Your First Improv Class: How to Get Ready

Coming up on your first improv class at work and not sure how to get ready for it? This post is for you.

You read that right. The Radical Agreement Project (RA) provides improv based team building and soft skill development workshops all across these fine United States, primarily to corporations as part of their professional development programs. For many participants it is their first direct experience with improv.

Does that mean that if you are taking your first improv class as a hobby, or to further your acting or public speaking skills, you wouldn’t find this post useful? No, this is for you too. I am going to cover everything you need to know in order to step into your first improv class confidently, comfortably and ready to enjoy it. 

While that is true, this post is being written with RA’s corporate clients in mind. For that reason, there will be a few work specific components that may not apply to everyone.

Your first improv class is a big deal! It is your chance to try the same games that comedy stars like Tina Fey, Keegan Michal Key, Amy Poehler, Steve Carrell and many others trained with when getting their start in comedy. You should be prepared to laugh, have a good time and learn a great deal.

But you shouldn’t prepare yourself as though you are about to be in a big performance. Your first improv class is not that, instead it is a facilitated session that will introduce you to basic improv comedy games for the first time. In that way it is similar to shooting a basketball for the first time, or attending a book reading club for the first time, or even just playing with a Rubik’s Cube for the first time.

No one expects you to be a master the first time you try something, so no one will expect you to be the second coming of John Candy at your first improv class.

What an improv workshop at work is (and what it isn’t)

A workplace improv workshop is a guided, interactive session that uses improv exercises to build trust among colleagues and to strengthen soft skills. In practice, that often means exercises focused on listening closely, communicating clearly, staying flexible, supporting others, and handling the unexpected.

There is a rich history behind this approach. 

Modern improv is widely traced back to Viola Spolin’s work in the 1920s, when she developed spontaneous group games for young people at Hull House in Chicago. Her students came from different cultural backgrounds and spoke a wide range of languages, so she created activities that did not depend on everyone speaking the same language and that encouraged participants to help one another feel more confident and connected. Those same games, and later variations on them, became the foundation of modern improv training and are still used today to build practical interpersonal skills.

That history matters because it helps explain what an improv workshop at work actually is. It is not just “comedy at the office.” It is a set of structured exercises designed to help people communicate, understand, and support one another more effectively. 

Over time, these exercises became associated with comedy, largely because Spolin’s son, Paul Sills, used them to train performers at Second City. But the underlying tools are just as relevant to leadership, teamwork, customer service, presentation skills, and collaboration (to name a few).

Famous story about Paul Sills. When he was starting Second City (and maybe this was at Second City's predecessor, The Compass Players) Paul wanted the company to deliver political theater. But the cast wasn't functioning well as an ensemble.

So Paul used his mother's games to build camaraderie and develop better collaboration skills. The cast and Paul had so much fun playing the games they decided to dump the politics and focus on the fun games instead.

Therefore, an improv workshop is a LOT of fun! I mean when was the last time someone was talking to you about politics and then got distracted by something fun? It has to be a LOT of fun to get someone off of politics. And improv is. So get ready to laugh and have an absolute ball at your first improv class!

Okay, that's what an improv workshop is. What isn’t it?

It is not a talent audition.

It is not a stand-up set.

It is not a test of who is the funniest, fastest, or most outgoing person in the room.

In a good workplace improv workshop, the goal is not to impress people. The goal is to participate, pay attention, and practice useful behaviors in a lively way.

I should also note that while improv is connected to comedy, your first improv class is not about comedy or being funny. I’ve noticed that first time improvisers can sometimes say rude or shocking things during their first class, I think because great comedians often perform transgressive or shocking routines.

Your first improv class is not the time to try to do the same.

Instead of channeling your inner Archie Bunker (or Dave Chappelle), simply be yourself when playing the games your improv instructor leads you through. This is especially true at work, where it is advisable to keep your contributions firmly PG (or professional).  

What to expect (warmups, group games, scene exercises)

Most beginner improv workshops have a very approachable rhythm.

They often begin with warmups. These are short, simple activities that help people get focused, loosen up, and start paying attention to one another. Warmups are usually easy to follow and help create a shared sense of energy in the room.

The goal of warmups is to create a playful energy in which people feel safe to take risks and explore the lessons of improv. Normally it takes about 20-30 minutes and when it is over you will have laughed a lot and tension about making a mistake will have dissipated. Sample improv warmups include Badada, Yes and Point and Pass The Face.

From there, the workshop will move into group games. These are structured activities with clear rules, often designed to encourage quick, confident decision making, cooperation, and clear communication. Games in this section often make up the bulk of your first improv class intentionally, because in such games all participants engage in the activity simultaneously, so that no one feels particularly put on the spot. Sample exercises in this stage include The Clapping Game, Environment Charades and One Word Story.

Sprinkled throughout your first improv class will also be scene exercises or partner work. That can sound dramatic, but these exercises are actually very easy. What makes them hard is performing them for other people (and judging yourself as you do so).

For that reason, such exercises are normally run en masse during a beginner's improv class. This means that an improv workshop with 16 people in it would break into 8 groups of 2 and run these exercises simultaneously, so that no one feels the need to “perform”. Since everyone is doing the exercise together no one has time to watch anyone else.

For such games, participants are often given a simple premise, a relationship, or a clear objective, and then invited to respond in the moment. The purpose is not to deliver a perfect performance. It is to practice being present, building with others, and staying engaged when things are unfolding in real time.

Sample exercises that fall into this category include Yes And Conversations, ABC Bodies and Questions Only. 

Finally, your first improv class is likely to end on an exercise that feels performative, but is nonetheless largely guided by the instructor and is played by a group, not individuals. This provides a satisfying cap to the class as it feels like a comedy show but doesn’t put any one person too much on the spot. A common game like this is Guest Panel.

That progression, from warmups to group games to a final performative exercise with partner work sprinkled throughout, gives people a chance to ease into the experience. Each stage builds on the one before it. By the time the more creative exercises arrive, people have usually already had several chances to get comfortable with improv games.

What to wear and what to bring to your first improv class

The best outfits for your first improv class are comfortable and easy to move in.

You usually do not need anything special. Standard office clothes are often perfectly fine, as long as you can stand, sit, turn, and move around comfortably.

Layers can be a good idea, especially if you are uncertain of the space you will be in and its typical temperature. Shoes that feel stable and easy to wear are helpful too. 

And don't wear anything too fancy. You won’t be asked to get onto the floor and roll around, but the spirit might move you. If that should happen, you want to be wearing something you won’t mind getting a little bit scuffed. 

These media professionals were not told to roll around on the ground. They came up with the idea and committed to it all on their own.

As for what to bring, less is more. A water bottle is useful. Glasses if you need them.

A notebook can be nice if you enjoy jotting down a thought or two after learning events, especially if the workshop is tied to communication, leadership, or team development.

The most helpful thing to bring, though, is a practical mindset. You do not need to arrive with a plan to be dazzling. It is enough to come ready to listen, try a few things, and support the group.

How to participate without feeling awkward (practical behaviors)

It is completely normal to feel a little nervous before a workplace improv workshop. New situations do that to people. The good news is that there are a few very practical ways to make the experience feel easier almost immediately.

Start by listening closely. When people feel uneasy, they often rush ahead mentally and try to prepare the perfect response. It is much easier to stay grounded when you focus on what is actually being said and done around you.

Keep your contributions simple. You do not have to reach for something elaborate. A clear, direct response is often the most useful thing you can offer. Simple choices make it easier for your partner or group to respond, and that helps everyone feel more comfortable.

Support the idea in front of you. One of the most helpful habits in improv is building on what another person offers. That does not require you to be wildly creative. It just asks you to notice what is there and move with it rather than against it.

Stay focused on your partner or your group rather than on how you look. Self-consciousness tends to fade when attention shifts outward. The more interested you are in the interaction itself, the less room there is for worry.

And let yourself participate in your own style. You do not have to become louder, bolder, or more theatrical than you really are. Quiet, thoughtful people often do beautifully in improv workshops because they listen well and respond with care.

That is one of the nicest things about a good improv workshop at work. It does not ask you to become some shinier version of yourself. It simply invites you to be present, responsive, and a little more open than usual.

That turns out to be plenty.

Finally, know that you are not required to play any game that makes you feel uncomfortable. Simply step out of the playing area and have a seat if you prefer not to participate in any particular game. 

Or sit out the entire workshop, that’s entirely fine. But beware, people who sit out often find themselves tempted into participating anyway, once they notice how much fun everyone else is having.