Please note: this module is taught in Dutch.
Who knows: something unexpected might happen during your project presentation, the interview with one of your respondents might not go as planned or you may have misjudged a situation. And this improvisation doesn't stop when you finish studying and start working – on the contrary. A job interview, a mistake that needs to be solved right now and that you are called to account for, equipment that turns out not to work, a spontaneous meeting... You name it.
What will we be doing in this module?
In this module, you will get to work with the basics of improvisation in a theatre setting. You will learn to use all sorts of tools that will help you to feel more comfortable with not knowing exactly how something is going to turn out. You will use your creativity and guts to master these skills and create short scenes together. In these scenes, you will learn to work together, respond to whatever arises in the moment, listen carefully and observe. You will practise how to manage your first impulse (without censoring yourself), increase your expression and use your body language effectively. And above all, you will learn by trying and by allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Teacher
The lecturer for this module is Vera van Berlo. Vera works at RU as an educational advisor and her great passions are theatre and learning. She therefore enjoys combining the two. She leads improvisation workshops, is a training actor, uses theatre in her aggression training and skills training courses and has supervised an Honours Lab, in which students used theatre to explore the topic of student wellbeing. In her spare time, Vera is active in two theatre groups (Foeloekoe and Flint).
Learning objectives
After attending this course, you will be able to:
- define what improvisation is
- use basic improvisation terminology in group discussions
- connect elements of improvisation (theatre) with everyday life
- use creativity in the process of improvisation
- improvise short stories and/or scenes (together)
- dare to take risks in a safe environment
- give and receive verbal feedback
- reflect on your own and others' improvisation skills
Assessment and feedback
During the sessions, we will collectively reflect on the exercises that we do. Your final assessment will be based on a pass/fail. During the module, you keep a personal logbook that we reflect on during the meetings.
Attendees
Each group may include a maximum of 15 participants. The workshop will be held in Dutch.
Schedule
The course consists of 5 sessions which will take place on Wednesday evenings 18.30 - 21.00 hrs at the Latin School in Nijmegen.
The Honours Academy and Radboud in’to Languages believe that the best learning happens when we collaborate in the same workspace, so your physical presence is required! If you know that you cannot attend one or more sessions, pick a different course so you can get the most out of this experience with your fellow students.