Radical improvisation part 1: the liberation of the individual

Abstract

Abstract Improvisation involves a radical dynamic that has the power to liberate the creative imagination of the individual. This is observable in the training systems of the leading improvisation authorities of the Twentieth Century, Viola Spolin and Keith Johnstone, which coalesce around three key principles: engagement with reality in the moment is key to developing spontaneity, that games are a route into this state of engagement, and that discipline imposed by authority is the greatest impediment to this liberation. Following these principles can lead the individual to overcome internalized censorship and therefore liberate the creative imagination of the individual. The effect of this liberation has ripple effects that might impact the improvisor’s community and wider political discourse. Ultimately, the radical potential of improvisation can challenge stable structures of value within societies.