My partner Melissa and I went to China Gourmet, one of our local tasty standbys, for dinner tonight. We were excited to see that Kenny, our favorite host had returned after a bit of a hiatus. He’s a tall, lanky young man, full of energy and honest enthusiasm. He’s also the lone white guy in the joint, but he’s picked up a bit of Mandarin and done such a good job over the years the the Chinese owners consider him “part of the family.” Tonight, he brought us to our booth with a twinkle in his eye, adding “only the finest of seats for our VIP customers.” What a treat to be served by folks who love what they do!
On our way out, I asked Kenny if he’d ever done any improv, and he said no, but he’d thought about it because it seemed like a ton of fun. He’s already got three qualities of a great improvisor: he’s kind, open to learning, and super-playful. When I mentioned that I might teach an improv class in Greenfield next year, he smiled and said “Yeah, that would be great. Even though I’m talking with people in my job all the time, I’ve always been scared to speak or perform in public.” (Amazing how widespread that fear is!)
We talked a bit about how we improvisors learn to welcome so-called “failure” because it means you’re taking risks, relying on your teammates to provide the help you need, and getting the chance to learn. He immediately offered back “Yeah, yeah, like you move through the failure to something better.”
You’re a natural, Kenny. It’ll be a treat to work and play with you!
What qualities do you think make for the best improvisors? Who has surprised you as a skillful play-er in an unexpected setting?
It seems to me the best improvisors have a deep amount of trust- trust in themselves, in those around them, and trust that the universe will provide what is needed at any given point in time.