A Contradiction? “Improvisation Takes Practice.”
I used the question mark after the word contradiction in this blog’s title as I am not certain what follows it is a contradiction. The statement “Improvisation takes practice” was made at last night’s Pre-Performance Lecture by Jason Samuels Smith, one half of tonight’s India Jazz Suites featuring, both Samuels Smith and Pandit Chitresh Das. As I heard Mr. Smith say the words my ears perked up. Isn’t the definition of improvisation to create in the moment and respond to the stimulus of one’s immediate environment and feelings at that particular time? How can something seemingly spontaneous be practiced or need practice? Doesn’t that remove the improvisation and spontaneity from the act? I listened closely and took in the rest of his explanation. As a dancer Mr. Smith says he needs to be prepared to improvise, especially in the high energy and fast pace of their performance, where classical Indian musicians, the traditional Indian dance of Kathak, American tap and American Jazz blend together and challenge each of the four parties to keep up, to change, to play, dance and react to what the others are performing and doing. He explains that he knows the tap steps well and needs to practice how a step might translate or transform if it is performed to the right instead of its natural way to the left or can he transition from a slow step to something faster in the heat of the moment. He used his statement to also point out that as adults we settle into our own routines and that every day of our lives is improvisation: as we repeat our routines there are instances that we change or try something new and that we should practice stepping out of our comfort zone.
Will you step out of your comfort zone and join us this evening and start practicing improvisation in your daily routine?
Doug says:
Improvisation is the art of using impressions of thought or movement, usually left by the expressions of others. At the same time, the impressions alone cannot make coherent thoughts without some application or thought, both of which takes practice or mastery. Thus practice of both the impressions and the organization, while maybe not like practicing a as in a classical work, creates one’s own improvised expression. So yes, not really in the traditional application of practice, but certainly mastery of one’s own skills, the practice of others’ thoughts and how to put them together, all are forms of practice.
Tara says:
I’ve been performing—and practicing!—improvised theater (ad more recently music) for over 20 years, and I can tell you that yes indeed, it takes practice. Practice at the craft, at working with new people, at dis-engaging my brain and letting ideas flow without censorship. But the rewards are so worth it!