Amey Goerlich :Krompf Class do it!!!

I took Krompf class on recommendation from Dmitry Shein, perhaps the youngest and best improviser I know. I've done a lot of 2-prov training with him and I think he's gonna be one of the great improvisers. So, I take his recommendations pretty seriously.

Amey Goerlich, I never knew about, I had seen her perform with Chicagogo with some amazing improvisers and she killed it and more than held her own. So, when I took krompf, it was awesome that she was the teacher.

Here's what Krompf does that is awesome. I don't know what it'll do for you.

1) The Quality of Student: I think since this isn't affiliated with a school and that it's not level oriented, it gains a higher quality of improviser. The end game of these people are just to be better improvisers, not so much to be on a team. Though, most of them probably are. The quality of improviser is amazing. Some have improvised forever, rarely is there a person who hasn't graduated at least one school. So, for the most part you'll be working with the best.

2) Cheap!: The cost of the class is usually half the price of a regular class, sometimes less. She is an amazing teacher and worth the money.

3) Amey: She has a vested interest in getting you better at improviser. She has a system to figure out what your weaknesses and your strengths are and she'll tell you. She is a wonderfully constructive and honest person. She'll occasionally play with the class and she is a well known amazing improviser. She's worked with the best and she treats her students well. I would put her in my top 5 teachers EVER. Improviser teacher wise, she's on par with the best, if not the best.

4) Krompf: The form itself tests all your abilities. You have to be quicker with the initiations and the responses. The game should be known within 20 seconds, sometimes within the first three lines. If you wanna shortcut it, frontload the game in the initiation. You also learn how to really get into the game. Your third beat tag out ability will increase exponentially. Your mind will work much quicker and harolds will seem slow to you. Recognizing the game will become much easier. It's not about playing around. Krompf is about showing how you recognize game.

5) Fun!!: Krompf is pure fun if done well and it's not long enough to be terribly painful. I've taken krompf twice and am taking it again. You will do Krompfs based on Genres, Gay  Krompfs, Robot Krompfs, Pirate Krompfs, Caveman Krompfs. You'll do tag outs that last forever, games within games, juggling everything. Krompf is amazingly fun, it's the closing thing to shortform without being shortform.

I could go on and on but it's 3am and I must sleep. Message me if you want more info.

PIT 4 Class 1 with Pat Shay

I just finished up class 1 with Pat shay and it kind of blew my mind a little.

First off, he said something like, "Think about how you feel about the other person rather than relationship. If you think about relationship you're already outside of your mind"

Admittedly, it's kind of an initiation but imagine all the initiations that you can just react emotionally about. But here's the hitch i think, it's how you feel about the other person.

"Mom, I'm not coming out, I hate parties"
ANGER: "Unlock this door now, you're gonna go down to the party and HAVE A GOOD TIME AND LIKE IT!"

HAPPINESS: "That's great honey, you stick with your guns. My baby is finally getting a spine."

FEAR: "Just don't do anything drastic honey. You know me and dad are here for you every step of the way. Just keep talking to me."

SAD: "I did this wrong didn't I honey, I just keep disappointing you. I'm so sorry"

It's kind of cool that if you really feel some way about some person it comes through. There are too many scenes where people don't feel that way about anything. I've done it as well. Those are usually conceptual.

Another great note from class is that you can take whatever someone is saying as a Complement, Come On, Threat, or Insult.

"Mom, I'm not coming out, I hate parties"

COMP: "I did interior decorate your room and that is so awesome that you like it so much you don't want to leave. Thank you honey."

COME ON: "You want it to be just me and you, eh, I understand, momma will make it all better."

INSULT: "This party I put up ain't good enough for you. You ungrateful child"

THREAT: "Listen, they'll leave, let's just not get into one of your dark moods. We all know what happens there."

How do you feel about what was said? How do you feel about the other person? That's been something that has been said COUNTLESS TIMES and I think this is the first time I kind of got it. If it's complement, how do I feel, I like them. If it's a come on, how do I feel, I find them attractive or repulsive. Insult, how do I feel about them, I could like them and be shock, hate them and not be surprised. Threat, how do I feel about them, I fear them. Great first class.

Starting the Big Boys in all three Schools

This week is going to be a hugely interesting week.

1) I'm starting level 4 at the PIT with Pat Shay tomorrow (monday)
2) I'll know if I got into the Sunday Magnet level 6. (sunday) (fingers crossed)
3) I'm starting UCB 401 at UCB with Chelsea Clarke.

I think this is a true test of my ability to improvise. On the one hand, I will be with more advanced improvisers which means I'm going to learn and have a lot of fun with some great people. The next thing is I'm going to be working with aggressive people who may be coming from different intentions.

Let's admit it, If you've spent x amount at a school to do improv, there is going to be an endgame. In some ways, it could be getting on a house team, or getting seen by the right people. For me, it's kind of a house team issue but the only reason for that is because I want to play with better people. It's not about padding my resume.

I have found, in the past, that I deal with aggressive people differently. I succumb to them, I fight with them, I slow play them, or I just end up playing my game. These are all wrong. I need to realize that. I need to support the moves of people. Some people try to be funny, SUPPORT THAT. Love that, lift them up, make them better. Don't be defensive or hold on to the things you create. SLOW IT DOWN. LISTEN AND LEARN.

I find that I do great scenes with people who are wildcards or don't know very much of anything about improv. The more seasoned, sometimes I jive and trust them, sometimes I have no idea what's going on.

In essence, this is the next step of improv, figure out how to enjoy myself even moreso. MOST FUN WINS!!!

If I get into mag 6, I will be three months away from graduation from Magnet. CRAZY!! I will be three months away from auditioning for pit teams.

This has been a great ride and now is the time to see how I hold up.

A Revelation about the Mix Em Up

Hey Everyone,

On the improv front, I'm still working my way through the schools maybe soon I'll be able to try out for teams. We shall see.

Anyways, at the PIT we all had a improv Mix Em Up with great team members. They ended up adding musical house teams to the mix. AWESOME!!!

I jumped on board and worked with the people I've never met.

Here's what I've figured out.

When I work with people I don't know, I tend to match them. This is not necessarily a good thing in my book, but because they are probably doing what works for them. My brain is pretty slow. Honestly, there were times where the speed of my mouth outran my brain and I couldn't believe what I was saying.

I analyzed why this was happening. Was I trying to impress? Was I trying to show off? I think deep down I was trying to keep up. I didn't think my brain would be good enough, so many people said so many things, it was hard to keep track. At that point, listening was hard, because I'm trying to figure out what to say.

Luckily, they were great players and I got a few great yes ands and a few good laughs. I had a great time. But, I play how I play. Improv is kind of a mirror into one self.

Annoyance teaches to take care of yourself. I would rather say, be aware of oneself. Know your feelings, why you are doing what you are doing? Is it out of fear? Is it just out of love?

For mixemups and jams, I find I just need to take a deep breath and have fun. Don't worry. Just enjoy yourself.

You can tell when someone judges another improviser's choices on stage. DON'T BE THAT PERSON! Go with it. It is still playing. SO PLAY!