The final puzzle UCB

The only improv program I am close to completing is Magnet. A big part of that is the 1-3 intensive. The thing about Magnet is that their intensive's are cheaper. It was a ridiculous per hour deal to work with Andrews, Kornfeld, and Armando Diaz. So, that's why I'm in Level 5 come February.

PIT, I'm only level 2. I kind of wanted to do the summer intensive with the pit that get's you through 4 levels maybe 5. But, it was twice as much money and I had already taken a pit class. Not to mention, it was a lot less improv practice time. I find that you can't do a whole program intensive. The teachers have to get to know you, watch you grow. If you just got there for 2 months and now you're done, they don't know you, why would they put you on a team, they have no idea who you are. So, PIT intensive was out of the picture for multiple reasons.

So, Magnet, I have 2 classes left. Pit I have 3 classes left and I haven't even started UCB.

I actually ended up getting 1 diversity unit for UCB last year and I've been trying to get it done. After a string of emails I finally got the class. UCB 101, intensive 4 days a week 3 hours a day. 2 weeks. Awesome.

In a fit of inspiration, I saw that 201 was doing an intensive the week after, and I thought FUCK YEA, lets do that. Get it done. This would put me in the same situation at PIT. I think doing full classes from level 3 forwards may get teachers to know me enough to have a chance at teams.

Here I am first day of UCB class. I was expecting it to be much of what I've learned. It was kind of easy, nothing really new. I'm glad it's intensive. However, I did notice a few interesting things. After doing a No, No but, and Yes and exercise we did scenes.

After grinding the Yes and concept, I watched a LOT of people go into Yes BUT or find weird ways to say no to the other person. There were also transaction scenes, one in which I was in, which I found it really hard to yes and. First off we were strangers and I was buying stuff. I found one partner to do a true YES and scene but it didn't go very far. We found ourselves adding specifics about our surrounding and specifics about our past without really going into our relationship.

I have a bit to learn about how to yes and a relationship. Lets say a guy says, "I'm leaving you, I want a divorce".  How do you yes and that. I suppose you could say, "Yes and I'm glad you're leaving, I can finally get on with my life"

It's seems kind of weird. Perhaps, it's just an exercise to accept what is happening. I could be about acknowledgement as opposed to saying NO directly.

Interesting. Anyway, I'm hoping this immersion into UCB will really help the rest of my improv. I know to have fun, I have characters, and relationships, to add game on top of that would just be a great tool to have.

We shall see.