Welcome to CLASS
Portland's Premier Provider of Corporate Improv Training & Improv Classes
Trusted by teams at Nike, Intel, PWC, Joyful, and other notable Portland companies and organizations.
Your Journey Starts Here…
There are many terms that we use when talking about communication and collaboration: Confidence. Emotional IQ. Focused Listening. Noticing Non-Verbal Cues. Finding Agreement. Staying Present. Leadership. Team Building. Acting As If. Public Speaking. Adapting to changing environments. And many more…
We believe that the skills these terms describe are all essential life skills. But they’re also amazing business skills. The challenge? If these skills aren’t taught in our schools or families, then how do we learn them? The answer to this question always surprises our business clients, coaching clients, and improv class students:
We learn and change through play.
The same skill we used as infants and children to explore & learn about the world STILL remains the best tool for adults. The practice of play is not only what makes deep learning possible, but also incredibly joyous. Join us to experience powerful psychological insights as we unlock the most powerful life lessons that are waiting to reveal themselves.
What Is Improv?
There are two different types of improvisation.
PROCESS OR “APPLIED” IMPROV is when expert trainers teach the core lessons from improvisation to help create breakthroughs in communication, collaboration, awareness, psychology, or leadership. Process improv never requires being funny, clever, smart, or quick. Rather, it’s a form of group meditation that trains participants to stay in the moment and identify opportunities. Process improvisation is the method we use for corporate training, business training, and leadership development.
PERFORMANCE IMPROV is the type of improv that features actors or comedians on stage attempting to be funny for an audience. The show “Whose Line is it Anyway?!” is a fabulous example of performance improvisation that’s known as “short form improv”. We teach a different approach, known as “long form” because it requires far more vulnerability, awareness, and connection to relationship and story. This is what teach to students in our performance improvisation classes in Portland at our studio.
Is Improv Hard to Learn?
Absolutely NOT. There are no special talents to learn or practice improv. All that’s required is a willingness to play, a gift all humans have at birth. There’s no need to be clever, smart, or funny and there’s no need to be an actor, performer, or leader. All that’s required is learning how to stay present. The Golden Rule of improv? We succeed as a team when we hear and validate offers and then add something to it. That’s it. There are guidelines, but no complicated rules. We teach these principles in our in-person improv classes in Portland as well as in our online improv academy for those with busy schedules. This approach also forms the basis for our corporate training modules.
Who Should Take an Improv Class?
The short answer: anyone. Improv is all about play and play is for anyone of any age. Like other kinds of play, improvisation develops creativity, communication skills, confidence, and adaptability, making it useful for people in all walks of life. This includes retired professionals wishing to develop their mental sharpness, corporate professionals and business leaders; students & young adults, and even people facing anxiety, addiction, or burnout should learn improv.
If you’re ready to transform yourself, register for one of our popular improv classes.
How Does Improv Help Business Clients?
Practicing improv activates key regions of the brain, including the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s control center for decision-making, creativity, and adaptability. Improv doesn’t just keep the brain nimble but it also increases neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to make connections and reorganize itself. That makes learning to improvise perfect for those in high-pressure situations that requires quick decision making or collaboration. The regular study and application of improv, helps companies give employees a literal mental workout that makes them sharper, more creative, and better able to pivot when challenges arise. So, it’s not just for laughs; it’s genuinely rewiring brains to be better problem-solvers. This is why Stanford and MIT incorporate improv workshops because, when practiced regularly, improv helps develop both the quick thinking needed in fast-paced environments and the confidence to handle the unexpected.
Ready to transform your team? Schedule a free consultation to discuss your goals.
Whether you’re seeking improv classes in Portland or team-building and business training in Portland or any of the other cities where we serve our clients — welcome to CLASS.