Improv Foundations (In Person) - 12 Classes

Get on the Waitlist

Sign up for the waitlist if you want to do this class. Students will be notified on July 27th in order of the waitlist so they can register and pay for class.

The first 14 students on waitlist will have 72 hours (i.e. 3 days) to submit payment and confirm their spot after being emailed.

The rest of the waitlist will be notified after this 72 hour period if there are any available spots remaining.

The class size will be 10-15 students.

Why the joy of improv?

First, improv training can change your life.

Pixar, Stanford, IDEO, Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Forbes, NPR and many other organizations recommend improv.

Why? It turns out, that practicing imaginative play (i.e. improv) can improve empathetic communication, increase creativity, help teams collaborate more productively, reduce anxiety / reduce stress and can help people be more flexible and resilient when facing uncertainty and change.

But what’s the deal? How can practicing improv help in life, at work and on stage?

Imaginative Play (i.e. improv) Can Help You:

• Listen and be present
• Be better communicators
• Tap into creativity
• Nurture your imagination
• Relieve anxiety/stress and release tension (tension is the enemy of creativity and performance).
• Celebrate making mistakes and be kinder to yourself (re-frame and re-orient your relationship to failure).
• Embrace a mindset of discovery and curiosity instead of "right vs. wrong."
• Be more resilient and flexible
• Gracefully deal with uncertainty
• Become fearless on stage or in public storytelling / speaking situations
• Make your partners look good and collaborate on teams more effectively
• H elp you build a positive mindset and build habits that can lead you to entering flow state more often when approaching any focused creative work / creative play (i.e. writing, acting, improv, freestyle wrap, writing music, playing music, etc.)
• YES AND in addition to being useful, improv is FUN!

Class Areas of Focus

• Listening, being in the moment
• Nurturing and trusting your imagination
• Spontaneity - trusting spontaneous impulses
• Agreement (YES)
• YES AND
• Make Your Partners Look Good
• Commitment
• Beginning to play characters (we do a separate 10-12 week course on character work, but you will begin to explore playing characters in this fundamentals class)
• Your Natural Presence (giving and receiving energy) - for improv and for life
• Being fearless during any performance (improv, public speaking, meetings, etc.)
• You are enough, you are interesting to watch, you are a storyteller
• FUN!

What are The Classes Like?

Safe, nurturing, stress relieving and FUN!

Y ou can see photos and videos of students having fun in recent workshops by The Joy of Improv at The Arts Center.

Our instagram has photos and videos from classes: https://www.instagram.com/joyofimprov/

W e also have photos on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyofimprov/photos_albums

We have testimonials farther below on this page, but you can also read some here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xaNxmTRF2dFgDTuUITeRV-2rtgTpkcxYbriU4_cEloA/edit?usp=sharing

Class Dates

TBD

Get on the waitlist

Sign up for the waitlist if you want to do this class. Students will be notified on July 27th in order of the waitlist so they can register and pay for class.

The first 14 students on waitlist will have 72 hours (i.e. 3 days) to submit payment and confirm their spot after being emailed.

The rest of the waitlist will be notified after this 72 hour period if there are any available spots remaining.

The class size will be 10-15 students.

M eet Your Instructor

Jared is an actor, writer and guide.
His co-founder Sheweet introduces him best if you watch the first 90 seconds of this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaRSKkLx4YM

You can stay in touch with Jared on instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. etc. Most of his online links are here: linktr.ee/jaredpolivka

Jared's Improv / Acting / Storytelling Background

Jared originally learned improv from Bay Area Theatre Sports (BATS) Improv (www.improv.org) in San Francisco. The instructors he learned from were inspired by Keith Johnston, Viola Spolin, Nichols and May, Augusto Boal, Viewpoints Work, Laban, Meinser's work, Uta Hagen and Stella Adler's work, and a style focused on long form narrative improv with truthful acting, character work and creative discovery.

While in San Francisco, Jared performed in Unscripted Theatre's "Swipe Right" which explored the trials and tribulations of online dating. As a Swipe Right alumn, Jared has also represented Swipe Right at improv festivals.

O ther format's that Jared enjoys include:

Duos, Super Scene, Maestro, Harold, Joe Bill's "The BAT," TheateSports / Games (akin to Comedy Sports or Whose Line), Murder Mystery, Improvised Star Trek, Improvised Film Noir, Improvised Western, Improvised Soap Opera, Improvised Super Hero and The Bechdel Test (created by Lisa Roland).

When Jared moved to Los Angeles, he trained at the Groundlings which is focused on character, point of view, behavior / acting over dialogue, and sketch comedy.

F or Jared, improv was the gateway to the creative worlds of scripted acting and writing.

J ared began acting training because he wanted to become the best improviser he could be.

He asked himself, "what do the best improvisers (i.e. Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Wayne Brady, Gary Anthony Williams, Stephen Kearin, Rebecca Stockley, William Hall, Lisa Roland, Tim Orr, Regina Saisi, Ben Johnson, Edi Patterson, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie, Chris Farley, Elaine May, Mike Nichols, Gilda Radner, etc. etc. etc.) have in common?"

The best improvisers are great actors! They are truthful, believable, and in the moment. They are experts of human behavior, of trusting their imagination and spontaneous impulses, they are aware of proximity and spatial relationship, they are relaxed, they are in the moment. They are great actors.

* Note: this doesn't mean that all the great improvisers have formal "acting training." Many don't have formal acting training, and many do. What they have in common acting ability, physicality, voice, imagination, presence, commitment and being in the moment.

A nd so, Jared began acting training to learn to to utilize his physical instrument and to explore scripted acting.

Jared began his acting journey at American Conservatory Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and at SF Acting Academy.

For the first two years or so, Jared didn't like scripted acting.

He enjoyed the classes that trained the actor's instrument (the body) and that focused on spatial relationship and being in the moment; he enjoyed movement (biomechanics, viewpoints, Laban, etc.) and voice (Linklater and Rodenburg) training, but he struggled with the scripted acting training. For the first two years, he didn't understand how to bring in the spontaneous, natural, alive and in the moment quality of his improv craft into his scripted work.

T hen Jared found Seydways Studios and he fell in love with scripted acting. Seydways approaches scripted acting with a mindset of curiosity, discovery, imagination and being in the moment. In addition to emotional range stretch work and character stretch work at Seydways, Jared learned a new way to approach text and memorization that is fun and which helps him be in the moment (a method called the trigger approach). The mind set shift from getting it right, to being curious and in the moment (like in in improv!) made Jared begin to enjoy scripted acting. Now he loves it :)

*Note: improv is acting.

To paraphrase Stan Roth, one of the original main company members / early founders of The Groundlings in the 1970s, he told Jared in San Francisco:

"Improv is acting. Improvisation is listening, reacting and behavior. Being in the moment and living truthfully within the circumstances. The only difference is that with scripted acting, you have a script which has clues to who your character is and the world they inhabit. In scripted acting, you have the given circumstances (who, what, where, when, etc.) and the dialogue. In pure improvisation, you discover (i.e. make up) the given circumstances and the dialogue."

How The Joy of Improv Started and Jared's Background in Teaching / Facilitating

In 2018, Jared began teaching 20-100 person community workshops through Meetup.com in Oakland and in San Francisco to share his love of improv / acting, theatre games, creativity exercises, design thinking and storytelling. Originally, Sports Basement (a sporting goods store in Oakland, Berkeley, San Francisco, etc.) hosted the donation optional community workshops.

This volunteer community work lead him to define a mission and team up with his friend Sheweet Yohannes to create The Joy of Improv which is aimed at bringing the joy of creative play and storytelling to people who haven't had the opportunity to get to know themselves and relate to others through play.

Jared believes in serving others. While Jared serves in various ways (i.e. building products, creating stories and creating meditations), his favorite way of serving is by facilitating workshops of meaningful play, storytelling and human connection. Jared loves when students grow, build confidence and transform through practicing imaginative play.

Jared has been teaching one thing or another since he was 19 years old. He taught Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for several years in college in North Carolina, he taught golf and basketball while working in Boulder Colorado, he taught coding while working at a coding bootcamp called Galvanize (now Hack Reactor), he began teaching improv in 2018 and began teaching acting / coaching actors in 2021.

Jared, Sheweet, Erica and team also teach at corporate team off-sites, holiday parties, etc.

Keep them in mind for your upcoming work team off-sites and events :)

Testimonials

Jennifer LeMarte-Tran: “This is such a fun, inclusive group to learn and have fun. Jared is an awesome teacher and creates such a safe space for improv and play!”

Leila Ryndak : “I hadn’t tried improv before, but felt very supported by my classmates and instructor. This environment allowed me to tap into a creative flow I didn’t realize was in me! Improv is a great way to play, collaborate, build creativity, and laugh your butt off… Jared made the experience very approachable and FUN— I highly recommend it!”

Stuti Mandala: “Engaging, collaborative improv sessions led by Jared. Time flies while you learn new skills through experiential methods in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend Jared and The Joy of Improv!”

Helena Oh: “This introvert highly recommends this class to everyone! I keep coming back for two main reasons:

1) It's FUN! Yes, you might get nervous and make mistakes but Jared creates a safe environment that encourages everyone to support each other and actually celebrate mistakes. And we just keep playing!

2) I learn something new each time I come back. Whether it's how I can listen better, be more open to other ideas or not overthink as much.

I’m definitely a work in progress but this class is such a fun way to build these skills. I never regret going. Give it a try!”

Andy Jay Babkes: “I've never taken an improv class before but had the privilege to take one of Jared’s workshops recently. What a fun time!

Jared makes everyone in the class feel so safe and supported. He expertly guides you through exercises that help you get out of your head and be present in the moment to just BE!

If you’ve ever wanted to explore improv and storytelling, but don’t know where to start, just take a workshop by Jared Polivka. You will not be disappointed!”

Swan Bay: “Whether you’re a ‘storyteller’ or ‘rock-n-roller’ or ‘entrepreneur’, Jared’s workshops will give you some valuable deep insights about how to hone your stagecraft. Very encouraging and inspiring! If Jared’s in your town, and you’ve a story to tell, go and sign up with hisclass and then share it with the world! Thank you Jared!”

Marta Chernova: “I recently had the pleasure of attending Jared’s class 'Rediscover your sense of play.' It was an amazing experience! Thanks to Jared, I felt super welcome straight away. Jared makes sure that everyone is always on the same page, offers lots of opportunities to ask questions, and gives detailed answers. He is also great at leading by example: personally, I was amazed and inspired by how smoothly Jared is able to switch between his “teaching self” and being deep in character for a demonstration (the man knows what he is doing!). I received concrete tips on the various aspects of play, had all my questions answered, and left with a better understanding of what improv can be. It was also a lot of fun, the 4 hours flew by in a flash! I’m definitely planning to attend another session.”

Adrienne Tran, Product Manager, Tesla: “I had a lovely time in Jared’s classes! I felt so relaxed and happy afterwards. I feel like my neurons have been firing differently since. Improv play and improv thinking is helpful to me as a product manager."

Bethany Hebbard, Community Corps Director, Mobile Loaves and Fishes - A Community for The Homeless: "I so enjoyed Jared's class. I work with people who have experienced chronic homelessness, and the games he taught have given me new, joyful, playful strategies for really *listening* to the men and women I have the privilege of serving."

Valerie Krygsheld, Mobile Loaves and Fishes: “Jared came to our non-profit organization, Mobile Loaves and Fishes. What a great relationship-building time to have with fellow staff members. His time spent with us was focused on one of our guiding principles. It was a really creative and fun way to interact. Everyone can do improv and have a blast while doing it! Definitely want Jared to come back!” -

Connor Warnock, Lead Engineer, Notable Labs: “ Jared has a knack for establishing a safe environment of trust and empathy so participants can play, take creative risks, and have fun learning."

Liz Bogart, Marketing Manager at AngelList: "Jared ran a team building workshop for a team offsite I hosted and there couldn't have been a better way to kick it off! The exercises he ran us through helped set a positive tone and encouraged the group to feel comfortable with each other. We practiced effective ways to communicate and listen and we found that later in the week we used these techniques. Highly recommended for a group activity - whether purely for fun or for more professional, work related scenarios!"

Heidi L. Bianco, Class Technologies, Director, Global Field Marketing: “We hired Jared to facilitate workshops at our annual Company Kick Off in Las Vegas. Two words come to mind: TRANSFORMATIONAL and FUN!

In the sessions, Jared fostered a safe and supportive atmosphere where my colleagues and I felt confident to take risks, be creative and connect in meaningful ways. During the sessions, an ethos of listening, trust and collaboration were emphasized so that we truly heard and supported one another.

As an ed-tech company, my colleagues and I value experiential learning— this was embodied in Jared’s workshops as we unearthed discoveries about ourselves (both as individuals and as a team) by playing, reflecting and sharing.

If you’re seeking a fun team building experience that brings you closer to your teammates, and where you will learn collaborative communication skills that can be applied to work and life, I recommend Jared and The Joy of Improv.”

Brian Arthur : “Our club, Chiangmai Toastmasters at Chiangmai University, had a great time with Jared during his Art of Improv - You Have Presence workshop. It introduced to us a new experience to better understand ourselves as a speaker and how to build our confidence. Jared was good in making us feel comfortable and ready to open up ourselves and jump in! It was a very valuable experience for all our members and guests!”

Magie Hogan: “Jared's influence was a gift to our budding improv community in Chiang Mai, Thailand! His workshops were well crafted and his teaching style flowed with the needs of the group. Learning and laughing were in equal ratios! Thank you Jared for your wisdom and motivation!”

Ola Komolafe, Software Engineer VMware: “Moving to California, I had trouble finding things that I enjoyed to do and people to do these things with. Jared's improv and storytelling classes were a life saver. His approach made players of all levels feel welcomed and ready to participate. I found out about his workshop when I first moved in San Francisco and attended the Storytelling for Technologists workshop. I'll never forget that workshop- there were over 150 people and I was super impressed by how Jared facilitated it alone with relaxed ease. I learned a lot of great skills in the storytelling for technologists class and I'm excited for Jared to come teach workshops for my engineering teams at work. ”

Elliott J Brecht : “Took a class with Jared which was so much fun, entertaining, and informative! He had such a passion for sharing his knowledge that it made the class so welcoming and brought everyone out of there shell. I can't recommend participating in a class/workshop enough. Everyone will be able to get something out of attending!” -

Alison Tugwell : “It’s tons of fun, great place to meet new, interesting and diverse people. Jared was a present, passionate leader and shared interesting wisdom about the craft of improv. Highly, highly recommended for anyone in sales, collaborative teams, or those in creative professions!”

Curtis David Williams: “The Joy of Improv. How fitting a name. Honestly, trying out Jared’s class was one of the best decision I’ve made as an actor. He teaches not only sound technique but his kindness and generosity allows every single person in the room to feel included and on the same level while also nurturing and challenging each individual based on their own experience and skill set. Wonderful, wonderful class. I highly recommend giving his class a go!”

Michelle G. Lathe : “I enjoyed the online class. Had fun and learned more about myself too. I recommend trying out one of their classes” -

Ava Mauriello : “I liked the exercises. I liked that Jared ran the class in a really accepting and knowledgeable way. I felt comfortable and engaged. I would recommend this class!”

Cherie Fransen : “Good God, where to start?! If YOU wish to get out of your comfort zone with somebody that is patient, sweet and very much an educator - Go see and play in Jared Polivka’s classes. My personal experience and sometimes triggered self consciousness as an actress can be triggered in acting classes, but with Jared’s class you will feel the freedom to create and connect. I highly recommend his workshops place if you wish to grow your skillset that include acting, speaking, opening up, emphasizing, improvising, storytelling and growing in life.”

Diego Gonçalves: "Improv skills are really helpful for my career where I need to wear multiple hats everyday and the classes are also fun! Thanks Jared!”

Kyle Edquist: “The Class:

- a combination of play and silly with feelings and brain scrambling.

- I would highly recommend anyone to check out any engagement from the Joy of Improv, you never know what life possibilities may be fostered after an event.

Jared, the Instructor:

- incredible human who I’ve energized from being around, he naturally creates a safe and playful experience in general.

- his product, entrepreneurial background creates for a really unique and consultative experience for participants in his wide range of talents ranging from improv to story telling for technologists.”

Highly recommend this improv class."