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From "organic openings" to "group mind" to "pimping," improvisers have their own secret language that to the outside world sounds, well, a little cult-y. Obvi, improv is spreading, but there are still enough outsiders to keep... outside. And what better way to do that than with cool things we say that no one else will understand even if we explain it soweshouldstoptrying?!?!?!
***ONLY use these terms with the crowd that knows "object work" doesn't actually involve objects; we'll know what you mean.***
TTB and BGB: 'Take That Back' and 'Bit Gone Bad':
"I proposed to Karen. It was a real BGB, so I TTB."
You are Froze:
Just like freeze tag, you. get. around. But somehow, nobody's talking about you.
"Sweep!"
What improvisers yell when we don't like where a conversation is going and then initiate a new, unrelated, more inspired conversation.
A YesandbutNo-it-All:
A person who technically isn't an asshole, but is definitely an asshole.
A Tina:
A nerdy hot gal
A Real Talking Head:
A bore
A Walk On:
Your one-night stand
Steam Roller:
When your roommate has a loud one-night stand.
Callback:
A one-night stand you don't remember having and do again. Sometimes it's really satisfying.
And here's what improvisers say to describe our dates:
"We went to CSz." = "It was pretty G-rated. Might not have been a date."
"Got tickets to Second City" = You could see this relationship going somewhere...
"Stood in line at UCB." = Not sure where you stand. They play games, but you like it.
"I hung out at iO." = It was fun, but you literally know ev-er-y-one they've dated.
"I did a showcase." = You went home and jerked off. Also see: "heightened and explored."
And finally...
WWDD?
What would Del do?
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Andel Sudik has been performing and teaching improvisation for over 10 years. She is an alum of The Second City in Chicago and Amsterdam’s Boom Chicago and loves to play at iO. Check her out on Twitter @AndelSudik or on her website www.yesandel.com.
