The Way of the Mindful Improvisor:

A Playful Path to Courage, Creativity, and Connection

Wednesday, February 15th, 6-9 pm

Modern research suggests that mindfulness makes a powerful tool for developing young people’s resilience, self-confidence, emotional intelligence, and performance in academics, athletics, and the arts. Growing evidence shows that improvisational theatre does the same.

Woven together, the two transform into a single, compelling cloth. Mindfulness gains a playful, interactive expression. Improv develops a well-grounded depth. Working in concert, they cultivate the kind of charismatic, creative, connected presence that helps kids—and teachers—respond artfully to the challenges of any given moment.

This workshop will offer participants a glimpse into the power of these combined traditions. Together, we’ll create a safe learning lab that uses experiential exercises to sharpen self-awareness and revitalize relationship with the outside world. We’ll train the muscles of playful attention, introduce the power of “Yes, and,” retrain our reactions to so-called “failure,” and learn to connect with ourselves and others more resourcefully. And we’ll do all that while laughing a lot.

Enrollment for this second workshop will be limited to 18 participants.

Prerequisites

Please note: these workshops are designed for those with little or no prior experience with improvisational theatre. Those with more substantial improv chops who are just beginning to tap its deeper levels will also find it fruitful. While those with more significant mindfulness experience may find also find further insights, no meditation or mindfulness experience is necessary either.

Location

These workshops will take place at the Ransom Everglades Middle School Theater. Please see the address and map to the right of this page for more information.

About the Instructor

Ted DesMaisons has been synthesizing innovative approaches to teaching and learning for over 25 years. Since completing graduate work at Stanford Business and Harvard Divinity schools, Ted has studied and performed improvisation across North America, including with Patricia Ryan Madson at Stanford, BATS Improv in San Francisco and Loose Moose Theater in Calgary, Alberta. He is the founder and principal of ANIMA Learning, a trained Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) instructor, and the US Coordinator for the UK-based Mindfulness in Schools Project. He writes regularly about growth mindset, applied improv, contemplation, and positive reinforcement on his ANIMA blog (www.AnimaLearning.com/blog) and co-hosts the podcast "Monster Baby: A Curious Romp through the Worlds of Mindfulness and Improvisation" (www.monsterbabypodcast.com).

Investment

Finding Second Circle workshop: $40 per person.

Way of the Mindful Improvisor workshop: $50 per person

Take both workshops and save $15!

Payments refundable (minus $10 processing charge) if the workshop is full and you or we are able to find a replacement.

Contact Us

If you’d like more information about the content or logistics of the workshop, feel free to contact either the presenter or the host, Valerie York-Zimmerman. We’d be delighted to talk with you!

Ted DesMaisons: Ted@AnimaLearning.com

Valerie York-Zimmerman: ijourney@att.net