Youth Classes
Improv can be wonderful for kids. It can be a great outlet for creative energy. It can also help a shy child feel more comfortable in their own skin. And it’s just plain fun. We offer both online and in-person classes.
We are still offering online drop in classes for free for those who do not wish to venture out in public spaces or cannot for any reason – Wednesday Nights from 6-7pm for adults and 4:30-5:30pm for youth (kids classes re-start in January).
If you need further information about any of our programs and continued online shows, you can call or text us at 416-230-5967, or email us HERE.
IN-PERSON CLASSES
There’s still a pandemic going on, and we take the health of our students seriously.
We now know that vaccination and proper masking lowers that risk considerably. Therefore, please do not come to class with symptoms (running nose, cough, sore throat) and mask when the possibility of infection is known.
KIDS CLASS (8-10yrs)
Participants in the Kids Class will learn the fundamentals of improv with an emphasis on accepting other people’s ideas. Exercises are designed to build spontaneity, teamwork, and storytelling skills. Students will create their own characters on stage and gain the self-confidence to show off their newfound acting talents. This type of acting class is valuable for beginners and a good refresher for those young actors who need to brush up on their spontaneity skills.
QEPCCC 2302 Bridge Road, Oakville L6L 3L5
Starting APRIL 20th (NINE SPOTS LEFT)
SATURDAYS 10-12
$236 CDN (includes HST) – 8 Sessions
CAP 10 Students.
No classes on Victoria Day Weekend.
THIS SESSION IS EIGHT WEEKS LONG.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS COURSE OPENS March 10th, 2024
YOUTH CLASS (11-13yrs)
Participants in the Kids Class will learn the fundamentals of improv with an emphasis on accepting other people’s ideas. Exercises are designed to build spontaneity, teamwork, and storytelling skills. Students will create their own characters on stage and gain the self-confidence to show off their newfound acting talents. This type of acting class is valuable for beginners and a good refresher for those young actors who need to brush up on their spontaneity skills.
QEPCCC 2302 Bridge Road, Oakville L6L 3L5
STARTING APRIL 20th (NINE SPOTS LEFT)
SATURDAYS 1-3 (NEW TIME FOR THIS GROUP)
$236 CDN 8 Sessions
CAP 10 Students
No classes on Victoria Day Weekend
REGISTRATION FOR THIS COURSE OPENS MARCH 10, 2024
TEEN CLASS (13-17yrs HIGH SCHOOL)
Participants in the Teen Class will learn the fundamentals of improv with an emphasis on acceptance and presentation skills. Acting without a script and jumping in is great for students who wish to pursue acting and need bold audition strategies. As well as young actors, we see a number of students who come to break out of the cycle of anxiety. Helping them with failure resilience as well as learning to value their own gifts and viewpoints is key. Improv exercises are designed to build spontaneity, teamwork, which is vital for everyday life. Students will also create their own characters on stage and gain self-confidence in presenting them.
QEPCCC 2302 Bridge Road, Oakville L6L 3L5
STARTING APRIL 20th
SATURDAYS 3:30-5:30pm (NEW TIME FOR THIS GROUP)
$236 CDN 8 Sessions
CAP 12 students
No classes on Victoria Day Weekend.
REGISTRATION FOR THIS COURSE OPENS DECEMBER 6th
Online Drop-ins
Wednesdays (Free) 4:30-5:30pm STARTING AGAIN IN JANUARY
At Oakville Improv, we offer a range of improv workshops. To dip your toes, you may want to visit our “drop-in” class on Wednesday afternoons.
This class is free but if you register we can make sure the curriculum fits the number of people attending.
“(my daughter) certainly came away with more confidence and excitement than other extracurricular activities we have tried. This transferred into her regular school work as well … her sheer enthusiasm every week for Improv speaks volumes about the leadership within the classes.”
Our Online classes run for 60 minutes (drop-ins) to 90 minutes (for session classes). We use Zoom to connect. Of course, there are some technical requirements – each student should be well lit and have a suitable internet connection. The speakers and microphone on the computer may work adequately, but we find that a headphones and a mic do improve quality, and make the classes more fun.
What Can Improv Do for Kids?
Our workshops use basic improvisation techniques to help kids be engaged, get focused, and learn valuable presentation and acting techniques to get them talking to other kids, as well as learning to think on their feet with confidence.
Anxiety and stress is a huge problem for many kids these days. Some feel pressure to be perfect, looking for validation and success, and may be paralyzed at the idea of taking a creative chance in case it doesn’t pay off. With improv, they’ll discover a refreshingly different kind of experience. It’s a setting where “mistakes” are half the fun. Improvisers laugh at themselves. In this positive environment, failure quickly loses its sting, and that gives kids the confidence to make bolder and more imaginative choices. Just as sports like soccer, football and hockey build the body, improv strengthens the imagination and develops a person’s emotional resilience.
But improv is also great for kids who are already outgoing. The natural “class clowns” find an outlet for their quick wit. And the kids who love being the centre of attention enjoy the many opportunities for stage time, develop their skills to more professional levels, and learn how to shine their light on others.
Instead of interacting with video games and smart phones, they’ll deal with people face to face, enjoying theatre games that encourage authentic play, laughter and personal interaction between kids.
Each of our workshop sessions ends with a casual and fun showcase for an audience of friends and family. This is not an obligation, but most kids – even those who thought they’d be too afraid – usually end up choosing to take part. (During COVID 19 restrictions, showcases are temporarily postponed until we can provide enough space for parents and friends safely).
It’s so much fun to hear people laughing, it’s addictive, and kids come back, again and again. Even the shy ones.
(My daughter’s) confidence now shines at school. She was a little reserved and shy, but not anymore … she tells it how it is and more! Her sense of humour has also developed into a fun and interesting characteristic we are all enjoying at home.
Theatresports (Teen Edition) May 6, 2022 for Youth Week at QEPCCC, for the Town of Oakville
If you would like to learn more before you register, contact Amy McKenzie – amy@oakvilleimprov.com