The iO training center is committed to creating an inclusive environment where performers and ensembles can practice the art of longform improvisation. Longform is an Art, and the idea that 10 people would DARE to take a stage without knowing what was going to happen is both audacious and thrilling.
• Open curriculums
Decolonizing our curriculum removes presumptive language and reframes the global majority as such.
• Teachers in Ensemble
Decentering the teacher means recasting the instructor as an equal part of the ensemble.
• Creative Critique
Decentering the teacher opens the room to the idea that all of us are smarter than one of us, and we all might learn from each other.
Level 1 will have an ensemble focus where teamwork and group mind are the goals. Stage-craft, stage picture, organic openings and games will also be covered.
Level 2 is about developing individual point of view, and learning tools for good scenework. Editing, character, environment, acting, and most of all, appreciation for your own unique skill set. This level will also focus on supporting your scene partners and elevating their work.
Level 3 hones in on scene work. A founder said, "Why bother doing a form if you can't do a scene?” In this level, we will dig deep, putting characters into relationships, playing games, and discovering other scenic beats. Perspective, emotion, and committment are the foundations on which all of our scenes will be built.
In Longform, Level 4, we posit that a group mind is a decision, and appreciation for existing forms lets us better create a new one.
Level 5 - Advanced Longform. The best forms are created by ensembles to show off their particular skills. Ensembles will create original forms and maybe even take an existing form and BREAK IT.
After completing the Program, students can choose to enter The House Team System,
where Longform Ensembles will be Showcasing Original Forms.
• New Teams
• Longform Ensembles
• House Teams
Our Award-winning instructors have been featured on Comedy Central, HBO, and other major networks and late-night comedy specials.
