December 3rd, 2012, 4:17 pm

Jon Bolden wrote:I almost forgot! One of my favorite warmups is to pretend like we all have "new warmups" to share with each other and completely make them up in the moment but pretend like they've been played a million times. It's fun to watch people immediately start learning & repeating your bullshit and adding variations.

the night Robert Woo was born is one of the proudest moments of my life.

Ryan Hill · Post by **Ryan Hill** » December 3rd, 2012, 4:53 pm

Jon Bolden wrote:I almost forgot! One of my favorite warmups is to pretend like we all have "new warmups" to share with each other and completely make them up in the moment but pretend like they've been played a million times. It's fun to watch people immediately start learning & repeating your bullshit and adding variations.

I love this.

trabka · Post by **trabka** » December 3rd, 2012, 5:48 pm

Jon Bolden wrote:I almost forgot! One of my favorite warmups is to pretend like we all have "new warmups" to share with each other and completely make them up in the moment but pretend like they've been played a million times. It's fun to watch people immediately start learning & repeating your bullshit and adding variations.

This is the only way to warmup before a show since that's basically what a show is.

hujhax · Post by **hujhax** » December 3rd, 2012, 6:10 pm

Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell wrote:
Jon Bolden wrote:I almost forgot! One of my favorite warmups is to pretend like we all have "new warmups" to share with each other and completely make them up in the moment but pretend like they've been played a million times. It's fun to watch people immediately start learning & repeating your bullshit and adding variations.
the night Robert Woo was born is one of the proudest moments of my life.

RO BERT WU RO BERT WU

--
peter rogers @ home | http://hujhax.livejournal.com

The only difference between Wikileaks and other news organisations is that Wikileaks is doing its job properly.
-- Ian Dunt

Spots · Post by **Spots** » December 3rd, 2012, 6:25 pm

Bolden: that's fantastic. That cuts right to the fearlessness of failure Lubu speaks of.

PyroDan wrote:I hate warm-ups. I will do them, but I hate them. I will participate, but It causes me to lose focus, not gain it.

I'm with you. The fewer warmups the better. 3 warmups and then the group expends all this frenetic energy in the green room. And the frenetic energy carries over. But you and I both love to keep scenes grounded so I can see where that choice comes from.

I always used to ask for a mirror warmup because it connects me almost immediately to everyone in the circle. What is it called ... "Chinese Retard?" Silly name.

But if I were to choose ONE warmup, that would be it. That was all I needed two years ago. Now I just try to hone in on each person's face while they talk to make sure I feel connected to them.

If I feel a gap between my energy and his/hers, I will try to strike up a quick conversation.

That probably has more to do with blood sugar, lol.

I'm also big on hugs and checking in with people that way. That's huge.