|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Improvising As a Tribal Movement by Stephen Booth for tHe iMprovisor rEvisionist nEwsletter You think about it all the time. There you are sitting in a comfortable room with your closest friends, each of you holding a fat pad of paper, and your favorite pen. It's started as a sketch writing session, but has mostly turned into a brainstorming afternoon. During this barrage of brilliant (and not so brilliant) ideas, you take a moment to reflect on how beautiful a scene this is. Each of you willing to sacrifice and endure for the greater good of the craft. Your most amazing conversations and intriguing thoughts coming out over a table littered with diner food, and beers. Choosing not to give way to what your TV tells you, or what your parents would have you do. Every one of you has chosen not to be a capitalist. Capitalists are in it for the money, whereas we all know improvisers don't become the most wealthy of people. Then you look at who you're with. The first question that pops into your head is: Why, why the hell am I with these clowns. Two of them are rolling into each other, playing bumper chairs, one has pencils in his nose, and out his ears, and the rest are contemplating what you're contemplating... This is your tribe - Much like many sacred Native American ceremonies, there are things you do and share only with these people. You perform with your tribe... If others are performing with you, they are special guests; good friends, but not part of your inner tribal council. There are initiations, guidelines one must fit to become a member. Daniel Quinn in the book "Beyond Civilization" defines a modern tribal movement as having these aspects: An organic environment in which people shape their own roles from leaders to workers. Instead of being hired to come in and fill a predetermined role. This emphasizes the importance of people over the system. Everyone is fully cognoscente of the goings on of the endeavor. The left hand knows what the right is doing. It’s more of a way of life than a job or career you quit when you're 65. Everyone has a common goal, and chooses to pursue something they love for a living. This way of living gives back whatever you put into it. You choose the troupe you fit into best. It's your choice as to who you work with best. Now these aspects apply to improvising when referred to in the sense of being a way of life. I could be wrong. You could be sitting in a room filled with other improvisers, and you might not remember all their names. This could be your stepping stone years, prior to being noticed. When this is over, and these people forgotten, you could have a big house, get driven in a big car, and 30 people will follow you, and tell their friends they know you. That's all well and good, but then I think you might be missing the point. When I was in high school, my guidance counselor asked what I wanted to be. I named some career. Which makes me think now how much we are defined by what we do for a living. If she asked me that question now, I would reply that I want to be happy. We are all improvisers though and through, but the choice to share a common |
phone: 626.200.6993 - email: contact@paulbellos.com |
