The Improv Training Hub

IMAGINATION STATION

IMPROV FOR KIDS (Ages 7-12)

HAPPY KIDS, HAPPY LIFE…

OTHER PEOPLE MATTER MINDSET

Our goal is to provide a safe non-judgemental active place to create, collaborate and cheer on others as a group so that all succeed. We believe if you think of others, you help them and help yourself.

Improvisational skills are a daily life skill. In today’s technological world, it is easy to get lost in screens and virtual realities. Unfortunately, this can lead to losing human connection which is a limited way to view the world. We want kids to tap into face-to-face interactions and play so that they have social skills for life. Project-based learning and team collaboration is the new wave of education, as well as, job environments and expectations. Let’s get these kids ready; they’ll be having so much fun, they won’t even know it!

How can you prepare a kid for that? Get back to a playful mind and back-to-basics playtime. It is needed to unplug. Even the most analytical kid needs communication skills as an adult if they want to be leaders. Even the most arty kids need to know how to analyze situations to function as an artist. Improv helps both kinds of kids. Ultimately, improv is pattern making. If you recognize the pattern, you can create funny jokes and scenes . If you recognize patterns, you see how things work. Patterns are everywhere in life, once you learn how to see them.

Our goal is for children to learn friendship building skills like using their words, thinking on their feet, hearing and caring about others. Isn’t it beautiful to see kids embrace others’ success? Teams are only as good as their weakest player so if the team builds up one person, they build up the whole. So let’s get to work, we mean play!

WHY US?

What makes our camp different? What do we offer? In three words: independence, creativity and joy.

Our camp and classes are more than just improv. They are about exploring the creative process. This is a kid-driven camp… we give them creative license all within the improv framework.

We believe improv skills are more than learning how to be funny. They help with communication, compassion and team building.

Consequently, they will leave feeling good about themselves and what they have accomplished.

GIVE US A WEEK AND YOUR KID WILL ACQUIRE –

Learning skills – Kids learn through play. Improv is playing.
Focus – Kids need to listen and follow directions. Plus focus unlocks their true imagination.
Confidence – Improv builds self-confidence through a sense of self-accomplishment and knowing it takes bravery to perform in front of others. They will have a sense of fearlessness.
Expansive thinking – Creativity breeds problem-solving and out-of-the box thinking.
Socio-emotional growth – Acting helps kids explore healthy ways to express big feelings.
Listening Skills – You can’t improvise unless you listen to your partners. Listening is actually hearing meaning and intent behind the words and how they are said.
Communication skills – Kids learn many ways to express their thoughts that work in every day life, just not on stage.
Teamwork – Improv is about working in a group and collaborating with each other to create a piece. Give and take is a must.
Compassion – Kids need to understand other perspectives to play characters different from themselves.

MEET OUR TEACHERS

AMEY GOERLICH

Amey started working with children in 1997 in New York City MC’ing and running large craft birthday parties at The Craft Studio. She then started working in after-school programs in NYC teaching acting and improvisation comedy. She ran an after-school program at a private elementary school in Manhattan at the Trevor Day School.

She moved onto teaching improvisation, filmmaking, animation and theatre to Kindergarten through 5th grade in NYC for 8 years. From 2001-2016 she was a performer at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC and started teaching Long form improvisation in NYC, at theaters across the country and at improvisation festivals since 2003.

In 2015 she co-created an improvisation board game called Humans Being Card Game which is available on Amazon.com. She also was the Artistic Director of an online improv comedy theater that had up to 4 shows a day from teams all over the world.

In 2016 she moved to Los Angeles to teach improvisation at The Westside Comedy Theater where she is a performer and teacher.

HEATHER J. MCADAMS

Heather has worked with children in many forays. She has tutored children with ADHD and emotional issues. She also used sub for a private high school.

She was a member of Tim Robbins’ Actors’ Gang for many years and was in several of their productions as well as taught commedia dell’arte to middle schoolers with the Gang. Her biggest and most creative work-in-progress to date is motherhood.

In the spring of 2019, she worked extensively with PS Art’s Donzell Lewis on Walgrove Elementary’s production of Peter Pan which was probably the best production this side of the Great White Way. She is again working with Donzell on Alice in Wonderland.

Heather has worked as a screenwriter and filmmaker for the past two decades. Check out some of her work at www.agamemnon.com .

Additionally, She plays soccer (without diving) and just got her yellow belt in Krav Maga. Heather lives near the beach with her husband, son, and two dogs.

Jordan Todd Brown

Jordan is a good ol’ boy from Utah and has been performing improv for 10 years. He studied at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater completing their core improv training program and continued studying in its advanced curriculum. he’s on several improv teams which have performed at improv festivals both in the states and internationally. He just performed at the Edinburgh Improv Festival in February 2020.

Jordan is also a member of the Story Pirates, which is a group of teachers/actors/musicians who turn stories written by kids into sketch shows and songs. He’s both an actor for Story Pirates performing those stories written by kids at assemblies and theaters. He also teaches workshops in classrooms of kids K-12 how to write their own stories.

Last summer He was the guest teacher for Pickleville Workshops. He took the reigns once a week teaching how to use improv in acting. We are so happy to have Jordan as part of our teaching staff.

CAMPS

AGES 7-12 (Limited to only 15 Kids)

1 week camps from 9:00 am – 2:00 pm for ages 7-12 years old with a showcase on the last day of camp at 1:30 pm

Summer Camps June – August 9:00 am – 2:00 pm ages 7-12 years old

Location: Fanatic Salon Theater 3815 Sawtelle Blvd, Culver City, CA 90066

PRICE: $350 per week or 8 weeks for $2500

SAMPLE DAY AT IMPROV CAMP

9:00 – 9:20 Campers arrive settle in with drawing, legos

9:20 – 9:50 Improv Warmups

9:50 – 10:50 Group work, improv scenes and training

10:50 – 11:10 Break/Snack Time/Free Play time

11:10 – 12:10 Deeper dive into improv games, group work & improv training

12:10 – 12:40 LUNCH

12:40 – 2:00 Specialty improv work (Filmmaking, Animation, Art, Writing)

2:00 PICK UP (Parents please be aware that we do not have our space past 2pm and our teachers do have other commitments in their days. Please be prompt for pickup.) You will be charged $10 for every 5 minutes that you are late for pickup.

*We get that some kids may need additional breathers and we will have legos, art supplies, etc on hand for kiddos who need that extra time.