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#mind, 20s, acting, chameleon, city, core, emotions, exchange, finding, freedom, girls, growth, identity, improv, LA, losangeles, love, moment, newyork, of, passage, professor, random, rejuvenated, rite, self, sociopaths, soul, stock, stream, theatre, thought, uptight, writing
I joined an improv class. Why did I join an improv class? Hmm, well, because I’m currently unemployed, and in the ‘soul searching’ phase of my 20s. {lol, excuses}. Oh, and I live in LA- so it’s sort of a rite of passage around these parts. Every moment in this city gives you the feeling that anything is possible and that you’re on the verge of fame. Nonsense; but inspiring all the same.
I joined improv because I can be so damn uptight sometimes. I don’t know why, and I never know when. I change like a chameleon depending on my mood and fancy. It’s a bit disconcerting, but I’m rather unpredictable, to myself.. if that makes sense? nIt’s like having the New york stock exchange, with all of it’s demolition and potential wrapped up in my cerebellum. It’s a real hoot livin’ up in here. I never know when i’m gonna be miss can’t shut the fuck up, or the painstakingly awkward chick in the corner. Errrday is a surprise.
Anyway, back to improv… {i hear many a professors words echoing “stick to the point, stop rambling, pia! make some sense, Gawd”} So, improv.. it gets you out of your shell, and how. What’s so great is that the weirdest shit turns into socially acceptable behavior within the confines of that creative space. I don’t have to regulate my mood, censor myself, or speak up. I can just… be.. Pia! or Miley. Pop culture joke anyone? or a chicken! PACAW!!! on command, I will be a chicken. and everything fades away..
Class comprises of 16 people, none of which know each other. All we really know of each other, is our names, after really driving them home on day 1; very telling stuff right there, not. Besides that, I could be messin’ around with a room full of sociopaths and axe murderers for all I know. A fun lot all the same.
I stand across the stage from someone, ‘Alex’, he calls himself. Who knows who Alex is.Alex probably doesn’t know who Alex is. Anyway.. all i know is this dude in front of me was somehow herded into the realm of this class, thanks to society and the insanity of life. Maybe deep down we’re here for the same reason? or maybe he just wants to pick up chicks. Who knows.
Anyway.. the teacher counts up from 1, to 10. I’m told to explore my emotions and any feelings that emerge with the word ‘love’. 1, being a teeny bit of love, minute amount of passion. 10 being OTT in your face I fuckin’ LOVE. Nothing is prepared, everything is based on instinct. And that’s so fucking cool!! No premeditation.. no one knows what they’re gonna do next, or what anyone else will be doing. It’s living in the NOW like never before. This sort of mirrors my day to day struggle of “which form of pia will i be today?” without any worry of what will spew forth. It don’t matter! You’re okay. I’m okay. That’s what this class and its inhabitants tell me via my subconscious.
Everything is okay!! everything is accepted. and guess what? in improv, when you fuck up- that’s called GROWTH, and the biggest fuck ups eventuate in the most hilarious spontaneous comedy out there. Fantastic. Sounds a bit like life? But with do-overs.
If only we could learn to live life through the personification of freedom and self expression. Ah, Utopia. But for 3 hours a week, that’s what I do. I live in the now, I live to be free, and I connect with total strangers on the strangest of topics. But one thing is for sure, we all walk away with a heart that weighs a heck of a lot less than when it walked in there. Renewed and rejuvenated, we’ve touched our core.
love to all simmering NYSE’s. ; )