STUDENT PAGE

STUDENT PAGE

Hi! This page is for our students to access important & useful information easily!

STUDENT CODES OF CONDUCT

Improvolution’s Standards of Conduct apply to all staff and students. It is our duty to ensure that Improvolution is a place to learn, grow, and practice improvisation in an open, positive, and creative environment.

Each member of the Improvolution community is asked to uphold and respect these standards while in class or in any context of meeting together connected to Improvolution. That way, we can all help one another feel respected, safe, and supported.

We are devoted in providing a non-threatening and harassment-free space regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body type, age, belief, background, or race.

The values our organization believes in and upholds:
Respect, inclusivity, professionalism, approachability, flexibility, honesty, trustworthiness, and responsibility.

OUR CODES OF CONDUCT:

  1. Behave professionally and respectful towards others

  2. Improvise from a place of fun, love, consideration, curiosity, and kindness towards others. This includes respecting one another’s physical and personal boundaries.

  3.  No drug use or alcohol use when attending classes or performing

  4.  Abide by safety rules while onsite and respect each other’s and the space’s property

  5.  We don’t encourage our humor to ever “punch” and will not ever tolerate “punching down”. We stand by the belief that humor never needs to be mean-spirited or destructive.

  6.  While Improvolution honors freedom of artistic expression, we know this may sometimes lead to content that could be taken as hurtful, insensitive, or inappropriate to some participants. We encourage anyone who feels uncomfortable or offended to speak up at any time, to the group or privately to management. Appropriate steps will be taken to address these issues should they arise.

  7.  In no way will sexist, racist, and exclusionary behavior or jokes ever be tolerated.

If a student does not adhere to our Codes, we reserve the right to prohibit them from taking classes and performing. We hold the same standards for all our staff.

Concerns should be expressed to teacher or can be emailed to Rebecca at rebecca@Improvolution.org or Holly at holly@Improvolution.org

 

SOME USEFUL DEFINITIONS:

  • Harassment is any unwanted behavior, physical or verbal, written (or even suggested), that makes a reasonable person feel uncomfortable, humiliated, or mentally distressed.

  • “Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.” Sexual harassment is illegal, but not always criminal. Generally, people define sexual harassment beyond the workplace, such as catcalling, and this behavior may or may not be illegal.

  • The unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of ethnicity, age, sex, or disability.

  • Bias is a prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another usually in a way that's considered to be unfair. Biases may be held by an individual, group, or institution and can have negative or positive consequences. There are types of biases 1. Conscious bias (also known as explicit bias) and 2. Unconscious bias (also known as implicit bias)

    It is important to note that biases, conscious or unconscious, are not limited to ethnicity and race. Though racial bias and discrimination are well documented, biases may exist toward any social group. One's age, gender, gender identity physical abilities, religion, sexual orientation, weight, and many other characteristics are subject to bias.

    Unconscious biases are social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness. Everyone holds unconscious beliefs about various social and identity groups, and these biases stem from one's tendency to organize social worlds by categorizing.

    Unconscious bias is far more prevalent than conscious prejudice and often incompatible with one's conscious values. Certain scenarios can activate unconscious attitudes and beliefs. For example, biases may be more prevalent when multi-tasking or working under time pressure.

  • The freedom for us all to express ourselves. It is the right to speak, to be heard, and to participate in political, artistic, and social life. It also includes the ‘right to know’: the right to seek, receive, and share information through any media.

NEW STUDENT POLICIES

LEVEL 3 STUDENTS

All students will be required to take the SPINELINE 1 WORKSHOP before graduating LEVEL 3. Students can take the workshop while in the LEVEL 3 class.

MANDATORY SHOWS

While in a LEVEL class, it will be mandatory that students attend AT LEAST ONE IMPROVOLUTION IMPROV SHOW. This is to not only encourage a supportive community, a key component of learning involves observing…meaning seeing improv in action helps students learn in ways that being in class does not.

Tell the ticket-taker your name and what class you are in when you attend a GRAD SHOW, A LOVEFEST or a LOWBAR SHOW.

STUDENT TROUPES!

Want to start a student troupe?? We love that! Here’s how:

  • Students who have graduated LEVEL 3 are given the green light and encouraged to form student troupes if they’d like. Eventually you will be given segments to perform in IMPROVOLUTION shows.

    Picking a troupe may be tricky - that’s ok! They’re not forever. You can decide to try it for a show or two and see how it goes.

    The ideal size? It depends on what you want to do. It also depends on your set up - is it mandatory that everyone perform? If not, you might be able to have more in a troupe and that way people can play when they can, and you have a minimum number per show.

    Who? You can ask people you feel an affinity toward and connection to. You can also ask your whole class if you think everyone would be into it. There’s no wrong way to do it.

    Organizing it — It’s usually a good idea to have 1-2 Leads who collect the information and then reach out to Holly. It’s suggested that everyone do a piece of running the team (scheduling, booking space, tracking $$, promotion, etc)

    The trap of ‘note-giving’ - Giving one another ‘notes’ and ‘coaching’ between each other can kill a troupe dead in the water, so make sure to chat with Holly before meeting officially OR don’t attempt to do this until you have a coach present who can guide you in some Best Practices.

    1. Email holly@improvolution.org alerting her that you would like to form a troupe, with the following information:
      • list of the troupe members
      • who the Leads are
      • anything else you can think of to mention like, “we want to do games”, “we want to do Last Line Longform”

    2. You will need to hire one of our Improvolution coaches to work with your troupe, at least every 4th rehearsal. You will be sent a list of approved coaches and their rates. We advise you hire a coach early on, before you meet too many times. You don’t have to keep the same coach, feel free to work with as many or as few as you want.

    3. Once your troupe and your coach feels you are ready to perform, you can send Holly an email and she and Liz will discuss the parameters of performing including promotion, costs, and logistics.

    4. Everyone on the troupe must be an Improvolution student

    5. Your show format will be discussed with your coach and you are also encouraged, should you wish, to come up with new or unique twists on formats

    6. Adhering and promoting the principles and values of Improvolution are mandatory during rehearsals and performances.

Reach out to Holly with any questions! Go Troupes!!!

COVID POLICIES

For up-to-date info on our Covid-19 Health and Safety Policies, CLICK HERE!

As of MAY 19, 2023 there will no longer be proof of vaccination requirements for students or audience.

We highly recommend that all students, patrons, performers, teachers, and staff follow CDC recommendations, and request the following:
• if you aren’t feeling well or have a fever, please stay home
• the day of a show, please test for COVID IF you aren’t feeling well or have been around someone who has it or may have it.
• if you have been around someone with COVID or thinks they have it, please test before coming to class or a show and, depending on the circumstances, consider staying home

If at any point changes to our policies are warranted due to changes with Covid, we will alert our students.

PROTOCOLS AND PROCEDURES

We are thrilled you are taking class with us. At any time if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact our Executive Director, Rebecca Stuard at school@improvolution.org.

To make everyone’s experience the best possible one, we’d like to give you some of our protocols and procedures.

1. Please arrive on time to class. Your teacher has been instructed to start class on time so arriving a few minutes early is much better than a few late. If you are running late or are going to have to miss a class, you must contact your instructor so they know via email or, if they supply their cell, text.

If an exercise is in motion when you arrive, please wait until the next exercise begins before joining.

2. Health & Safety Protocols & Procedures

  1. We encourage all to be up-to-date with vaccinations/boosters and to wear masks when indoors. AND, masks are optional in class/show settings.

  2. We also recommend getting tested frequently. With all the variants emerging, this seems to be one of the best ways to combat the spreading of COVID.

  3. We also recommend that if you have been in close contact with someone with COVID, mask up while in class and if you are not feeling well please take care of yourself and don't come to a class or a show.

  4. Improvolution reserves the right to update these protocols, including requiring all students to wear masks, as circumstances dictate.

3. If you miss a class we do not offer make-up classes due to how our classes are structured and run.

4. Due to the progressive nature of the LEVEL classes, absences adversely affect the learning experience of both the missing student and the rest of the class.

  1. All 12-week classes: students are permitted up to 3 absences within the course.

  2. All 10-week & 8-week classes, students are permitted 2 absences.

  3. All 6-week classes, students are permitted one (1) absence.

  4. If you exceed the permitted absences, you will need to drop out of the class; no refunds will be given. You can then register for an upcoming Level session using a "Refresher" discount.

5. Diversity Statement: Improvolution is passionately committed to diversity, equity and inclusivity in our student body, troupes and organizational leadership. With unique experiences, points of view and diverse perspectives we continue to build an equitable & thriving environment for our BIPOC, Latinx, APIMEDA, and LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as for people with disabilities.

Our teachers and staff are here to support everyone and should something come up in class, you are encouraged to speak with either your teacher or to Rebecca Stuard, our school’s Executive Director so that it may be addressed immediately and properly.

6. If you decide to withdraw from a class, you’ll need to send an email to school@improvolution.org

For LEVEL Classes:

  1. If you withdraw any time prior to a week before the class starts, you will receive a full refund minus a $25 processing fee.

  2. If you withdraw between 48 hours and 1 week before the class starts, 70% of your payment will be refunded.

  3. Within 48 hours before the class starts, 30% will be refunded.

  4. After the start of the first class there are NO refunds or partial credits. You will forfeit your full payment.

  5. All refunds will be processed within 14 days of your email.

For WORKSHOPS:

Please refer to your Confirmation Email regarding specific workshop Refund Policies.

7. If a class needs to be cancelled we will do everything we can to offer a make-up class that works with everyone’s schedule. In the case that you cannot attend the make-up class, you will be refunded the amount of that one class. The only time we are not able to offer a refund is if the class was cancelled due to “an act of God/weather” (and we will still try to make that class up)

8. “Subs happen” – your instructor’s goal is to teach all the classes, however situations may arise which cannot be avoided and a fabulous sub will step in to teach the class instead.

9. For educational purposes, it is mandatory to see at least one (1) Improvolution show during your class session. You will be encouraged to share what you learned with the rest of your class, ask your instructor questions, etc. as part of how you integrate your improv training with us. It is also encouraged to plan class field trips to other improv shows!

10. Never hesitate to reach out to your instructor or Rebecca with questions or concerns you have. We are here for you!

11. Most important thing — HAVE FUN!!!!! We are very glad you are here!

SCHOOL AGREEMENTS RE: LOW % CHOICES

The following are prohibited (click for more info):

  • - Offensive
    - Mean-spirited
    - Punching down
    - Making fun of someone with a disability or who is in a lesser position
    - Cruel, racist, sexist, homophobic, and all the other “-ists“

    This is NEVER allowed.

  • - Vulgar, hyper-sexualized, crass
    - Bathroom humor, raunchy
    - Anything for the sake of shock-value

    EVENTUALLY, you can start using some of these tools after you understand why you couldn’t. They are a potent spice. CHARACTERS can “go blue” but improvisers - often just looking for a laugh, a reaction, or panicking - cannot.

    Also, it’s a LOT of fun to think of unique ways to insult something/someone other than the “usual” cuss words. Meaning, “that son of a bitch!” is fine. Would/could your character say, “that salty son of a beaver!” ? One isn’t WRONG and the other is RIGHT. Sometimes, “Eat shit!” is the perfect response. Other times,”Eat a carcass along the highway!” is better. It starts to be a matter of being playful, silly and going for the unique & slightly off-the-beaten-path in the world of that character.

  • YES-ANDing quite literally means not negating, so this is one way to define YES, AND – meaning we DON’T do these things for that reason alone.

    Often we make problems, choose to HATE something or someone, or pick fights out of bad habits.

    It shuts the door on that avenue and forces everyone to create a new avenue, usually the one THE DOOR-SHUTTER wanted in the first place

    It’s easy to DESTROY and not build in its place. Anyone can do that and it takes no skill or finesse. It also ISN’T improv.

    Improv starts with BUILDING. Experienced improvisers can seemingly destroy but they are, in fact, building. New improvisers are not there yet.

    Our job as teachers is to instill the automatic response of YES! AND! where most of the time as a new student it’s a YES-BUT, YES- ANYWAY or just plain NO. So, UNTIL that happens, this is an “AGREEMENT”

    It’s also a truer YES AND to like/agree/include/find important than the opposite. Saying “no” is an easy way to STOP. Saying “yes” keeps it going, which is the point. It CAN be scary at first which is why we often say NO consciously or unconsciously.

    The perspective we want everyone to get into their bones is that every offer is a GIFT.

    Improvisers must always YES, AND. At its most core, YES-AND aren’t those literal words, it’s an orientation to everything and everyone. An orientation of positivity, agreement, inclusion, support and WE>ME.

    Once you have that down, you can explore how CHARACTERS can go negative, argue, and see problems. As long as at the core all the improvisers are fundamentally YES-ANDing, characters can do and say what they want. A CHARACTER’s offer is then different from the IMPROVISER’S offer.

    The goal of this is for these to become internalized and intuitive. Until then, we’ll keep reminding you until you create NEW habits. You won’t get it overnight. But if you know WHY it’s important to do something different, you’ll learn faster.

Copyright © 2022 Improvolution School of Improv / Holly Mandel

WHO TO CONTACT…

Questions regarding the school — Mallory Kinney — school@improvolution.org

Questions regarding shows — Holly Mandel — holly@improvolution.org

Questions regarding policies and HR issues — Rebecca Stuard — rebecca@improvolution.org

Questions regarding teachers — Holly Mandel — holly@improvolution.org