Courses

Improvisation skills empower us to navigate the unpredictable nuances of life with creativity, adaptability, and resilience. They also help us approach each day in new and refreshing ways. With numerous applications across disciplines, these skills foster personal growth, enrich collaboration, and facilitate problem-solving in diverse contexts. This course invites you on a transformative journey to learn and practice improvisational skills on the Stanford campus in a unique format.

Inspired by visionaries such as Del Close, Viola Spolin, and other applied improvisers, the course will consist of three parts. First, students will convene with the instructors to learn improv skills and to workshop a series of interactive exercises designed to catalyze heightened awareness and creative thinking. Informed by what we learn, we will then follow carefully designed prompts that lead students on an indiviualized “quest” to explore the picturesque Stanford campus. From the historic Main Quad to the serene landscape of Lake Lagunita and the dynamic arts quarter, each outing will become a canvas for practicing newfound skills. Finally, the instructors will guide sessions on storytelling and reflection where shared experiences become an integral part of our collective learning. Students will leave the course with an understanding of the improvisational mindset as a way of making sense of the world—and having explored a beautiful campus in a new and exciting way.