WE – Innovative Approaches to Community Building

What is applied improvisation? How can we apply the core techniques, tools, and values of theatrical improvisation to everyday life? Improvisation skills perfectly translate into creating a supportive, creative, open-minded approach to group work, team building, personal development, and creativity.

Arthur Janik and Adam Sobolewski will introduce the audience to these and many other applications of improvisation.

Arthur Janik (SWPS University): doctoral student in positive psychology, researching emotions and creativity in the context of theatrical improvisation. He has trained at the world’s top improv theaters including Second City, iO, UCB, and the Annoyance. Currently, he continues to learn the art of improvisation at Szkoła Impro. He is active in the Warsaw’s improv community, performing in both Polish and English. He believes that improv’s philosophy of “Yes, and…” can save the world.

Adam Sobolewski (SWPS University): psychologist specializing in psychotrauma. Currently, he is in the process of training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. Experienced academic teacher, enthusiast of Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz’s (also known as Witkacy) ideas on theatre.

Safe relationships, non-violent communication, authority that does not bully or exploit - these are the characteristics of a healthy and a well-functioning team. Do you know how to build such teams? How can you support this iedea? How can improvisation and positive psychology contribute to this process?

PANELISTS

Paweł Najgebauer (Szkoła Impro / Groupmind) improviser, instructor, and sketch writer. An alumnus of America’s top improv theaters iO, the Annoyance, Second CIty, and UCB. He performed on many stages in Poland and abroad, in cities such as Chicago, New York, Austin, Manila, and Bremen. He led improve workshops across Poland, Australia and the Philippines and is a co-founder of Szkoła Impro and the Warsaw Improv Festival. As a coach, he explores the possibilities of using improvisation techniques in negotiation and conflict resolution. He is also a co-author of www.warsawimprov.pl blog and “Duży pies nie szczeka” [A big dog does not bark] book.

Dorota Wiśniewska-Juszczak (SWPS University) social psychologist whose academic work focuses on issues related to power and leadership, with a particular interest in the positive and negative consequences of possessing power. She conducts research on the consequences of applying various strategies of influence on those subject to authority. As a practitioner - trainer and consultant - she specializes in building effective teams and communication within them. She has developed an innovative technique for the assessment of leadership potential and is a certified Insights Discovery and Solution Focused Brief Therapy trainer.

Anna Szapert (Future Simple / SWPS University) therapist, coach, trainer and academic lecturer. Co-founder of the Future Simple educational collective as well as the "Profession Female Artist - work exercises" program. She is currently a doctoral student at SWPS University. Her professional experience includes both individual and group work at various organizations. She is interested in new directions for growth and development, and strengthening internal resources and potential as well as in designing and conducting training sessions. She loves working with artists and cultural institutions, and is passionate about the application of creative methods in psychology and the search for innovative approaches to supporting artists and creators in a comprehensive way.

Andrew Hefler (USA / Hungary) Budapest-based improviser, lecturer improv trainer, screenwriter and comedian. Ever since moving from California to Budapest back in 1993, he has been successful in developing improvisation as an art form in Hungary. In his work, he helps actors, writers, directors and artists develop their communication skills. He works in creative environments and leads many artistic projects himself.

Nora Palkovits (Corvinus University of Budapest) Experienced trainer, actress and psychologist, who has been involved with improvisation for 13 years. She gives workshops both on theatrical and applied improvisation, and has been using improv techniques to entice creativity as well as ease mental difficulties in groups. Living in Budapest, she is a core member of Grund Theater, and a guest actress of Momentán Társulat. For the past three years, she has been working as a psychologist specializing in crisis.

Moderator: Piotr Gasik (Szkoła Impro / Groupmind) improviser, improv trainer, and coordinator of projects in applied improvisation.

This panel discussion will be focused on effective methods of counteracting aggression and violence among children and adolescents and the role of adults in this process. Experienced improvisers, teachers, psychologists and practitioners of cross-cultural education will share their recipe for creating a safe environment for working, learning and playing.

PANELISTS

Marzena Cypryańska-Nezlek (SWPS University) Social psychologist, specializing in social comparison. She analyzes the benefits and losses that come from comparing oneself with other people and studies how perceived level of happiness changes with age and life circumstances. She is interested in prejudices, the psychology of film, and positive psychology (e.g. optimism, happiness). As part of ongoing scientific projects, she analyzes the impact of different experiences on changes in well-being and personality. She also researches the nature of comparative judgments in the context of intercultural differences.

Katarzyna Lalik (Szkoła Impro) improviser and theatre educator, actor and cultural manager by education. Recipient of the 2017 Young Poland scholarship, in the form of an improvisation course at the IO West Theater in Los Angeles in 2017, awarded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. She has co-led a series of educational and theatrical workshops for teachers, such as the "Pippi Longstocking" project organized by the Theatre Institute in Warsaw, a workshop series "O!swój!" at Teatr 21, classes for children for Szkoła Impro, the “Improspekcja” project, and the “Kula Zabawula” program. Other activities include theatrical events at the Royal Łazienki Museum, musical improvisation with the Gre Badanie Experimental Choir, and improve classes at Dorożkarnia Cultural Center (START Studio Theatre and START Theatre).

Aneta Duda (Copernicus Science Centre / SWPS University) educator, career counselor, personal trainer, graduate of the University of Warsaw, specializing in the field of group training. Currently, a doctoral student in cultural studies at SWPS University. She has dedicated the last 15 years of her career to the popularization of sciences in Poland. She is a manager at the Copernican Revolution Lab, at the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, where she is in charge of developing new educational solutions supporting learning.

David Stein (American School of Warsaw) teacher at the American School of Warsaw (ASW) in Konstancin, ever since moving to Poland from San Francisco with his wife 11 years ago. He created the middle school Theatre Arts and Video Production program at ASW and has made the study of improv a key component of the curriculum. In addition to improv, he studies clown craft and has directed multiple large cast plays and musicals at ASW. Once a month, he also teaches roller skate dancing at Warsaw's Wrotkarnia Roller Disco. He and his family love Warsaw and all it has to offer.

Kaisa Kokko (Finland) improviser and educator based in Helsinki, where she performs and leads workshops, though currently she is also involved in numerous international projects. Through her travels, she shares her experiences, using the opportunities to both learn from and teach others. To date, she has conducted several hundred workshops for both adults and young people. She is driven by the philosophy that the safe atmosphere she strives to create in her classes is the basis for creativity and creation. More information at www.kaisakokko.com.

Moderator: Agnieszka Matan (Szkoła Impro / Groupmind) comic, improviser, improv trainer at Szkoła Impro as well as a coordinator of numerous educational projects for children and young adults.

Organizers

• Fundacja Klancyk
• Szkoła Impro
• Resort Komedii

Partners

• SWPS University
• Kino Muranów
• Wolskie Centrum Kultury
• Dom Kultury "Włochy"
• Dorożkarnia
• Akademia Teatralna im. Aleksandra Zelwerowicza w Warszawie
• Warszawski Program Edukacji Kulturalnej

Media Patrons:

• Warsawholic
• Mówią Na Mieście
• Co Jest Grane24
• Improstrefa
• Radio Kampus
• Teatr dla Wszystkich
• Weź mnie. Do teatru.

www.festival.warsawimprov.pl

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