It is tempting to form a quick plan before improvising a scene, to avoid looking stupid, which is a reasonable ambition, yet people chasing ideas tend to be poor listeners. The results are variable but repetitive: a lot of nervous energy on display as players throw competing plots at each other or just freeze in the headlights. Focusing on our feelings rather than our thoughts and taking the time to see the world as it is, by contrast, works wonders.
In improvisation, favoring connection over content is a step towards effortless creativity. The door to connection is breath. Breathing relieves tension, increases vitality and allows players to fall out of their head and into their bodies. It is a lot easier to connect with others if we first connect with ourselves.
Expressing genuinely random thoughts rather than labored compositions, and listening to our partner's reaction rather than moving on to our next idea results in beautiful, inspiring juxtapositions. Scenes and characters acquire depth and texture.
