Question 1

Do you have a set curriculum with guaranteed learning outcomes and certificates?

Accepted Answer

The short answer to this question is:   no.   The three bullet points answer is:   We don't have a linear class structure, levels, stages, assessments, grades or certification. Everyone can choose which event/course/activity they want to be part of. We don't call ourselves 'experts,' though we are highly experienced in our practices. We don't spoon feed suddenly-discovered-ready-made-one-size-fits-all-salvational-problem-solving-linear-solutions, guarantee, promise, or take responsibility for a cure, healing, or attainment of a specific result through participating in our activities.  The nuanced response is:   We are aware that improvisation often gets promoted and sold as a way to address issues, solve problems, achieve goals and to get what you want.   To us, a human being's complexity cannot be simplified into a method, set of beliefs, singular purpose, toolkit or construction project.   At impro studio, we focus on the process of our techniques and are open to the wide breadth of potential outcomes.   There are many different pathways to learning how to relate more improvisationally to daily life and we choose to approach our practice with 'beginner's mind' and open ended possibilities.   All of our sessions flow in a manner that makes them a meta description of their content. Improvising improvisationally, so to speak.   We offer creative, playful, and carefully crafted spaces where you can experience listening to and expressing yourself in relation to others and the world of contexts around us. We believe in fluid-structured content over rigidly-planned form because improvisation is a very natural way of living life and impro studio invites you to engage with your life as-is.   We know that all of our participants bring improvisation skills with them (even if they are unaware of them and rarely use them deliberately) and know best who they are, what they need, and whether they are being helped or not.  Bottom line: we offer support while you make things up as you go along.

Question 2

How can I volunteer with impro studio?

Accepted Answer

Thank you so much for your interest and willingness to offer your services to us! That is so wonderful!   We only accept project based volunteers. This is all agreed on an as-needed basis because we do not yet have the capacity to provide long-term arrangements.   Currently, we are looking for: trained Warmed Data hosts to join our People Need People sessions; artists who wish to populate this website with images as 'online resident artists'; marketers who will help us spread the word online.  If you are keen to join our ensemble as a volunteer, please email us at contact@improstudio.org   For more information, please have a look at our Associate and Volunteer Policy.

Question 3

I see a login button. How can I become a member of the site?

Accepted Answer

At impro studio we use the members area only for people who need to have a public facing profile page on our site. This includes staff, trainers, facilitators, hosts, blog authors, and volunteers. They will be added by invitation only.   We do not offer a membership programme at this point in time.   You can comment, like, and share our posts without becoming a member.   The function to sign up cannot be disabled, however, members need to be manually approved so you cannot sign up by yourself.   You are not missing out on anything here. Thank you for your interest, though. Perhaps this is something we will consider in the future. If this is something you would love to have in your life, please let us know.

Question 4

May I use an image or quote from your website?

Accepted Answer

If you need an image from impro studio (for example a headshot, photo or logo) for an event that you are running in partnership with us, please let us know and we can provide you with all necessary image material via email.  If you wish to use quotes from our written material on our website, please add quotation marks, as well as a reference with a link to www.improstudio.org.   Copyright All original content and graphics of improstudio.org are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form without express written consent of the author.   You may not modify, publish, transmit, participate in the transfer or sale of, create derivative works from, distribute, display, reproduce or perform, or in any way exploit in any format whatsoever any of the improstudio.org content, in whole or in part without our prior written consent.  Fair Use Allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, disability access, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. In relation to certain exceptions, if you are making use of that exception to copy impro studio’s work it is necessary for you to sufficiently acknowledge our work.  Creative Commons improstudio.org is honoured to use the works of various Creative Commons licenses, particularly those from Pexels, Pixabay and Unsplash.  You can find a full list of Credits here.   If you have a question about sharing something from this site, please write to us an email at contact@improstudio.org or by using this contact form.

Question 5

Do you have any reading / listening recommendations?

Accepted Answer

Ohhh plenty! And we do our best to credit authors / creators whenever we use something of theirs.   All of our bio pages include mentions of guides and courses which inspire us to do what we do.   The media & blog section will soon include recommendations and materials, as well as features of our inspirations and mentors.

Question 6

Will I get to meet Lucie?

Accepted Answer

Lucie lives in the Castellini family home. She despises computers and generally avoids the camera view for the sake of her own privacy. This is why she is our reminder to turn the screen off and relax with her. So unless you visit the family home, it is unlikely that you will get to meet her.

Question 7

I am new to practicing improvisation. Is this for me?

Accepted Answer

Yes, welcome! Anyone who wants to start fresh is welcome at our events and courses.   We aim to make the descriptions as inviting as possible and clearly state when they are meant for a specific target group or have set pre-conditions for participation.   All of our events and courses are designed in a way for you to be able to fully participate regardless of how much experience in improvisation you think you (don't) have.   We invite you to have a go and then decide whether or not you want to continue.

Question 8

I am an impro / improv theatre performer / teacher. Is this for me?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely, welcome! impro studio offers events and courses to anyone who wants to revisit the basics as well as to practice what we preach.    Continuous practice is how we build integrity.    By offering all-levels events and courses we get to focus on the basic and (exra)ordinary real life experiences we have.    You may find that the impro studio approach differs from your previous course experiences, as we deliberately delve into our practice in a non-linear, non-dual, and very much complex manner.   Our hope is to make more offers appealing to teachers / trainers / coaches, precicely because we want to inspire people to step out of their roles for a while.   This is an invitation to join as the human you are and then see whether you wish to continue onwards with us.

Question 9

I am a [profession]. Is this for me?

Accepted Answer

Your profession likely includes some form of improvisation. Even if it is limited to problem solving when things don't go according to plan. Therefore, yes, anyone from any profession can join and enjoy our sessions. And we'll be very curious to hear from you how what we do here resonates in your daily work. Welcome!

Question 10

What sort of games and activities can I expect to participate in?

Accepted Answer

All of our games and activities are opportunities for participatory experiential learning. At every event/course we will mix individual work with small and large group activities. They are usually playful, and an invitation to experience joy through relating to yourself, others, and the world around you.   An example of an activity: Have a look around your space and find an object which has meaning to you. We invite you to share with a small group, what this object means to you and why. You may get some time to take notes or write a poem. Depending on which event/course you are participating in, there will be more steps or instructions to embed this activity in the session.   An example of a game: We invite the group to tell a story together one-word-at-a-time.   To be totally honest, we use the words activity and game interchangably, as all activities can be done playfully, while playing a game is also an activity. We find language important and experiencing joy even more so. We hold our spaces lightly.

Question 11

How accessible are your events, courses and activities?

Accepted Answer

impro studio strives to make its activities accessible for as many different people as possible.  ​Whoever you are, wherever you are from, whatever your ethnicity, gender, physical ability, sexual orientation or age… we welcome you into our space.  You can find detailed descriptions of our accessibility, diversity and inclusion practices on our ethical practice page.  Should you be unsure about your participation, please use our chat, our contact form or email us at contact@improstudio.org

Question 12

I am below the age of 18. Is this for me?

Accepted Answer

kids & youth: impro studio offers 1-2-1 sessions and on-location work with groups of children aged 8-18. This is usually done in close collaboration with parents, legal guardians, or education institutions.   impro studio's events are currently offered with people aged 18 and older in mind. If people below the age of 18 wish to participate, they need to be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.  If you intend to bring your child with you, please email us at contact@improstudio.org or use our contact form first to have a conversation about the event & course content.

Question 13

I am a tree. Is this for me?

Accepted Answer

I am a bird.   Definitely! In fact, bring a friend!

Question 14

Is the previous question an inside joke?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Now, join us inside and warm up with us.

Question 15

Where can I find the impro studio events calendar?

Accepted Answer

We've got an events calendar on our WELCOME and events pages. If you'd like to get notified whenever we offer new events and courses, you can sign up to our Newsletter.

Question 16

How much do impro studio's open public events and courses cost?

Accepted Answer

We have three types of costs attached to activities. All of our prices are listed in € Euro and we link to a currency converter for your convenience: https://www.xe.com/   Free: People Need People sessions are and will always be offered free of charge.   Occasionally we might highlight our own donation scheme as well as charity projects which attendees can donate to if they so wish.    Donation: Drop-in to Impro is offered on donation basis.   You can choose how much you wish to pay for these sessions. We encourage a donation of €10 to cover our running costs and give a stipend to our guest facilitators, however, no one will be turned away if they pay more/less.   We do ask you to make a donation in order to register for the session so that we get an idea of how many people will show up.   If you choose to donate a higher amount, that money will help us to keep offering sessions like these at low costs.   Price Range: All of our courses are offered with a choice of 3 different prices:   High/Medium/Low   You are free to choose which price you pay and we trust your discernment without asking you to justify your choice.   We do hope that you will pay to your present-day financial ability, meaning, if you are a medium to high earner (in a wealthy country with strong currency) or have savings, your higher payment will help us offer courses at lower cost to lower earners (in weaker currency countries, systemically disadvantaged) without savings.   If the lowest price option is still too high for you, please use our contact form or email us at contact@improstudio.org to see if there is an option for you to join by paying what you can. 
We reserve the right to cancel an event if we cannot cover the running costs due to a low registration number.   Please note that all of our events and activities are non-refundable. You may be able to transfer your place to someone else, as described below.   You can read our full Terms & Conditions here.

Question 17

Do you offer scholarships / bursaries? Can I attend for free?

Accepted Answer

If you want to attend an event or a course but cannot afford the cost, please message us and we can have a look to see if there are places available at a "pay as you can" option.   Pay-as-you-can places will be offered on a first-come-first-serve basis and will depend on the financial health of the event or course (we need to cover our costs to keep running).   Events that are always free to attend: People Need People   Donation based events: Drop-in to Impro  Contact us through our chatbox, via our contact form or email us at contact@improstudio.org

Question 18

Do you have a waitinglist for full courses?

Accepted Answer

Yes.   Once a course is full, our ticketing platform allows you to sign up to a waiting list.   Once a place becomes available, we will contact people on a first-come-first-serve basis.

Question 19

How do I transfer my ticket?

Accepted Answer

If you are unable to make your event or course due to illness, we will offer to transfer your credit to another session/course or person. This credit is valid for a period of 6 months for  impro studio  sessions only. To transfer your credit to another event, please send an email to contact@improstudio.org with the subject line 'TRANSFER' and add the following details: Your full name Your Booking Email Address Name of Event/Course Originally Booked Name of Event/Course to be Transferred To Any Other Details Bookings may be transferred from one participant to another before the commencement of training, after first notifying us at least 48 hours before training begins. The new participant must have the necessary prerequisites for the training.   To transfer your spot to someone else, please send an email to contact@improstudio.org with the subject line 'TRANSFER' and add the following details Your full name Your Booking Email Address Name of Event/Course Originally Booked Full Name Of Your Replacement Email Address of your Replacement Any Other Details We will write back to confirm your credit transfer to a different event or a participant. Please wait for us to send this confirmation.   You can read our full Terms & Conditions here.

Question 20

Can I get a refund?

Accepted Answer

If we have to cancel a scheduled impro studio event for any reason, we will offer you a choice of either a replacement online event of the same value or a full refund.   Otherwise, if you have to cancel, nope, sorry. All of our events and courses are non-refundable. We currently do not have the staff capacity and financial stability to be able to offer refunds.   We do offer to transfer your credit to someone else. Have a look below.   Alternatively, you may donate your credit to someone else, in the sense of 'paying it forward.'   You can read our full Terms & Conditions here.

Question 21

Will there be pauses / breaks during sessions?

Accepted Answer

Every session that lasts longer than 1h will include an announced break of 5-30min, depending on the duration of the session.   We also include short mindfulness activities and moments to take your eyes off the screen. As you are in your own personal space, you can also step away from the screen at any point if needed.   This is not a school classroom. We trust you to take care of yourself.

Question 22

What, if I'm late to a session?

Accepted Answer

How we start our sessions: We open our Zoom rooms 5min before the official start time. For longer courses, we open the Zoom room 15min ahead of the first session to test our cameras and microphones. We start on time!  Once we are in the room: For online security reasons we lock the Zoom room 15min after the start time of the session or sooner, if all registered participants have arrived. Just like the doors would be closed in a physical room. We also do our best to finish on time, to honour our other life commitments.  Most of our sessions are structured with a flow of activities and we find participants will emerse themselves best when participating from start to finish.  However, we know that life happens unpredictably so we also encourage you to participate for a bit, if that's what is possible for you on any given day.  If you know that you are going to be late, please contact us via email: contact@improstudio.org call: 0031619585001 message via: Whatsapp, Signal, Telegram before the start of the session.

Question 23

Can I watch a recording of a session I missed?

Accepted Answer

No, although we record some of our sessions, the recordings are for internal use only.   When we record events, workshops and training courses, the entire session which takes place in the large group will be recorded by our session host. The breakout rooms will not be recorded.   The only screen being recorded during the sessions will be the screen of the host/trainer, keeping the privacy of our participants intact. When participants unmute themselves to speak in the main room, their voices will be recorded.  Participants will be notified at the start of the session when we record.   This recording is for internal use only and will not be shared. This means, that you cannot watch a recording of the session you missed. Just like when you attend an offline event.   We do not allow participants to record the meetings they attend.   If we do ever wish to share a recording publicly, we will notify all participants prior to the recorded session and will also ask for consent to be given again afterwards.   For more information on your privacy, please read our Privacy Policy here.

Question 24

How do I use Zoom?

Accepted Answer

Here is some useful information about how to use Zoom efficiently, effectively, and safely. A bunch of this is a direct copy from the Zoom FAQ webpage.   Preparation If you've never used Zoom before, have a look here at the Getting Started FAQ on the Zoom website. A Zoom account is not required if you are strictly joining Zoom Meetings as a participant. You can join as a participant without creating an account. You do not need to purchase anything extra in order to join our events. If you use the app version of Zoom then please make sure that you have got the latest update installed. Here is the Zoom guide to updating to the latest version. Make sure your computer or device is plugged in or charged fully. Prepare yourself: Wear comfortable clothing. Please set your space in a way that feels good to you. Please have your water close by. Joining a session Upon registering for an event or course, you will have received a meeting link, meeting ID, and password. You can join a Zoom meeting by clicking the meeting link or going to https://zoom.us/join and entering in the meeting ID.  When asked for a password, enter the password which was sent to you by us. When you first come on the call, you will be in a "waiting room" until one of our hosts welcomes you in. The waiting room is simply a screen indicating that you are in the right place. 'Doors' open 5min before the start time of a session so that you've got the space to settle in and test your microphone and camera Changing your display name: Zoom will by default use the name with which you registered for our event. This helps us to identify you as you enter the waiting room. If you wish to change your name upon entering the room, you can do so. We sometimes include discplay name change activities in our sessions. Video & Audio settings Your microphone will be defaulted to mute and your camera will be defaulted to off. By unmuting your microphone in the main room, you consent to being heard by the group and to your voice being recorded. By turning on your camera, you consent to being seen on screen. Your image will not be recorded unless we have specifically asked you for your consent to do so. If your video does not work, have a look at the Zoom troubleshooting for video here. If your microphone does not work, have a look at the Zoom troubleshooting for audio here. On most devices, you can join computer/device audio by clicking Join Audio, Join with Computer Audio, or Audio to access the audio settings. While you are not required to have a webcam to join a Zoom Meeting or our events, you will not be able to transmit video of yourself. You will continue to be able to listen and speak during the meeting and view the webcam video of other participants.  During the session Mic & Camera: For full participation and group experience, we may ask you to turn on your camera and unmute your microphone. To tend to your own nervous system or sense of privacy, you can turn off your camera and mute your microphone at any point. Chat: The chat box allows you to communicate with all participants, session hosts, and individual people through private messaging. For most events, we leave the chat open so that participants can choose to contribute verbally or through writing. Some people find the chat very helpful as a way to interact and others can find it very distracting (while in full-screen mode, it is possible to move the Zoom chat out of the field of view but this requires a few extra steps.) Depending on the type of session and activities, the chat may be limited or turned off entirely. Reactions: Throughout all sessions you can communicate with the hosts and other participants by using the reaction buttons. You can use the Raise Hand feature to let the hosts know that you wish to speak. Breakout Rooms: We use breakout rooms for many of our sessions. Hosts will provide all necessary instructions before assigning you to one. You can request for support while you are in a breakout room. A session host will then be with you as soon as possible. Rejoining: If for whatever reason you leave the Zoom meeting room during the session, you can simply rejoin the same way you first came. If the session host has locked the meeting room, they will unlock it for you to be able to join again. Closed Captions: There is a feature which allows for subtitles of sessions. We will experiment with this and let you know how to use it once we know too. Recording of the sessions The entire session which takes place in the large group will be recorded by our session host. The breakout rooms will not be recorded. The only screen being recorded during the sessions will be the screen of the host/trainer, keeping the privacy of our participants intact. When participants unmute themselves to speak in the main room, their voices will be recorded. This recording is for internal use only and will not be shared. We do not allow our participants to record the sessions they attend. People Need People sessions will not be recorded at all. At the end of the session You can save a copy of your chat window at any point during the session. We will also give a reminder to do so at the end. Once the session has ended, the Zoom room will be closed by the session host. If the hosts need to stay on to debrief, we may ask you to leave the Zoom Room by exiting the meeting. After the session Zoom meetings can be very energy consuming. We encourage you to step away from your device, get some fresh air, and treat yourself in whatever way helps you to land back in your physical space.

Question 25

How can I book a free initial 1-2-1 consultation?

Accepted Answer

Click the link for the scheduling page. Pick an available appointment slot. Add a description to your appointment. Save.  You will be sent a confirmation email and a calendar invitation which includes the Zoom link.

Question 26

How do I reschedule or cancel my free initial 1-2-1 consultation slot?

Accepted Answer

Open your calendar or confirmation email. Click the appointment slot. Follow the instructions for rescheduling or cancelling the event.

Question 27

How much does a 1-2-1 session with impro studio cost?

Accepted Answer

Our first consultation is always free fo charge.   1-2-1 agreements will usually be made with a series of sessions in mind.   Our basic rate for 1-2-1 sessions currently is €65 / hour.  This rate may be adjusted when we see a need to do so. In such a case, existing agreements will be honoured.  This fee is our basic rates which help us keep impro studio going. If you wish to pay more, we will gladly accept a higher rate in order to "pay it forward" to others in need.   If you cannot afford the price listed here, please contact us to see if we have space available at a rate more suited to your own financial situation.   You can read our full Terms & Conditions here.   To schedule a first session, please contact us at contact@improstudio.org or through our contact form.

Question 28

What, if I am late or have to cancel a 1-2-1 session?

Accepted Answer

TBC

Question 29

How do I book a free consultation for organisations?

Accepted Answer

Click the link for the Organisations Contact Form. Complete the form. Let us know whether you want to book a free consultation. Submit.  We will respond to your inquiry and include sheduling options for an initial non-binding conversation.

Question 30

How much does a coaching session with impro studio cost?

Accepted Answer

Coaching agreements will usually be made with a series of sessions in mind.   Our basic rate for corporate coaching sessions currently is €100 / hour.  This rate may be adjusted when we see a need to do so. In such a case, existing agreements will be honoured.  This fee is our basic rates which help us keep impro studio going. If you wish to pay more, we will gladly accept a higher rate in order to "pay it forward" to others in need.   If you cannot afford the price listed here, please contact us to see if we have space available at a rate more suited to your own financial situation.   You can read our full Terms & Conditions here.   To schedule a first session, please contact us at contact@improstudio.org or through our contact form.

Question 31

What are the timings of your workshops for organisations?

Accepted Answer

impro studio offers half-day and full-day workshops.   Half-day workshops can be timed between 1-3 hours.  We calculate a half-day even for 1h sessions, as the set-up and travel-time will mean that we are present on-site for longer than the session lasts.  Full-day workshops can be timed between 4-6 hours.  These will take place split over the morning and afternoon with a lunch break inbetween.

Question 32

Where can I find impro studio's terms & conditions?

Accepted Answer

Here are impro studio's Terms & Conditions.  Please note that your specific agreement may have an altered set of Terms & Conditions specifically taylored to your organisation. Make sure to refer to the copy you were sent upon signing an engagement contract.  For specific information about adjusting your organisation's planned trainings, coaching, talks and workshops, please consult your written contract and written communications with impro studio.   If you have any questions, please contact us through our contact form or via contact@improstudio.org

Question 33

Who can I talk to confidentially about impro studio?

Accepted Answer

If you wish to speak with someone confidentially, you can contact Angelina by emailing contact@improstudio.org or through the feedback form and let her know that you wish to speak in confidence. We will then arrange a meeting time.   If you wish to speak to someone about AIN or PNP related matters, please have a look in our Ethical Practice document for these organisations' contact information.   As we are building this organisation, there will likely be more people and ways to have confidential conversations about matters that concern impro studio.

Question 34

How can I leave (anonymous) feedback?

Accepted Answer

We love what we do and are keen to hear how this lands with you.   There are two ways you can send us (anonymous) feedback right away: use our feedback form, or email us at contact@improstudio.org   You can choose how much personal information you share with us. If you wish to schedule a follow-up, please make sure to give us your contact details.

Question 35

Where can I find more information about my Data Privacy?

Accepted Answer

Have a read of our Privacy Policy. There you will also find links to more information and contact details if you'd like to get in touch with us.

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